Country Risk Code: High
Overall: High Risk
Ukraine is a High Risk destination: reconsider travel. However, parts of Ukraine are occupied by Russia and this is considered Extreme Risk. Please refer to the Ukraine Risk Map which shows the areas of high conflict and risk.
Security: High Risk
High Risk locations can be dangerous and may present unexpected security risks. Travel is possible, but there is a potential for severe or widespread disruptions.
Political Instability: Medium Risk
Despite President Volodymyr Zelensky – a pro-Western newcomer to the political scene – attempting to implement reforms and fight corruption since coming to power in 2019, the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022 undermined the country's territorial sovereignty, led to mass casualties and displacement, and triggered widespread damage to infrastructure.
Conflict: High Risk
Russian forces began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, following weeks of heightened tensions preceded by a large Russian military deployment in areas bordering Ukraine. Ukrainian relations with NATO and Russian support for rebels in the disputed areas of Luhansk and Donetsk as well as its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, have contributed to the deterioration of ties between the two countries since 2014.
Terrorism: Moderate Risk
Terror attacks are not common nationwide, but separatist groups have in the past targeted civilians in Kyiv, Donetsk and Luhansk. Emergency response services generally lack sufficient equipment and training.
Unrest: Medium Risk
Protests are common across the country, particularly at Maidan Nezalezhnosti, Khreshchatyk Street, Hrushevsky Street and outside the Parliament building in Kyiv. Demonstrations prior to 2022 Russia's invasion of the country focused on COVID-19 restrictions, Russian influence, official corruption and labour issues. Although generally peaceful, the demonstrations have sometimes degenerated into violent clashes with security forces, rival demonstrators or armed thugs.
Crime: Moderate Risk
Violent crime is uncommon nationwide, especially against business travellers and foreigners, and petty crime levels are also relatively low, even in major urban centres such as Kyiv. However, racial attacks against non-Caucasian travellers are on the rise. Emergency response services are not fully reliable due to high levels of corruption.
Natural and Environmental: Moderate Risk
Natural disasters are uncommon in the country, but localised floods during the summer and blizzards during the winter season may trigger power outages and disrupt travel. Emergency response services fall below European standards.
Health and Medica:l Medium Risk
Health services across the country are generally poor due to a lack of resources and training. Health professionals are unlikely to speak English. Prescription medication may be in short supply. Due to the ongoing fighting in the Russo-Ukrainian war, logistical and resource problems in the health services have been exacerbated.
Local Travel: Medium Risk
Security and maintenance at airports tend to fall within European standards, but air travel remains reliable across the country. Public transport services are widely available, particularly in Kyiv. Road conditions are poor outside major cities, and accidents are highly common. Local travel is dangerous and often disrupted by fighting in Donetsk and Luhansk. In the context of the war that has been going on since 24 February 2022 and given the state of emergency decided by the Ukrainian Parliament, the entire territory is formally inadvisable.
The Political landscape in Ukraine
As a result of the Russian invasion of the country, nearly 15 million people have been displaced, almost a third of the total population, causing a significant decline in the country's labour force and deteriorating an already weak economy before the war. The longer the war goes on, the more likely it is that some Ukrainians will permanently move abroad, weakening the country's demographic prospects. This is at a time when the country is already facing a low birth rate and high emigration, especially of young graduates. Net foreign direct investment has fallen by over 93 percent since March 2022. In addition, 15 percent of critical infrastructures, such as railways, bridges, oil depots and power plants, have already been destroyed or damaged, with an initial estimate of nearly USD350 billion to rebuild the social, productive and infrastructure sectors. Only a halt to the fighting will allow the Ukrainian economy to rebound, but given the extent of the damage, the return to pre-war GDP levels is likely to take at least 15 years. It remains difficult at this stage to assess the number of civilian and military victims because data collection is nearly impossible. The United Nations (UN), for example, estimates that around 10,000 civilians have been killed, while Ukraine estimates that over 50,000 have been killed.
In October 2022, while fighting to counter the Russian invasion was still underway, Russian authorities formalised the annexation of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia oblasts, prompting President Zelensky to call for rapid accession to the European Union (EU) and then 'fast-track' accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). While the process of integration into these entities could take several years, the European institutions and NATO have nonetheless stepped up assistance to Ukraine through the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP), which aims to help Ukraine ensure its security and implement wide-ranging defence reforms, including training and education activities, and the delivery of military equipment. This unprecedented wave of support from across the Atlantic further deteriorates diplomatic relations between the West and Russia, and given the presence of pro- Russian political parties in the country, discord between the various political parties cannot be ruled out in the long-term.
On 21 April 2019, former comedian Volodymyr Zelensky won the second round of the presidential election with 73 percent of the vote against incumbent President Petro Poroshenko. The landslide victory reflected widespread dissatisfaction with the country's political establishment, which had failed to tackle corruption and revive the ailing economy. Zelensky then led electoral reforms that implemented a proportional representation system with open party lists and set about implementing his plans to tackle key issues such as government corruption and economic inequality. In the 21 July 2019 parliamentary elections, President Volodymyr Zelensky's People's Servant party won an absolute majority. Comprising only candidates new to the political scene, People's Servant won more than 43 percent of the vote, allowing the party to claim 254 seats in the 450-seat parliament. The opposition party Platform - For Life entered parliament as the only pro-Russian party after coming second with 13 percent of the vote. In addition to giving a clear victory to People's Servant, the results also showed a continued interest in European integration, with most voters choosing pro-European parties as in the previous parliamentary elections in 2014. Following the Russian invasion, a new union was formed between the pro-European parties, excluding the 11 pro-Russian parties, which have been suspended while martial law remains in force. The most important of them, the Opposition Platform - For Life, has been particularly targeted, with parliamentarian and oligarch Viktor Medvedchuk arrested for high treason on 12 April 2022, while other personalities relaying Russian propaganda are also being prosecuted or pressured. Despite the war, the fight against corruption remains one of Ukraine's main challenges, and a condition for finalising its accession to the EU. Ukraine also remains one of the poorest countries in Europe, a situation now exacerbated by the war.