Ukrainian Regional Defense Funding for 2025
A 2025 study by the 'Chestno' movement on regional funding for Ukraine's Armed Forces reveals that Kyiv, despite having the largest overall budget, placed fourth in terms of the percentage allocated to defense. The top three cities by this measure were Vinnytsia, Chernihiv, and Khmelnytskyi. This analysis highlights how regional capitals are contributing to national security from their own budgets during wartime.
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Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia ranked first, directing 17.6% of its budget, or 1.49 billion UAH out of 8.4 billion UAH, to the security and defense sector. The region also purchased military bonds worth 350 million UAH.
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Chernihiv
Chernihiv secured second place by allocating over 700 million UAH to support the Defense Forces. With a total budget of nearly 5 billion UAH, its defense spending share was 14.5%. Earlier in the year, Chernihiv had already directed 236 million UAH toward social protection for military personnel.
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Khmelnytskyi
Khmelnytskyi took third place, dedicating 774 million UAH from its 6 billion UAH budget to defense. Additionally, the city allocated 16.4 million UAH for a grant program supporting innovative projects.
In absolute monetary terms, Kyiv remains the leader, having allocated 13.8 billion UAH of a planned 14.6 billion UAH to the military. Kyiv's defense spending constitutes 11.87% of its total budget, with the majority of funds, 12.2 billion UAH, spent under the 'Defender of Kyiv' program. The city also provided 1.5 billion UAH of a planned 2.3 billion UAH to support defenders. In 2025, Kyiv paid 7.8 million UAH in one-time assistance to 195 residents who returned from captivity.
To implement its military strategy in 2026, Ukraine requires $120 billion, with half of this amount planned to be covered by its own budget and loans from the European Union.
These figures demonstrate the active efforts of Ukrainian regions to bolster the country's defense capabilities despite a challenging economic situation. Local budget allocations for defense are a crucial component of Ukraine's wartime strategy, especially amid ongoing military aggression. The distribution of resources among cities also reflects their varying levels of preparedness and capacity to address security challenges.
As regional capitals prioritize their defense budgets, it's essential to recognize the broader implications for national resilience. In this context, Kyiv's investment of $1.5 billion for infrastructure protection reflects a strategic effort to bolster not only military readiness but also the stability of vital services during challenging times.