Kyiv accounts for 28% of the offenses registered in Ukraine during the first nine months of 2026 related to the forgery, destruction, or replacement of VIN codes and other vehicle identification numbers. This was reported by OpenDataBot, citing data from the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
In the first nine months of this year, 599 offenses under Article 290 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine were recorded in Ukraine. The highest number of cases was recorded in Kyiv—169. Dnipropetrovsk Oblast ranked second with 114 cases, and Odesa Oblast ranked third with 45.
In total, these three regions account for 328 cases, or about 55% of all offenses registered during this period.
Compared to the same period in 2025, the number of such offenses increased by 22%—from 387 to 599.
At the same time, the rate of cases referred to court remains low. In the first nine months of 2026, only five criminal cases under Article 290 of the Criminal Code were referred to court—about 1% of the total number of offenses recorded during this period.
In total, from 2020 through September 2026, 11,417 such offenses were recorded in Ukraine. 7,152 cases remain on record, and 69 cases have been referred to court over nearly seven years.
The destruction, forgery, or alteration of a vehicle’s identification number is punishable by a fine ranging from 2,550 to 4,250 UAH, community service for up to two years, probation, or restriction of liberty for up to three years.
Source: OpenDataBot.
Only 5 criminal cases involving the forgery, destruction, or replacement of VIN codes and other vehicle identification numbers were referred to court in Ukraine during the first nine months of 2026. This represents about 1% of the 599 offenses registered during this period, according to OpenDataBot, citing data from the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine.
In total, from 2020 through September 2026, 11,417 criminal offenses were registered in Ukraine under Article 290 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Of these, 7,152—or about 63%—remain on the docket. In nearly seven years, only 69 cases were sent to court—about 1% of the total number of recorded offenses.
According to OpenDataBot, in previous years, about 40% of such cases were closed for various reasons, including the absence of an incident or the lack of elements constituting a criminal offense. In 2026, one in five open cases was closed, and the number of active cases stands at 473.
At the same time, the number of registered offenses is increasing compared to last year. In the first nine months of 2026, 599 such cases were recorded, compared to 387 during the same period in 2025—a 22% increase.
The highest number of offenses related to the forgery, destruction, or alteration of vehicle identification numbers was recorded in Kyiv—169 cases, or 28% of the total. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, 114 cases (19%) were recorded, and in the Odesa region, 45 (8%). Thus, these three regions account for more than half of all offenses recorded over the nine-month period.
Under Article 290 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, the destruction, forgery, or replacement of a vehicle’s identification number is punishable by a fine ranging from 2,550 to 4,250 UAH, community service for up to two years, probation, or restriction of liberty for up to three years.
Source: OpenDataBot.
Transportation tax revenues to local budgets for January–August 2026 increased by 58.7% compared to the same period last year, from 88 million UAH to 237.5 million UAH, the State Tax Service of Ukraine (STS) reported on Tuesday.
The largest amount of transportation tax revenue went to the Kyiv city budget—68.1 million UAH. The regional rankings are also led by Dnipropetrovsk (21.3 million UAH), Odesa (17.9 million UAH), and Kyiv (17.5 million UAH) regions.
The STS explains that the vehicle tax is a component of the property tax and is fully allocated to local budgets. Local communities can use the funds received to finance socially important initiatives and develop local infrastructure.
The vehicle tax is levied on passenger cars that are no more than five years old, provided their average market value exceeds the threshold established by law. In 2026, this threshold will be over 3.2 million UAH.
The list of passenger cars subject to the vehicle tax in 2026 has been published on the official website of the Ministry of Economy and Environment of Ukraine.
The tax rate is fixed at 25,000 UAH per year for each taxable vehicle. The vehicle owner in whose name the vehicle is registered is liable for the vehicle tax. The actual user of the vehicle—such as a lessee or a person using it under a power of attorney—is not liable for this tax.
In September 2026, Ukrainians purchased 21,500 used passenger cars imported from abroad, which is 8% less than in the same month of 2025, according to a report by Ukravtoprom on its Telegram channel.
Compared to August of this year, demand for such cars rose by 4.4%.
Gasoline-powered cars accounted for the largest share of this segment of the auto market in September, increasing their share by 7 percentage points compared to September 2025—to 52%.
Next came electric vehicles, whose share fell to 18% from 29% last year, while the share of diesel cars decreased by 2 percentage points to 16%. They outpaced hybrids, which accounted for 11% (5%). The share of cars with LPG systems remained unchanged at 3%.
The average age of imported used cars was 8.7 years.
The Volkswagen Golf confidently tops the list of the ten most popular imported used models with 954 units. Next are the VW Tiguan with 807 units, the Audi Q5 with 658 units, the Skoda Octavia with 655 units, the Nissan Rogue—626 units, the Renault Megane—559 units, the Tesla Model Y—512 units, the Nissan Leaf—484 units, the Tesla Model 3—468 units, and the Volkswagen Passat—409 units.
As reported with reference to “Ukravtoprom,” in 2025, Ukrainians purchased 274,300 used passenger cars imported from abroad, which is 24% more than in 2024. Following the Volkswagen Golf, the top three most popular models included two Tesla electric vehicles—the Model Y and the Model 3.
“Ukrzaliznytsia” has added six new passenger cars, manufactured at a Ukrainian plant, to its train fleet, according to a company announcement on Telegram on Saturday.
“As is customary, the new cars are equipped with powerful batteries to ensure maximum autonomy when needed. In the event of a power outage, the batteries will keep the restrooms, lighting, air conditioning, and other systems running. So even if the car continues to travel under a diesel locomotive, all amenities will remain operational for as long as possible,” Ukrzaliznytsia noted.
It did not specify exactly which cars were being referred to, but the illustration shows a compartment car.
“Every new car, in the face of enemy attacks on rolling stock, is an opportunity to keep moving,” the company emphasized.
As previously reported, as part of a state funding program, Ukrzaliznytsia has contracted for 368 passenger cars since 2021. The main supplier is PJSC “Kryukiv Railway Car Building Works” (KVZ).
In late August of this year, Ukrzaliznytsia signed a contract with KVZ for the delivery of 10 new-generation passenger cars by the end of 2029, with a total value of 1.091 billion UAH including VAT, thereby bringing the total number of cars ordered in 2026 to 102.
In late May of this year, Ukrzaliznytsia reported that approximately 1,450 passenger cars are in service, of which 933 are air-conditioned sleeper cars and 100 are high-speed train cars.
CAR, MANUFACTURING, RAILROAD, TRANSPORTATION, UKRZALIZNYTSIA
The Ukrainian automotive group AutoCraft, headquartered in Odesa, plans to establish a network of auto service centers in Kyiv, according to the group’s owner, Grigory Grinshpun.
“The AutoCraft Group team has decided to launch its own project in Kyiv based on the CareAutoKyiv philosophy. The project’s working title is AUTOMASTER NPS: a network of professional service centers. We plan to create a large multi-brand auto service hub comprising 100 service bays; a separate service area for electric vehicles, a modern detailing center, a restoration repair center with 25 workstations, and a charging hub with fast-charging stations totaling 2 MW in capacity,” he stated on LinkedIn.
According to him, the project will also include a multi-story reinforced-concrete parking garage for the sale of used cars and an underground shelter capable of housing a Ministry of Internal Affairs service center. The complex’s energy independence will be ensured by a modern energy system that will combine a solar power plant, a 5 MW energy storage facility, and an EMS for automated management of electricity generation, storage, and consumption. The project is geared toward servicing cars that are three years old or older.
Grinshpun stated that they are considering land plots in Kyiv with an area of at least 2 hectares, located along one of the city’s main thoroughfares, with the capacity to connect up to 5 MW of electrical power.
The Ukrainian automotive group “Autokraft” is a holding company that unites official dealerships for Renault, Nissan, Skoda, Hyundai, Ford, MG, Suzuki, and Maxus in Dnipro, Cherkasy, and Kropyvnytskyi, and also holds the status of an official INFINITI service partner in Cherkasy. According to OpenDataBot, the company’s revenue for 2025 totaled 4.3 million UAH, which is 1.06% less than in 2024, while its net loss was 343,800 UAH compared to a loss of 477,300 UAH in 2024
