Fines up to UAH 8,500: What are the Penalties for Violating Curfew?

There is currently no separate fine for violating the curfew in Ukraine. However, if stopped by a patrol during curfew hours, other provisions of the Code of Administrative Offences of Ukraine (CAO) may be applied to citizens, depending on the circumstances and the individual's behaviour during the inspection. In practice, Article 185 of the CAO is most often applied for malicious disobedience to a lawful order or demand of a police officer. In more serious cases, Article 210-1 of the CAO may be applied for violation of legislation on defence, mobilisation training, and mobilisation.

The Code of Administrative Offences of Ukraine does not have a separate article that provides specifically for responsibility for being on the street during curfew hours.

Therefore, the punishment depends on the specific situation. If a person is on the street during curfew but calmly presents documents, explains the reason for being there, and complies with the patrol's requirements, usually no report is drawn up.

However, refusal to comply with lawful police demands may be grounds for administrative liability.

Currently, during curfew violations, police officers may apply Article 185 of the CAO — "Malicious disobedience to a lawful order or demand of a police officer."

This article provides for a fine ranging from eight to fifteen non-taxable minimum incomes of citizens — from 136 to 255 hryvnias.

The court may also impose other types of punishment:

• community service from 40 to 60 hours;
• corrective labor for a term of one to two months with a deduction of 20% of earnings;
• administrative arrest for up to 15 days.

Application of this article is possible if a person refuses to show documents, cannot explain their presence on the street, or fails to comply with a patrol's demand to leave the location.

In some cases, during an inspection, a violation of military registration rules or other legislative requirements concerning defence, mobilisation training, and mobilisation may be established.

Subsequently, Article 210-1 of the CAO may be applied.

For citizens, this entails a fine ranging from 300 to 500 non-taxable minimum incomes, equivalent to 5,100 to 8,500 hryvnias.

For officials of state authorities, local self-government, legal entities, and public associations, the fine ranges from 1,000 to 1,500 non-taxable minimum incomes, equivalent to 17,000 to 25,500 hryvnias.

As previously reported by the Judicial-Legal Newspaper, the curfew in Ukraine was introduced following the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022 as a measure under the legal regime of martial law. It prohibits citizens from being in streets and other public places during specified hours without special passes or certificates.

However, not all citizens are content with these restrictions. Some Ukrainians believe that in regions with a relatively stable security situation, the curfew should be shortened or abolished.

A petition advocating for the cancellation of the curfew in regions where the security situation permits such a lifting of restrictions has been registered on the Cabinet of Ministers' website.

The author of the petition notes that while the curfew was an important tool for ensuring security during martial law, he now believes it significantly impacts economic activity and the daily lives of citizens.