Ukrainians increasingly turn to personal bankruptcy procedure

In the first nine months of 2026, Ukraine recorded 1,293 personal bankruptcy cases. This is 37% more than in the same period last year. The number of such proceedings has been growing for the fourth consecutive year after a decline in 2022.

This is evidenced by data from the Supreme Court, analyzed by Opendatabot.

In January-September 2026, the number of insolvency cases already exceeded the figure for the entire 2024 by almost 40%. That year, 927 cases were recorded.

Moreover, the indicator for nine months of the current year almost equaled the result of the whole 2025, when 1,348 Ukrainians were involved in such cases.

After the start of the full-scale invasion, the number of proceedings initially decreased: from 496 in 2021 to 374 in 2022. However, thereafter steady growth was observed: 576 cases in 2023, 927 in 2024, and 1,348 in 2025.

In total, since 2022, the relevant statistics have recorded 5,014 personal insolvency cases.

The majority of Ukrainians who resort to bankruptcy proceedings are between 25 and 45 years old. In the nine months of 2026, this age group accounted for 876 individuals, or almost 68% of all cases.

Another 304 applicants were over 45 years old, and 113 were under 25. The youngest person appearing in the relevant statistics was 20 years old, the oldest – 77.

This year, women predominate among applicants. There were 685 of them, or 53% of the total, while men numbered 608. In 2025, the ratio was the opposite: men accounted for 51% of cases.

The largest number of insolvency cases are handled by courts in Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, and Lviv Oblast.

In the capital, 228 cases were recorded in nine months; in Kyiv Oblast – 130, in Lviv Oblast – 109. Together these three regions account for more than a third of all proceedings.

Among regions with a notable number of cases, the largest increase was recorded in Kirovohrad Oblast: proceedings increased from 20 to 43, i.e., by 115% compared to the same period in 2025.

In Kyiv Oblast, the figure rose by almost 86%, in Ternopil Oblast by 64%, in Kharkiv Oblast by approximately 59%, and in Kyiv itself by 57%.

However, in some regions the number of cases decreased. In Vinnytsia Oblast, they dropped from 77 to 63, in Odesa Oblast from 68 to 64, and in Mykolaiv Oblast from 16 to 11.

Individuals have been able to officially undergo bankruptcy proceedings in Ukraine since October 2019. Only the debtor themselves, not creditors, can initiate such court proceedings.

However, opening a case does not mean automatic recognition of a person as bankrupt or writing off all their debts.

Within the procedure, part of the debt may need to be repaid, including through the sale of property. At the same time, certain obligations, such as alimony debts, are not subject to write-off.

Additionally, for five years after being declared bankrupt, a person must disclose this fact before obtaining loans and credits. Reopening an insolvency case during this period is limited if debts have not been fully repaid.

Therefore, the bankruptcy procedure can be a way to settle debt obligations, but it entails legal and financial consequences for the debtor even after the court proceedings are completed.

Based on materials from: Opendatabot