Ukrainian Vice Premier and Infrastructure Minister Borys Kolesnykov has noted the rail link between Kyiv and the Boryspil International Airport probably will not be ready by 2012.

"The "Air Express" will not be started by the Euro 2012 for certain," Kolesnykov added during a briefing on Monday.

According to his words, the introduction of the project will take at least two years. Additionally, the vice premier mentioned that the issue of state guarantees for loans drawn for this project from China has not been resolved as of yet.

As it was reported, a framework agreement between the Boryspil International Airport and China National General Machinery Engineering Corporation was made in September 2010. Ukraine will get a loan of USD1 billion under the Contract. It envisages the building of an eight-kilometer long rail link from Kyiv to the Boryspil Airport, the construction of four railway stations, and the purchase of electric trains.

Earlier, Boryspil International Airport Director General Borys Shakhsuvarov forecast that the project introduction would launch no earlier than in 2012, as a number of issues remain unresolved.

The national budget for 2011 does not foresee state guarantees for credits, and in addition to that, the issue of the land plots that will be crossed by the rail link still has to be resolved, as most of these land plots are in private ownership. Additionally to that the final project an its cost estimate have not been approved.