In February 2026, Ukraine’s real GDP decreased by 1.5% year-on-year. The key factor in the decline was the destruction and damage to energy, railway and other critical infrastructure as a result of Russian attacks. This was reported by Delo.ua with reference to a release by the Institute of Economic Research and Policy Consulting, according to the PromPolitInform portal.
This directly affected the work of basic sectors of the economy.
At the same time, analysts revised their estimate for January for the better – to minus 1.0% against the previously announced minus 1.4%. This indicates some stabilization, but the overall trend remains negative.
The largest reduction was recorded in energy and related industries. Electricity production and gas distribution decreased by 14% due to large-scale damage to infrastructure. A similar drop — about 14% — was shown by the mining industry due to disruptions in the extraction of gas, iron ore and coal. The transport sector also decreased at the same level.
In the processing industry, the decline was less deep — at 7%. The main reasons remain limited access to electricity, the consequences of shelling, as well as the shutdown of individual enterprises. In particular, we are talking about the temporary suspension of the work of large manufacturers due to the high cost of electricity and the impact of the CBAM mechanism in the European Union.
Unlike industry, trade showed growth of 2%. It was provided by more active retail sales and increased demand for fuel. At the same time, wholesale trade continues to decline.
The construction industry, according to experts, showed insignificant growth, which is explained by the low comparison base of the previous year.
According to the results of 2025, the real GDP of Ukraine grew by 1.8%. However, the current dynamics indicate that significant risks to the economy remain amid ongoing attacks on critical infrastructure.
