Business news from Ukraine

Passenger traffic across the Ukrainian border in the second week of spring, from March 8 to 14, decreased by a total of 3% in both directions to 427 thousand in comparison with the previous week.

According to the State Border Guard Service’s Facebook page, the number of exit crossings decreased from 222,000 to 216,000, while the number of entry crossings decreased from 218,000 to 211,000.

The number of vehicles crossing the checkpoints decreased from 117,000 to 115,000, while the flow of vehicles with humanitarian cargo decreased from 621,000 to 543,000.
According to the State Border Guard Service, as of 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, there were small queues of 10 cars at the Uzhhorod checkpoint on the border with Slovakia, at the Ustyluh checkpoint on the border with Poland, and at the Luzhanka and Vylok checkpoints on the border with Hungary.

In addition, at the Krakivets checkpoint, there is an accumulation of vehicles entering Ukraine, which may lead to an increase in waiting time, the border guards added.

The total number of people crossing the border this week in 2025 is slightly higher than last year: 209 thousand people left and 207 thousand entered Ukraine in the same seven days, with a traffic flow of 116 thousand. Last year, in the third week of spring, passenger traffic increased by 7.9%, and with the onset of spring school holidays next week, it increased by another 19.8%.

As reported, on May 10, 2022, the outflow of refugees from Ukraine, which began with the outbreak of war, was replaced by an influx that lasted until September 23, 2022 and amounted to 409 thousand people. However, since the end of September, possibly under the influence of news about mobilization in Russia and “pseudo-referendums” in the occupied territories, and then massive shelling of energy infrastructure, the number of people leaving has been exceeding the number of people entering. In total, from the end of September 2022 to the first anniversary of the full-scale war, it reached 223 thousand people.

In the second year of the full-scale war, the number of border crossings to leave Ukraine, according to the State Border Guard Service, exceeded the number of crossings to enter by 25 thousand, while in the third year – by 187 thousand, and since the beginning of the fourth year – by another 26 thousand.

As Deputy Economy Minister Serhiy Sobolev noted in early March 2023, the return of every 100,000 Ukrainians home results in a 0.5% increase in GDP.
In its January inflation report, the National Bank estimated the outflow from Ukraine in 2024 at 0.5 million (0.315 million according to the State Border Guard Service). In absolute terms, the number of migrants staying abroad will increase to 6.8 million in 2024.

The NBU also maintained its outflow forecast for 2025 at 0.2 million.
According to updated data from the UNHCR, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe as of February 19, 2025, was estimated at 6.346 million, and 6.907 million worldwide, which is 43 thousand more than as of January 16.

In Ukraine itself, according to the latest UN data, 3.665 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), including approximately 160 thousand people, were displaced from the frontline areas in the east and south between May and October 2024 due to the intensification of hostilities.

Passenger traffic across the Ukrainian border in the week of January 25-31 dropped by another 4% compared to the previous week, to 435 thousand, while net inflows to Ukraine have been recorded for the third consecutive week as the holidays come to an end.

According to the State Border Guard Service’s Facebook page, the number of crossings for exit decreased from 220,000 to 213,000, while the number of crossings for entry decreased from 233,000 to 222,000.

The number of vehicles crossing the checkpoints decreased from 119,000 to 115,000 over the week, while the flow of vehicles with humanitarian cargo decreased from 586 to 493.

According to the State Border Guard Service, as of 12:00 this Sunday, there were small queues of 5 cars only at the Luzhanka and Vylok checkpoints on the border with Hungary.

The total number of people crossing the border this week in 2025 is higher than last year’s: 205 thousand people left Ukraine and 202 thousand entered during the same seven days, with a traffic flow of 112 thousand cars. Last year, this week, passenger traffic stabilized and remained at this level almost until the spring school holidays.

As reported, on May 10, 2022, the outflow of refugees from Ukraine, which began with the outbreak of war, was replaced by an influx that lasted until September 23, 2022 and amounted to 409 thousand people. However, since the end of September, possibly under the influence of news about mobilization in Russia and “pseudo-referendums” in the occupied territories, and then massive shelling of energy infrastructure, the number of people leaving has been exceeding the number of people entering. It temporarily stopped in the second half of December and early January during the holidays, but then resumed again and reached a total of 223 thousand people from the end of September 2022 to the first anniversary of the full-scale war.

During the second year of the full-scale war, the number of border crossings to leave Ukraine, according to the State Border Guard Service, exceeded the number of crossings to enter by 25 thousand, while since the beginning of the third year, the number of crossings has increased by another 188 thousand.

As Deputy Economy Minister Serhiy Sobolev noted in early March 2023, the return of every 100,000 Ukrainians home results in a 0.5% increase in GDP.

In its January inflation report, the National Bank estimated the outflow from Ukraine in 2024 at 0.5 million (0.315 million according to the State Border Guard Service). In absolute terms, the number of migrants staying abroad will increase to 6.8 million in 2024. The NBU also maintained its outflow forecast for 2025 at 0.2 million.

According to updated UNHCR data, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe as of January 16, 2025, was estimated at 6.303 million, and 6.863 million worldwide, which is 49 thousand more than as of December 16.

In Ukraine itself, according to the latest UN data, 3.6 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), including approximately 160,000 people, were displaced from the frontline areas in the east and south between May and October 2024 due to the intensification of hostilities.

Airlines increased passenger traffic by 10.4% in 2024, setting a record, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Compared to the level of pre-pandemic 2019, the figure increased by 3.8%. Aircraft load factor increased to 83.5%, which is also a record, compared to 82.2% a year earlier.

Last year, airlines increased passenger traffic on international flights by 13.6% compared to 2023, and on domestic flights by 5.7%. “The year 2024 made it absolutely clear that people want to travel.

The number of trips reached record levels on both domestic and international routes,” said IATA Director General Willie Walsh, quoted in the report. – “The growth of aviation impacts societies and economies at all levels through jobs, market development, trade, innovation, research and more.

“Looking ahead to 2025, there is every indication that travel demand will continue to grow, albeit at a more moderate pace of 8%, which is more in line with historical averages,” he added.

In 2024, European airlines increased passenger traffic on international flights by 9.7%, while flight load factor rose by 0.4 percentage points to 84.1%.

In North America, the first indicator grew by 6.8%, while the second decreased by 0.5 percentage points to 84.2%.

In the Asia-Pacific region, passenger traffic jumped by 26%, and flight load factor rose by 0.8 percentage points to 83.8%. Traffic on domestic airlines in China grew by 12.3%, in India by 6%, in Brazil by 4.6%, and in the US by 3.7%.

The cargo turnover of global airlines in 2024 increased by 11.3% and exceeded the previous maximum recorded in 2021, IATA said in a statement.

This was driven, in particular, by a 3.6% increase in global trade in goods. IATA represents 340 airlines from around the world, accounting for more than 80% of global air traffic.

Passenger traffic across the Ukrainian border in the week of December 28-January 3 fell by 22.7% compared to the previous week, to 508,000. According to the State Border Guard Service’s Facebook post, this is primarily due to a sharp decline on the last day of the old year and the first day of the new, when the flow was only 42,000 and 26,000, respectively, while before Christmas it reached 133,000-136,000 people a day.
The number of exit crossings decreased from 325 thousand to 273 thousand, while the number of entry crossings dropped more dramatically – from 332 thousand to 235 thousand.
The number of vehicles crossing the checkpoints dropped from 117,000 to 93,000 over the week, while the flow of vehicles carrying humanitarian aid dropped from 471,000 to 418,000.
According to the State Border Guard Service, this Sunday, the largest number of vehicles leaving Ukraine on the border with Poland was observed at the Krakovets checkpoint – 50 cars and 25 buses, Ustyluh – 20 cars and Shehyni – 9 buses.
On the border with Hungary, the longest queue is at Luzhanka with 20 cars, while Tisa and Kosyno have 5 cars each, and on the border with Slovakia, 10 cars have accumulated at Uhorod.
The total number of people crossing the border during the New Year’s week is higher than last year’s: 251 thousand people left Ukraine and 224 thousand entered during the same seven days, with a traffic of 90 thousand cars. Last year, during this week, passenger traffic decreased by 18.4%, while the following week it increased by 6.7%.
As reported, on May 10, 2022, the outflow of refugees from Ukraine, which began with the outbreak of war, was replaced by an influx that lasted until September 23, 2022 and amounted to 409 thousand people. However, since the end of September, possibly under the influence of news about mobilization in Russia and “pseudo-referendums” in the occupied territories, and then massive shelling of energy infrastructure, the number of people leaving has been exceeding the number of people entering. It temporarily stopped in the second half of December and early January during the holidays, but then resumed again and reached a total of 223 thousand people from the end of September 2022 to the first anniversary of the full-scale war.
During the second year of the full-scale war, the number of border crossings out of Ukraine, according to the State Border Guard Service, exceeded the number of crossings in by 25 thousand, while since the beginning of the third year, the number of crossings in has increased by another 229 thousand.
As Deputy Economy Minister Serhiy Sobolev noted in early March 2023, the return of every 100,000 Ukrainians home results in a 0.5% increase in GDP. In its macroeconomic forecast for 2024, the Ministry of Economy has included the return of 1.5 million people to Ukraine.
At the same time, the National Bank, in its October inflation report, again downgraded its forecast for the outflow from Ukraine in 2024 from 0.4 million to 0.5 million. In absolute terms, the number of migrants staying abroad is expected to increase to 6.8 million in 2024.
According to updated UNHCR data, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe was estimated at 6.254 million as of December 16, 2024, and 6.814 million in the world as a whole, which is 28 thousand more than as of November 18.
In Ukraine itself, according to the latest UN data as of August 2024, there were 3.669 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), which is 121 thousand more than in April.

Passenger traffic across the Ukrainian border this week (December 14-20) jumped by 28.1% compared to the previous week to 584 thousand people as the Christmas and New Year holidays approached.
According to the State Border Guard Service’s Facebook page, the number of crossings for exit increased from 233 thousand to 294 thousand, while the number of crossings for entry increased from 223 thousand to 290 thousand.
The number of vehicles crossing the checkpoints increased from 120,000 to 134,000 over the week, while the flow of vehicles carrying humanitarian aid increased from 595,000 to 633,000.
“Due to the pre-Christmas period, passenger traffic at the checkpoints in Lviv region increased by 25%. The dynamics of border crossing shows a slight advantage of citizens leaving Ukraine over entering. At the same time, there is a general increase in passenger traffic both entering and leaving Ukraine, which is why there is an accumulation of vehicles at some checkpoints,” the State Border Guard Service said.
According to the State Border Guard Service, while last Saturday 42 thousand vehicles were leaving Ukraine and 40 thousand were entering, this Saturday the number of vehicles was 66 thousand and 67 thousand, respectively, and the number of vehicles increased from 21 thousand to 24 thousand.
On the border with Poland, the highest traffic dynamics as of 12:00 is recorded at the checkpoints Krakovets (140 cars), Shehyni and Ustyluh (90 each), Nyzhankovychi (75) and Smolnytsia (65), slightly less – at Hrushev (60), Uhryniv and Rava-Ruska (40).
At the border with Hungary, the longest queue is at Vylok with 70 cars, while the rest of the checkpoints – Kosyno, Luzhanka, Tisa, and Dzvinkove – have between 40 and 30 cars.
At the Maly Berezny checkpoint on the border with Slovakia, 65 cars have accumulated, while at Uzhhorod, 45 cars have accumulated, and there are no queues at the border with Romania and Moldova.
The total number of people crossing the border in the third week of winter this year is slightly lower than last year’s: 290,000 people left Ukraine and 314,000 entered during the same seven days, with a traffic flow of 133,000 cars. Last year, this week, passenger traffic increased by 33.3%, while the following week it decreased by 3.6%.
As reported, on May 10, 2022, the outflow of refugees from Ukraine, which began with the outbreak of war, was replaced by an influx that lasted until September 23, 2022 and amounted to 409 thousand people. However, since the end of September, possibly under the influence of news about mobilization in Russia and “pseudo-referendums” in the occupied territories, and then massive shelling of energy infrastructure, the number of people leaving has been exceeding the number of people entering. It temporarily stopped in the second half of December and early January during the holidays, but then resumed again and reached a total of 223 thousand people from the end of September 2022 to the first anniversary of the full-scale war.
During the second year of the full-scale war, the number of border crossings to leave Ukraine, according to the State Border Guard Service, exceeded the number of crossings to enter by 25 thousand, while since the beginning of the third year, the number of crossings to enter has increased by another 198 thousand.
As Deputy Economy Minister Serhiy Sobolev noted in early March last year, the return of every 100,000 Ukrainians home results in a 0.5% increase in GDP. In its macroeconomic forecast for this year, the Ministry of Economy has included 1.5 million people returning to Ukraine.
At the same time, the National Bank, in its October inflation report, again downgraded its forecast for the outflow from Ukraine this year from 0.4 million to 0.5 million. In absolute terms, the number of migrants staying abroad is expected to increase to 6.8 million this year.
According to updated UNHCR data, the number of Ukrainian refugees in Europe was estimated at 6.254 million as of December 16 this year, and 6.814 million in the world as a whole, which is 28 thousand more than as of November 18 this year.
In Ukraine itself, according to the latest UN data as of August this year, there were 3.669 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), which is 121 thousand more than in April this year.
According to regional authorities cited by the UN, more than 128,000 people have left Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine since August 1, including 24,000 who fled active hostilities, while approximately 330,000 remain in the region, including approximately 63,000 in active combat zones.
In Sumy region, the authorities estimate that 36,000 people, including 6,000 children, were evacuated between August 1 and October 3.