Chernivtsi and Transcarpathian regions accounted for 67% of all reports for illegal crossings or attempted illegal crossings of Ukraine’s state border in the first half of 2026.
According to data from the State Border Guard Service cited by OpenDataBot, 2,834 reports were filed in Bukovina over the six-month period, or 38% of the total. Another 2,170 reports, or 29%, were filed in Zakarpattia Oblast.
The Odesa region ranks third, with 997 reports, or 13%.
Thus, the Chernivtsi, Zakarpattia, and Odesa regions alone account for 80% of all recorded violations.
The situation has changed particularly significantly in the Chernivtsi region. The number of reports there is now approximately 30 times higher than it was before the start of the full-scale war. For the past two years, Bukovina has ranked first in the country in terms of the number of such violations.
Until 2022, the Odesa and Zakarpattia regions were the main leaders in this regard.
A significant increase has also been recorded in the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Before the full-scale war, not a single such report was filed there; in 2022, there were only five, but by 2024, that number had risen to 1,209.
In 2025, 1,109 reports were filed in the Ivano-Frankivsk region, and in the first half of 2026 alone—there were already 377.
Across Ukraine, border guards filed 7,523 reports from January through June, which is about one-third fewer than during the same period last year.
Despite the decline, the frequency of such violations remains nearly ten times higher than pre-war levels. Before the full-scale war in Ukraine, approximately 2,700 reports were filed annually, whereas now an average of about 1,250 are filed per month.
However, the filing of a report does not automatically mean that a person is found guilty. Such cases are heard by the courts.
In 2025, the courts heard 24,519 cases under Article 204-1 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses. Fines were imposed on 12,628 individuals, while 10,493 cases—or 43%—were dismissed due to the absence of an incident or the elements of an administrative offense.
The total amount of fines imposed was 85.97 million UAH, but only 24 million UAH—or 28%—was paid voluntarily.
Source: OpenDataBot, based on data from the State Border Guard Service and the State Judicial Administration, published on August 28, 2026.
Chernivtsi Solar LLC, part of the Kernel group of companies, plans to build the largest solar power plant in western Ukraine with a declared capacity of 250 MW in the Kitsman territorial community in Chernivtsi region, according to a report by Molodyi Bukovynets on Monday, citing acting mayor of Kitsman Ivan Semenyuk.
“This is one of the largest strategic initiatives and projects in the community in its entire history (…) All stages of preparation have now been completed, from land issues to agreements with investors,” Semenyuk said.
The SES will be located on an area of 212 hectares, with the first works starting in the spring of 2026.
“At the first stage of the SES construction, the community budget will receive UAH 8.6 million per year. Then the amount will increase to UAH 12 million per year. The lease agreement is concluded for 25 years. In total, the volume of investments will amount to UAH 5 billion,” said the acting head.
According to him, the investor company is currently completing the design stage of the SES and will carry out installation work for the implementation of the first phase in the spring of 2026.
Before the war, the Kernel agricultural holding company ranked first in the world in the production of sunflower oil (about 7% of global production) and its export (about 12%). It is one of the largest producers and sellers of bottled oil in Ukraine. In addition, it is engaged in the cultivation and sale of agricultural products.
In the first nine months of 2025, Kernel increased its net profit by 7% to $218 million, its revenue for the period grew by 19% to $3 billion 92 million, and EBITDA increased by 4% to $398 million.
