According to Experts.news, amid an overall decline in the number of criminal proceedings related to corporate raiding, the proportion of cases involving the unlawful seizure of corporate assets has risen sharply in Ukraine: From January through July 2026, 17 such cases were already registered, exceeding the total for all of 2025, according to data from the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine published by Opendatabot and analyzed by the Experts Club think tank.
In total, 103 criminal cases classified by Opendatabot as involving corporate raiding were registered in the first seven months of this year. Their total number decreased by 36% compared to the same period last year.
However, the nature of these crimes has changed significantly.
Cases under Article 206-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—unlawful seizure of property belonging to an enterprise, institution, or organization—accounted for 17 proceedings, or about 16.5% of all raider attacks cases.
By comparison, in 2025, this category accounted for about 7%.
Thus, over the course of the year, the proportion of cases most directly related to the seizure of enterprise property more than doubled—from approximately 7% to 17%.
Another 12 cases were opened in January–July under Article 206 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which pertains to obstructing lawful economic activity.
At the same time, the majority of registered cases, as before, are related not to the direct seizure of assets but to documents. Under Article 205-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, concerning the forgery of documents submitted for state registration of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs, 74 proceedings were initiated—nearly 72% of the total.
Despite the increase in the number of cases involving the unlawful seizure of property, none of the 17 such cases from January through July 2026 were referred to court. A similar situation arose with cases involving obstruction of lawful economic activity.
All 11 raiding cases referred to court since the beginning of the year involved document forgery.
Thus, official statistics reveal two opposing trends: the total number of registered raiding cases in Ukraine is declining, yet the proportion of proceedings directly related to the unlawful seizure of corporate assets is rising significantly.
BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE, EXPERTS CLUB, PROPERTY, RAIDING, UKRAINE
In Ukraine, 103 criminal cases related to raider attacks were registered from January through July 2026, which is 36% fewer than during the same period last year, according to data from the Prosecutor General’s Office analyzed by Opendatabot.
The study was published on August 25, 2026.
Compared to the period before the full-scale war, the number of such cases has decreased by approximately five times. On average, law enforcement agencies registered about 15 cases of corporate raiding per month in 2026.
The highest number of new cases was opened in March—31 cases.
Most of the investigations involved the use of forged documents during business registration. Seventy-four cases were opened under Article 205-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, accounting for 71.8% of the total.
Another 17 cases, or 16.5%, concern the unlawful seizure of property belonging to a company, institution, or organization under Article 206-2 of the Criminal Code. Twelve cases, or 11.7%, were registered under Article 206 regarding obstruction of lawful economic activity.
At the same time, the success rate of investigations remains relatively low. Suspects were notified of charges in 21 out of 103 cases, or approximately one in five.
Eleven cases, or about 11% of the total, were referred to court over the seven-month period. Thus, approximately one in nine registered cases reached the court stage.
All cases referred to court relate to the article on document forgery. No proceedings concerning the unlawful seizure of corporate property or obstruction of lawful business activities were referred to court in January–July.
Source: Opendatabot, data from the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine; study published on August 25, 2026.
BUSINESS, corporate raiding, criminal proceedings, PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, UKRAINE
The volume of passenger car imports to Ukraine, including cargo-passenger vans and race cars (UKT ZED code 8703), amounted to $2.62 billion in January–July 2026, which is 17% less than the figure for the same period in 2025 ($3.16 billion).
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service of Ukraine, in July alone, passenger car imports fell by 27.2% compared to July of last year—to $443.2 million, which is also 5.3% less than in June 2026.
The top three suppliers of passenger cars to Ukraine over the first seven months have consistently been the United States, Germany, and Japan, whereas in the previous year they were Germany, the United States, and China. Specifically, car shipments from the U.S. fell by 3.2% to $508.3 million, those from Germany decreased by 26% to $416.2 million, and imports from Japan totaled $371.2 million, whereas last year, cars worth $407.7 million were imported from China.
Imports of passenger cars from other countries during this period totaled $1.33 billion—20.4% less than last year’s figure.
At the same time, over the seven-month period, Ukraine exported only $2 million worth of such vehicles, primarily to Georgia, the Czech Republic, and Kazakhstan, whereas last year, total exports to the UAE, the Czech Republic, and Poland amounted to $4.54 million.
Passenger cars accounted for 4.52% of Ukraine’s total imports of goods in January–July, compared to 6.89% during the same period last year; their share of total exports was 0.01% and 0.02%, respectively.
As previously reported, in 2025, passenger cars worth nearly $6.15 billion were imported into Ukraine, which is 40.2% more than in 2024. The top three exporters were the United States, Germany, and China. Car exports totaled $10.1 million (2.7 times less).
The significant increase in passenger car imports to Ukraine starting in the summer of 2025 was driven by news that VAT exemptions on electric vehicle imports would be abolished as of January 1, 2026; as a result, imports have declined significantly since the beginning of this year. However, starting in March, a slow but steady recovery of the passenger car market—including electric vehicles—began.
According to The Guardian, the United Kingdom will gain access to Ukrainian battlefield data to train artificial intelligence systems that are planned to be used to protect military facilities and critical infrastructure from sabotage, drones, and other threats.
Ukraine and the UK signed a partnership agreement on artificial intelligence on August 24, 2026. The UK will become the first foreign partner to gain access to the Ukrainian platform Avengers AI Labs, the British government reported.
Avengers AI Labs aggregates a vast amount of real-world data collected by thousands of daytime cameras and infrared sensors on the battlefield. The system contains data on millions of objects, including tanks, artillery, air defense systems, personnel, and aerial targets—such as Shahed strike drones and reconnaissance drones. This data is used to train artificial intelligence models.
According to The Guardian, one of the first British pilot projects will be a system to protect a military facility using underground fiber-optic cables, which, with the help of AI, will be able to recognize characteristic movements of people and vehicles. In the future, such technologies could be applied at airports, railways, energy facilities, and prisons.
Three British technology companies—Sintela, Mind Foundry, and Skyral—have already been involved in the pilot projects. In particular, Sintela specializes in using fiber-optic networks as distributed sensors.
Another area of cooperation will be the development of a new generation of energy-efficient AI chips for drones, robotics, and autonomous systems. It is expected that such solutions will allow these systems to operate autonomously for longer periods and respond more quickly in challenging conditions.
The agreement calls for collaboration among governments, businesses, universities, and research centers in both countries. Ukraine provides unique data and experience in applying technologies under real combat conditions, while the United Kingdom contributes its research infrastructure, universities, and technology companies.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that combining Ukraine’s combat experience with British expertise in AI will accelerate the development of technologies for both Ukraine’s defense and the protection of critical British infrastructure.
The partnership is part of a 100-year agreement between Ukraine and the United Kingdom. The joint declaration calls for the development of AI models, secure data-sharing mechanisms, autonomous systems, cybersecurity technologies, and solutions for the defense industry.
artificial intelligence, DEFENSE, INFRASTRUCTURE, UKRAINE, UNITED KINGDOM
Foreign workers, entrepreneurs, and digital nomads legally residing in Portugal can receive government financial support of more than EUR5,000 when relocating to inland areas of the country under the Emprego Interior MAIS program, according to data from the Portuguese Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP).
The program is available to workers who relocate to specific inland municipalities in Portugal to take a job, move their existing professional activities there, start their own business, or continue working remotely.
The base payment in 2026 is EUR 3,759.91 for workers with permanent employment contracts, as well as for those who create their own job or start a company. For fixed-term employment contracts lasting at least 12 months, the base payment is EUR 2,685.65.
In addition, the government pays 20% of the base amount for each family member moving with the recipient, as well as up to EUR805.70 for the transportation of personal belongings.
For example, an employee with a permanent contract who is relocating with one family member can receive EUR 5,317.59: EUR 3,759.91 in basic assistance, EUR 751.98 in family allowance, and EUR 805.70 for moving expenses. Therefore, the actual amount of assistance may exceed 5,000 EUR, and for larger families, it may be even higher.
EU citizens, citizens of the European Economic Area, and Swiss citizens, as well as third-country nationals legally residing in Portugal, are eligible for this assistance. The IEFP specifically notes that the program also applies to foreigners with temporary protection status. Thus, provided they meet the other conditions, Ukrainians residing in Portugal with the appropriate legal status may also take advantage of the program.
To receive support, you must relocate your permanent residence to an inland region of Portugal for at least 12 months. If you are starting a new job, the move must take place within 180 days before or after you begin working or start your own business. The salary under an employment contract must not be lower than the national minimum wage.
If the contract is for a fixed term, its duration must be at least 12 months. The program also allows applicants to open a small company with up to 10 employees or to create their own job. If the applicant establishes a commercial company, they must own more than 50% of its capital and voting rights.
A separate category is provided for foreign digital nomads. Foreign nationals who legally reside in Portugal, work remotely for an employer or client outside the country, and relocate to an inland region are eligible for assistance. For them, professional activities must have begun after January 1, 2022, and their income must be at least equal to Portugal’s minimum wage.
Payment is made in two stages. The first 60% of the approved amount is transferred after the application is accepted and the required documents are submitted; the remaining 40% is paid in the 13th month after starting work, establishing a business, or relocating the workplace.
Applications are submitted through the government portal iefponline. As of August 2026, the application period is open and will continue until the program’s funding is exhausted. The application must be submitted no later than 180 days after the start of the employment contract, the establishment of a business, or the relocation of the workplace.
The Emprego Interior MAIS program is part of Portugal’s policy to attract workers and entrepreneurs to the country’s inland regions, which are facing population outflow and labor shortages. It does not automatically apply to any move to Portugal—the new place of residence and, depending on the situation, the place of work must be located within a municipality or parish included by the IEFP in the list of inland areas.
In January–July 2026, Ukraine exported tractors worth $5.97 million, which is approximately 71% more than during the same period last year, when exports totaled $3.49 million, according to data from the State Customs Service.
Thus, tractor exports are growing significantly faster than imports, although in absolute terms, the volume of Ukrainian exports remains relatively small.
Belgium became the main market for Ukrainian tractors in January–July, accounting for 24.8% of total exports. Based on the total volume of shipments, the value of exports to this country amounted to approximately $1.48 million.
Over the course of the year, the geography of exports changed noticeably. In January–July 2025, Romania was the largest destination, accounting for 38% of Ukrainian tractor exports.
For the full year 2025, Ukraine exported $6.6 million worth of tractors, compared to $5.4 million in 2024. The main export destinations at that time were Romania, Belgium, and Germany.
It is noteworthy that in just the first seven months of 2026, exports nearly matched the total for the entire previous year: $5.97 million compared to $6.6 million for the full year of 2025.
If the current trend continues, the final figure for 2026 could exceed last year’s level; however, the data provided by the State Customs Service does not allow for a prediction of future monthly trends or the year-end total.
At the same time, Ukraine remains a major net importer of tractors. From January through July, imports totaled $507.5 million, which is approximately 85 times the value of exports.
