Over a Million Displaced Ukrainian Pensioners Face Payment Suspension

Payment Halt for Displaced Ukrainian Retirees

According to ХВИЛЯ: In January 2026, pension payments for a portion of Ukraine's internally displaced persons (IDPs) were temporarily suspended. This action, announced by Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets on January 31, 2026, stems from a requirement for recipients to undergo identification and confirm they are not receiving payments from the Russian Federation. Lubinets stated that over 1.3 million displaced pensioners did not receive their funds. This situation highlights the ongoing administrative challenges in Ukraine's social support systems during the prolonged conflict.

The issue arose from a mandate to confirm the absence of Russian payments via the Ukrainian Pension Fund's web portal, requiring the use of the Diia.Pidpys or Diia ID digital systems. Ukraine's Ministry of Social Policy refuted claims of mass pension cancellations for over a million citizens, clarifying that as of early 2026, payments were only temporarily suspended for 337,000 individuals.

Reasons and Impact of the Suspension

• The restrictions affected those who had not completed mandatory in-person identification by December 31, 2025.
• Problems emerged for citizens whose pension files remained in occupied territories.
• Some pensioners did receive January payments, and for 48,000 individuals who successfully verified their data, payments will resume in February.

Displaced persons who have already transferred their pensions to government-controlled territory are exempt from re-identification but must still submit a declaration confirming they receive no payments from the aggressor state. Dmytro Lubinets criticized the failed public information campaign on this issue, arguing that the rights of millions are threatened by cumbersome bureaucratic procedures. He stressed that citizens should not have to prove to the state what it can verify itself using existing registries, nor be forced through new complex processes.

The Ministry of Social Policy defends physical identification as a necessary practice to ensure funds reach their intended recipients. To confirm the absence of Russian payments, pensioners can use several methods: remotely via Diia.Pidpys on the Pension Fund portal or via video call, or offline by visiting a Pension Fund service center or bank. Those abroad can submit the declaration through an electronic cabinet or by post.

This pension payment crisis for Ukraine's displaced underscores the bureaucratic complexities facing vulnerable retirees. The lack of a clear information campaign risks creating further hardship for those seeking their entitlements. Ensuring accessible and understandable procedures for all citizens is crucial to preventing similar crises in the future.