Category: News

The Register of Damage for Ukraine has officially launched the first categories of claims for compensation for damage caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine for Legal Entities and the State of Ukraine:

• B1.1, B1.2, C1.1, C1.2Damage or Destruction of Critical and Non-Critical Infrastructure; and
• C3.1 Damage, Destruction or Loss of Assets.

This is a fundamentally new stage in the work of the Register. For the first time, the opening of Claims categories enables the recording of not only individual losses, but also systemic economic losses sustained by business entities and by the State of Ukraine as a result of the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

It concerns a different scale and a different dimension of the consequences of the war – the destruction of infrastructure, the loss of production capacities and assets, the disruption of logistic chains, and the interference with the functioning of entire sectors of the economy.

Claims in C categories can be submitted by any legal persons, regardless of the organisational and legal form and form of ownership, including state and municipal enterprises.

Categories B of claims are available for the State of Ukraine, state authorities, state institutions, local-self-governments, communities, municipalities etc.

In categories related to infrastructure (B1.1 and C1.1 – critical infrastructure, B1.2 and C1.2 – non-critical infrastructure), claims may be submitted for compensation for the value of destroyed or damaged property, as well as for the costs of repairs or restoration (including future costs) of damaged infrastructure or its functions.

Category of claim C3.1 covers damage, destruction or loss of assets, loss of profits from such assets, total loss of business or other direct costs associated with such losses.

Claims with respect to property and any assets owned by the individual that were destroyed, damaged or lost due the war shall be submitted in categories A.

Claims that meet the eligibility requirements will be recorded in the Register and subsequently transmitted to the future Claims Commission, which will determine the amount of compensation due.

In December 2025, 35 States and the European Union signed the Convention on the Establishment of an International Claims Commission under the auspices of the Council of Europe.

The opening of these categories creates the opportunity to systemically document such losses and to form a complete international evidentiary base, on the basis of which decisions on compensation will be made.

How to Submit Claims

Claims are submitted via the Diia web portal. Claims on behalf of a legal person or a state authority may be submitted by the head of the legal person (for example, director or chairperson). The director or chairperson may also appoint a Representative, who will be authorised to submit claims on behalf of the legal person by granting such Representative Digital Powers via Diia. Any legally capable individual may act as a Representative.

B1.1, B1.2, C1.1, C1.2Damage or Destruction of Critical and Non-Critical Infrastructure:

• Submit a claim
• Claim Form and Rules 
• Disclaimer, Information, and Instructions 

C3.1 Damage, Destruction or Loss of Assets:

• Submit a claim
• Claim Form and Rules 
• Disclaimer, Information, and Instructions 

To learn more and submit a claim, visit the Register’s website.

Source: Register of Damage for Ukraine Announces Launch of Claims Categories B1.1, B1.2, C1.1, C1.2 and C3.1 for Legal Entities and the State of Ukraine – Register of Damage for Ukraine

Contents

1. 01Employment of a Foreigner Under a Labour Agreement: What are the Peculiarities?
2. 02Concluding a Civil Law Agreement with a Foreigner: Are there differences from a Labour Contract?
3. 03Signing a Gig-Contract with a Foreigner: When is it applied?
4. 04Conclusion

Modern Ukrainian business is all about constant challenges, new approaches to company development and increasing competitiveness in both the Ukrainian and international markets. One way to strengthen international expertise in a company is to attract foreign specialists. Let’s look at the details and specifics of attracting such specialists.

01 — Employment of a Foreigner Under a Labour Agreement: What are the Peculiarities?

Generally, the labour relations of foreign citizens in Ukraine are regulated by the laws of Ukraine^[1]1, specifically the Law of Ukraine “On Employment of the Population” (hereinafter referred to as “the Law”).

Indeed, the Law establishes a specific procedure that precedes the conclusion of a labour agreement (contract) with a foreigner.

First and foremost, to employ a foreigner, it is necessary to determine the legal status of the potential employee. Certain categories of foreigners are entitled to work under the same conditions as citizens of Ukraine:

• foreigners who hold a permanent residence permit in Ukraine (they submit the same package of documents as a citizen of Ukraine, but provide their residence permit instead of a national passport);
• foreigners who have refugee status in Ukraine;
• foreigners who have been recognized as persons in need of complementary protection;
• and other foreigners of narrow specialization whose list is defined by the Law, for example, members of the clergy, athletes, individuals engaged in scientific activities, representatives of emergency rescue services, branches of foreign enterprises, etc., provided that the prescribed conditions are met.

If the foreigner does not belong to the mentioned categories, the employer must obtain a permit for the employment of foreigners (hereinafter referred to as “the Permit”).

To obtain the Permit, it is necessary to submit an application to the territorial body of the State Employment Service(employment center) (the application form is approved by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated January 24, 2023, No. 68).

If the candidate is a citizen of the russian federation, the republic of belarus or other countries recognized as posing a threat to the national security of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine is involved in the consideration of the Permit issuance.

The Permit can be issued for different periods of time, depending on the duration of the labour agreement and the potential employee’s plans to remain at the specified place of work.

It is important to consider that the Permit is tied to a specific employer, meaning that if the foreigner changes their place of work, the new employer must undergo the procedure for obtaining the Permit from scratch.

For a foreigner’s arrival in Ukraine for employment, there are several methods:

• immigration permit: the grounds for granting this permit are defined by Article 4 of the Law of Ukraine “On Immigration”. For certain categories of foreigners an arrival quota is established. This applies specifically to highly qualified specialists and workers whose acute need is felt by the Ukrainian economy, as well as their spouses and minor children in the case of joint entry. This quota is established annually by a Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
• type D work visa: this is issued for arrival in Ukraine for the purpose of employment. To obtain this visa, a potential employee must apply to the Ukrainian consular office or embassy in their place of residence and submit a package of documents. These must include documents confirming the purpose of the trip, specifically: an employment contract or a work permit in Ukraine.

02 — Concluding a Civil Law Agreement with a Foreigner: Are there differences from a Labour Contract?

If there are no actual labour relations between a foreigner and a company in Ukraine, meaning the foreigner is engaged to provide services as needed or to perform a specific task, a mechanism exists for concluding a civil law agreementwith them.

As a result of concluding such an agreement, labour relations do not arise between the parties, therefore, no work permit is required. A company that enters into a civil law agreement with a foreigner for the provision of services must comply with the requirements of civil legislation typically applied to contracts. In such an agreement it is important to specify exactly what service the counterparty will provide, what the result of such a service should be, and the amount of payment under the agreement.

It is crucial to avoid provisions similar to those found in labour contracts, such as specifying a work schedule, terms for granting vacation or sick leave, compensation, etc. That is, in the case of a civil law agreement, the company pays for the result of the services provided, rather than for the process of performing the work, as occurs with a labour contract.

However, it is worth noting that the existence of a service agreement does not grant a foreigner the right to cross the border. Therefore, it can only be concluded with a foreigner who is already legally residing in Ukraine, or if a foreigner residing abroad can be engaged to provide services in a remote format.

03 — Signing a Gig-Contract with a Foreigner: When is it applied?

An effective mechanism today for engaging IT specialists to work in Ukraine is the conclusion of gig-contracts, as provided for by the Law of Ukraine “On Stimulating the Development of the Digital Economy in Ukraine”.

Such contracts can be concluded with foreigners only by Diia City residents. At the same time, the status of a Diia City resident can only be obtained by a legal entity registered under the laws of Ukraine that carries out one or more types of activities provided for by the Law “On Stimulating the Development of the Digital Economy in Ukraine”.

The customer under a gig-contract must be a Diia City resident, and the contractor or performer must be a gig-specialist – this can include a foreigner.

It is important to note that for working with a foreigner through a gig-contract, the company must also obtain the Permit.

Thus, concluding a gig-contract with a foreigner is possible only for Diia City resident companies and is not applicable to any other entity; therefore, only a limited circle of companies can consider this method of engaging foreign specialists.

04 — Conclusion

For Ukrainian companies there are three primary mechanisms for engaging foreign specialists: concluding civil law agreements, labour agreements (contracts) and gig-contracts. The choice of a specific method depends on the nature of the relationship between the company and the specialist, as well as the purpose of their engagement.

Engaging foreigners helps partially resolve the problem of personnel shortages, allows for the acquisition of valuable expertise and introduces new approaches to work. This also contributes to increasing the competitiveness of Ukrainian companies in both domestic and international markets and is an essential element of modern labour relations in the context of globalization.

^[1] Article 54 of the Law of Ukraine “On International Private Law”

Source: How to legally formalise the recruitment of foreign specialists to Ukrainian companies? – Lexology

During March and April 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a series of decisions aimed at simplifying the procurement of innovative defence products by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, harmonising the management of intellectual property rights in the military-industrial complex (MIC), and introducing new formats for technological cooperation in the field of AI.

In our previous publication, “Ukraine simplifies the codification of military products and accelerates the contracting of newly developed systems”, we analysed the reform of the codification procedure for armaments and military equipment, as well as the simplification of the supply of products for the needs of Ukraine’s Defence Forces.

1. The Ministry of Defence is empowered to procure innovative weapons for testing under a simplified procedure

The Cabinet of Ministers has launched a pilot project that creates the legal basis for the systematic procurement of innovative defence products with a view to testing them in real combat conditions.

Previously, no procedure existed that would allow the Ministry of Defence to procure innovations for troops to test. Samples of innovative solutions reached units in an unsystematic manner, without a structured mechanism for assessing performance or scaling up successful designs.

The pilot project introduces the concept of “defence innovation product” – a new or improved sample of weaponry, military or special equipment, with no analogues in service and offering improved tactical-technical or qualitative characteristics. Such products may be procured by the Ministry of Defence under a simplified procedure and transferred to designated units for experimental combat use.

Following experimental combat use, the sample is assessed for compliance (or non-compliance) with the declared tactical-technical, qualitative and other characteristics, and for its ability to address operational issues and challenges within the Defence Forces.

Where experimental combat use is successful, the Ministry of Defence will ensure the rollout of the defence innovation product across the Defence Forces, including its inclusion in procurement lists and volumes and, where required, its codification.

2. Unified rules for managing intellectual property in the MIC

On 10 April 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the Policy on the Management of Intellectual Property in Ukraine’s Military-Industrial Complex (the “Policy”), which formalises the approach of the public sector (state customers and state-owned enterprises) to the management of its own intellectual property in the MIC and reduces legal uncertainty for private counterparties.

In particular, the Policy proceeds from the premise that state customers and MIC enterprises must contractually regulate compliance with IP legislation in their agreements with private counterparties.

The Policy’s objectives are to be achieved by state customers and enterprises through, among other things:

• establishing or designating responsible units and officers for IP management;
• developing internal documentation on the acquisition and exercise of IP rights;
• ensuring timely registration of IP objects, maintaining the validity of protective documents (patents, certificates), and conducting regular inventories and valuations of intangible assets;
• entering into licence agreements for the use of IP objects;
• taking measures to protect IP rights in the event of their infringement.

A key element of the Policy is the creation of a “Unified Information System for Research and Development Works, Results of Intellectual Activity and Technologies for Military and Dual-Use Purposes, and Design Documentation for Military Products”. The system will function as a shared repository for state customers and MIC enterprises, with centralised state management exercised through the Ministry of Defence.

3. Ukraine becomes the first country to open access to AI model training on real combat data

The Cabinet of Ministers has launched a pilot project granting Ukrainian companies and foreign defence agencies access to the Ministry of Defence’s AI platform. The platform is built on real battlefield data and is intended to support the development of military products that use AI.

As the rights holder and project coordinator, the Ministry of Defence may grant access to the data, in particular for training AI models, verifying the compatibility of technologies, and developing new or improving existing military products that use AI. Access is provided through a dedicated platform built on the basis of the Ministry of Defence’s Centre for Innovation and Development of Defence Technologies.

Ukrainian companies interested in using the platform must meet one of the following criteria:

1. be a supplier under a state contract with the Ministry of Defence or a contractor under defence contracts concluded with other state customers;
2. be designated as critically important for the needs of the Defence Forces during the special period; or
3. be included in the electronic register of state contract performers.

Foreign defence agencies may obtain access under international treaties or separate agreements on the provision of access to software products. The Ministry of Defence decides on the terms of payment for access by foreign partners on a case-by-case basis. For Ukrainian companies, access is free of charge.

For the purposes of the project, the Ministry of Defence may export military products without obtaining authorisation from the Cabinet of Ministers. The obligation to obtain a permit from the State Export Control Service of Ukraine, however, remains in force.

Conclusions

Taken together, these changes form a consistent strategy for stimulating the development of the MIC: accelerating the cycle from development to combat use, harmonising the management of IP rights, and opening up new forms of technological partnership — all on terms that protect Ukraine’s national security interests.

For companies operating in the MIC, and for international partners considering cooperation in defence technologies, these developments raise practical questions: how the new mechanisms apply to current or planned activities, whether existing contractual structures and arrangements meet the new requirements, and whether these changes create opportunities previously unavailable.

Source: Legal Digest: Developments in Ukraine’s Defence Sector (March – April 2026) – Sayenko Kharenko

On 29 April 2026, the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U) opened new categories of claims for businesses regarding damage caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. Below is a guide on who can file a claim, what documents are required, and how to proceed.

On 29 April 2026, the Register of Damage for Ukraine (RD4U) (the “Register“), established at the initiative of Ukraine, the European Union and 42 states, to facilitate compensation claims for damage caused by the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, announced the launch of new claim categories for businesses and the State of Ukraine.

Businesses are now eligible to officially submit claims for damage caused by armed aggression.

The newly introduced business claim categories include:

• C1.1 – Damage to or destruction of critical infrastructure;
• C1.2 – Damage to or destruction of non-critical infrastructure;
• C3.1 – Damage, destruction, or loss of assets.

These categories are determined based on the type of property damaged or destroyed.

When can a claim be submitted?

The Register allows legal entities, regardless of ownership structure or institutional affiliation, to submit claims for material losses caused by the armed aggression starting from 24 February 2022.

The Register does not provide an exhaustive list of events giving rise to compensation claims. Eligible events may include direct military attacks, acts of sabotage, occupation, cyberattacks, supply chain disruptions, logistics interruptions, and similar consequences of the aggression.

Claims may be submitted in relation to:

1. damage to, destruction of, or loss of property and/or related loss of profit;
2. complete loss of business resulting from the destruction of property;
3. any other direct expenses arising from the destruction of property.

The affected property must be located within Ukraine’s internationally recognised territory.

Claims may cover not only damage or destruction itself but also expenses already incurred for restoration or recovery of the property.

What documents should be prepared?

To successfully submit a compensation claim, businesses are advised to secure documentary evidence confirming the fact of the damage; the amount of losses incurred; and ownership or lawful possession of the damaged or destroyed property.

Both official (court decisions; law enforcement resolutions; reports issued by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine etc.) and unofficial evidence (media publications; photographs and videos; witness statements; and other supporting materials) may be used to substantiate damage caused by the armed aggression.

We recommend collecting as much supporting evidence as possible and not limiting submissions to formal official documents only.

The Register also does not establish a strict list of evidence regarding the amount claimed, provided the claim is properly substantiated. Supporting documents may include invoices, sale and purchase agreements, financial statements, contracts, and similar records.

At the same time, obtaining an independent expert assessment of losses is advisable, as it may help quantify both direct property damage and lost profits.

It should also be considered that only duly substantiated claims will be included in the Register, while the burden of proof and associated risks remain with the claimant legal entity.

How to submit a claim?

Claims are submitted electronically through the Ukraine’s state digital services portal, Diia, by logging in to user account and completing the relevant application form.

A claim may be submitted on behalf of a legal entity either by its director or by an authorised representative – any individual with full legal capacity. For this purpose, the Diia portal provides the “Digital Authorisation” service.

What happens next?

Following submission, the claim is reviewed by the Register’s Secretariat for formal compliance and then referred to the Register Board, which determines whether the claim is admissible for inclusion in the Register.

Although no specific review deadlines have been established, the Register Board holds in-person meetings at least once per quarter to consider submitted claims and decide whether to register or reject them.

Applicants are notified of the decision through the Diia web portal.

The Register and its governing bodies are not authorised to determine the amount of compensation or make compensation payments. These functions are expected to be assigned to separate institutions to be established in the future.

The opening of the Register to businesses is undoubtedly an important and significant step toward compensation for losses caused by the armed aggression. It demonstrates that an effective compensation mechanism is becoming increasingly tangible.

Source: International register of damage for Ukraine now open to businesses – Sayenko Kharenko