The share of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the banking sector fell by 1 percentage point to 12.92% during January–March 2026, according to data from the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU).
“The decline in the NPL ratio in January–March 2026 was driven by both an increase in the volume of new, higher-quality loans and the resolution of non-performing debts,” the National Bank noted in a press release on its website.
The banking system’s gross loan portfolio grew by 75.84 billion UAH in the first quarter of 2026—to 1 trillion 435.58 billion UAH—including an increase of 3.66 billion UAH in March.
The trend in the gross volume of non-performing loans during the quarter was uneven: after growing in January, the figure declined in February and March, and the March reduction of UAH 5.55 billion accounted for the bulk of the quarterly decrease of UAH 3.82 billion—to UAH 185.49 billion.
A reduction in the NPL ratio in the first quarter of the year was recorded across all bank groups: for banks with state ownership (excluding PrivatBank)—from 25.07% to 23.86%, at PrivatBank—from 8.45% to 7.74%, at financial institutions with foreign capital—from 6.46% to 6.17%, and at private Ukrainian banks—from 8.37% to 7.75%.
In absolute terms, as of April 1, NPLs increased at PrivatBank by UAH 592.0 million, to UAH 19.41 billion, and at banks with foreign capital by UAH 196.43 million, to UAH 18.76 billion.
The top five banks by NPL volume were state-owned banks: Oschadbank with UAH 44.78 billion (UAH 43.83 billion at the start of the year), Ukreximbank – UAH 25.52 billion (UAH 33.19 billion), Sens Bank – UAH 23.92 billion (UAH 22.46 billion), Ukrgasbank – UAH 21.87 billion (UAH 21.79 billion), and PrivatBank – UAH 19.41 billion (UAH 18.82 billion).
The top ten also included Raiffeisen Bank with UAH 8.17 billion (UAH 8.05 billion), PUMB – UAH 5.04 billion (UAH 4.94 billion), TAScombank – UAH 4.06 billion (UAH 4.08 billion), OTP Bank – UAH 3.71 billion (UAH 3.19 billion), and Idea Bank – UAH 3.52 billion (UAH 3.17 billion).
At the same time, Alliance Bank had the highest NPL ratio among banks with the largest loan portfolios—39.9% (49.6%), followed by Sens Bank with 29.8% (28.5%), and Idea Bank rounded out the top three with 28.8% (28.6%).
State-owned banks took fourth through sixth place: Oschadbank – 26.4% (26.5%), Ukreximbank – 20.8% (25.3%), and Ukrgasbank – 19.3% (20.1%).
The top ten also included TAScombank with 16.3% (16.6%), MTB Bank – 11.6% (9.9%), A-Bank – 10.9% (12.0%), and Radabank – 10.6% (12.3%).
The Central Bank noted that in the corporate sector, the share of non-performing loans decreased from 16.99% to 15.73% in the first quarter, and in the retail sector from 10.78% to 10.32%.
As reported, the downward trend in the NPL ratio has continued since early 2023, when it rose to 38.1%. Prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion, non-performing loans in Ukrainian banks had been declining since 2018: from 55% to 27% as of March 1, 2022.
In December 2025, the NPL ratio fell sharply—from 23.9% to 13.9%—after PrivatBank ceased recognizing approximately 140 billion UAH in old hryvnia-denominated assets as non-performing.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, 780,465 lost and stolen firearms have been recorded since the start of the full-scale war. Weapons reported missing during the war currently account for 66% of the total entries in the registry. This year, 149,000 new entries were added to the registry—almost as many as in all of 2025. Automatic weapons, hunting rifles, and carbines are the most commonly stolen and lost. Nearly half of the lost and stolen weapons are in Mykolaiv, Kyiv, and Donetsk regions.
780,465 weapons have been lost or stolen in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion. This accounts for 66% of the total number of lost and stolen weapons—1.17 million units.
The highest number of reports of lost weapons appeared in the first year of the full-scale invasion—266,086 units. In 2023, the number of lost and stolen weapons decreased, but starting in 2024, the figure began to rise again. This year is on track to set a record: 149,760 weapons are already listed as missing this year. By comparison, nearly as many losses were recorded over the entire previous year: 179,315 cases.
The registry saw a significant increase in March: as many as 130,000 entries. However, it is worth noting that 60% of these entries pertain to weapons that went missing during the first year of the full-scale conflict (2022). Currently, the registry records two dates: the date of loss/theft and the date of entry into the registry.
Most cases of lost weapons are recorded fairly promptly—within a week of the disappearance: 512,350 cases. At the same time, 173,980 entries are added with a delay of over a year.
Only 4% of entries concern stolen weapons; the vast majority are marked as lost.
Which weapons are most frequently reported missing?
Automatic rifles (252,369 units), hunting shotguns (210,712), and carbines (102,616) are the most commonly lost or stolen. The undisputed “leader” is the AK-74 automatic rifle: every fourth entry in the Registry pertains to this specific model.
One in five cases of lost and stolen weapons occurs in the Mykolaiv region: 169,172 weapons. It is followed by Kyiv (104,864 weapons) and the Donetsk region (86,188).
Together, these three regions account for nearly half of all lost and stolen weapons in the country.
Since the start of 2026, 135 people have died in water-related incidents in Ukraine, while 74 were rescued, according to Viktor Vitovetsky, director of the Department of Civil Protection and Preventive Activities at the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
“Since the beginning of the year—that is, over the past four months—135 people have died. These are deaths that occurred in bodies of water. Unfortunately, 10 of them were children. Although this is a lower percentage than during the same period last year, you know, that is little consolation, because it is very difficult to measure a life using any kind of statistics,” Vitovetsky said, noting that 44% fewer people died in the water in 2026 than during the same period last year.
In addition, Vitovetsky reported that 74 people were rescued, including 23 children.
In the first 4 months of 2026, more than 11,000 fires broke out in ecosystems across Ukraine, resulting in 27 deaths and 35 injuries, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
“As a result of these fires, 27 people died and another 32 were injured. At the same time, only about 350 of the total fires were caused by Russia’s aggression—all the rest were caused specifically by human negligence or the deliberate burning of dry vegetation,” the service’s Telegram channel quoted Viktor Vitovetsky, Director of the Department of Civil Protection and Preventive Activities at the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, as saying.
According to him, to prevent fires, State Emergency Service specialists carried out more than 8,000 preventive measures, of which more than a thousand involved the use of UAVs. The use of drones is a new practice for the State Emergency Service, which helps not only to identify arson of dry vegetation but also to identify those responsible.
” “The State Emergency Service continues to hold accountable those who burn grass and leaves; however, the fines are not sufficient to compensate for the damage caused. As of today, since the beginning of 2026, fines have been imposed on more than 1,600 people for a total amount of approximately 3.5 million UAH,” Vitovetsky noted.
On April 27, an international literary and artistic event titled “Lesya Ukrainka in the Azerbaijani Cultural Space” took place in the capital to mark the 155th anniversary of the poet’s birth, according to the organizers.
“The project demonstrates the interconnection between cultural diplomacy and its impact on humanitarian support for Ukraine,” said Marina Goncharuk, director of the Ukrainian-Turkic Center, in a comment to the agency.
According to reports, the event featured the first-ever comprehensive study of Lesya Ukrainka’s literary presence in Azerbaijan, including the history of the monument to the poet in Lokbatan (Baku), as well as an overview of translations of her works into Azerbaijani, publications, and research by local authors.
A separate part of the program was the presentation of the fairy-tale drama “The Forest Song” in Azerbaijani, published with the support of the Ukrainian Book Institute.
According to Goncharuk, cultural cooperation between Ukraine and Azerbaijan has a practical dimension.
“Back in 2003, Irpin and Lokbatan signed a memorandum of cooperation, and as early as 2004, monuments to Lesya Ukrainka and Zarifa Aliyeva were unveiled. Subsequently, this cooperation evolved into humanitarian aid from Azerbaijan for the restoration of social infrastructure in Irpin,” she said.
The head of the Ukrainian representative office of NEQSOL Holding, Volodymyr Lavrenchuk, noted that the translation of the poet’s works into Azerbaijani is a continuation of cultural and value-based ties.
“Lesya Ukrainka is a symbol of strength of spirit, freedom, and Ukraine’s European identity, so supporting the translation of her works is a natural step for the company,” he noted.
Jalal Huseynov, President of the Ukrainian-Azerbaijani Business Association “Terezi,” emphasized the importance of cultural dialogue.
“The highest level of mutual understanding is the word,” he noted.
According to reports, the event was also attended by Olena Odynoka, Deputy Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute, who highlighted the role of translations in intercultural dialogue.
“Translations are bridges between nations; they are what enable us to better understand one another,” she said.
A greeting from Azerbaijani poet and translator Salam Sarvan was read aloud during the event.
The artistic program included performances by Ukrainian artists featuring dance and vocal numbers representing Azerbaijani culture, as well as a performance of the Azerbaijani national anthem on the bandura.
An exhibition of artistic collages by Maria Zamay, a student at Mariupol State University, was also presented.
Following the official portion of the event, guests were treated to a traditional Azerbaijani tea ceremony and refreshments.
The event was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the diplomatic corps, cultural figures, and the media. Partners included the Radisson Blu Hotel Kyiv City Centre, NEQSOL Holding, SOCAR Energy Ukraine, and other organizations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the signing of six agreements with Azerbaijan during his visit to the country, singling out security as a key area.
“We signed six documents today. Our teams will certainly share the details later. These cover various areas. Today, the top priority is security—specifically, the defense-industrial complex,” Zelenskyy said during a joint statement with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in the city of Gabala on Saturday.
The Ukrainian president also announced agreements on joint production and the work of Ukrainian experts in Azerbaijan.
“We will certainly develop our cooperation and joint production. These are very important areas that will definitely enhance the security of our countries and our peoples, as well as trade, which we truly want to increase between our countries,” he said.
Zelenskyy announced a “very significant step” in the form of signing documents on the joint development of the countries’ defense-industrial complexes.
He also thanked Aliyev for 11 support packages in the energy sector and for assistance to children evacuated from border areas, and reported on agreements in the field of education, specifically regarding the training of Azerbaijani students in Ukraine.
Aliyev, in turn, noted that “quite serious cooperation” is currently underway between Ukraine and Azerbaijan and that it was “once again confirmed” during Zelenskyy’s visit.
“Regarding military-technical cooperation, we also discussed this issue. It has quite broad prospects in both Ukraine and Azerbaijan. We see the development of the defense industries, and we can look into joint production. But overall, we have excellent opportunities in manufacturing. And today we also had extensive talks on this,“ he said.
Also, according to the head of the Azerbaijani state, the presidents discussed the need to develop trade between the countries. ”It currently amounts to more than $500 million, and I think it will continue to grow. Because we have every opportunity,” he said.
In addition to political dialogues, the parties also discussed cooperation in the energy sector. “We have achieved certain milestones. SOCAR has been operating successfully in Ukraine for many years. And now there are very good prospects. We have joint projects, joint initiatives, and investments. All these issues were discussed in detail today,” Aliyev said.
