In Ukraine, less than one kopeck of debt is actually recovered from every hryvnia of debt

In the first six months of 2025, more than 5.3 million proceedings were transferred for enforcement in Ukraine, but only 1.1 million cases (approximately one in five proceedings) were actually recovered. About writes Opendatabot with reference to data from the Ministry of Justice.

This includes both new debts in 2025 (1.75 million) and those that have "migrated" from previous periods – about 3.7 million.

In the first half of the year, UAH 15.11 billion was recovered, while proceedings worth UAH 395 billion were closed. This means that a significant number of cases were closed without any actual refunds.

In addition, according to Opendatabot, the actual amounts collected are decreasing from year to year.

In 2025, the enforcers managed to collect less than a kopeck from every hryvnia of debt. For comparison, before the full-scale invasion, this figure was 2.6 kopeks, and in 2023 it was 3 kopeks.

The majority of proceedings (983,000 cases) continue to be handled by state bailiffs – 88% of the total. Private bailiffs handle 12% (130,000 cases) and account for 41% of all money actually recovered – over UAH 6.1 billion.

Last year, a large number of court decisions on Russia's debts for war-related damages were enforced. As a result, the total amount of debts increased to UAH 1.68 trillion, and the rate of real recoveries fell sharply.

Denys Popov, head of the legal department at Opendatabot, said that such cases should be kept separate from the general statistics of penalties, as "this will allow an objective assessment of the effectiveness of the enforcement system in Ukraine."

• As of mid-September 2025, the Unified Register of Debtors contained the following a record 788,507 debts for utilities were recorded, which is 13% more than in July 2024.