State arrears on pension court cases reached 101.5 billion hryvnias
The Ukrainian state's debt on court rulings lost to pensioners has exceeded 100 billion hryvnias due to mass lawsuits by special pension recipients. The government is trying to curb these payments through budget constraints and is preparing a new professional pension reform. This was reported by Economichna Pravda, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
Court cases regarding the recalculation of payments primarily concern recipients of special pensions, the terms of which are significantly more favorable compared to the general system. Such benefits are guaranteed to judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, career military personnel, and individuals affected by the Chornobyl disaster. Citizens are massively appealing to courts demanding the recalculation of funds retroactively, after which the Pension Fund incurs billion-hryvnia arrears.
Growth of debts and fines for the Pension Fund
According to the Pension Fund of Ukraine, arrears on unexecuted court rulings increased from 50 billion hryvnias in 2023 to 101.52 billion hryvnias as of September 1, 2026. The government allocates meager funds to repay these debts; for instance, the Ministry of Social Policy budget for 2026 provided for only 100 million hryvnias. Against this background, courts have begun massively imposing fines on Pension Fund employees for failing to implement decisions.
Special pensions for military personnel and prosecutors
The largest category of special pensioners consists of former military personnel and law enforcement officers, whose payments are tied to the monetary allowances of active servicemen. A separate category consists of prosecutors who through courts achieve the calculation of pensions under repealed laws of past years in the amount of up to 90% of their salary. As a result, certain officials receive payments amounting to hundreds of thousands of hryvnias monthly.
Budgetary constraints as a containment tool
Since any legislative restrictions on special pensions are overturned by the Constitutional Court, the authorities are using the state budget law as a temporary safeguard. The draft state budget for 2027 contains a provision exempting the Pension Fund management from fines in the event of non-execution of retrospective court rulings due to a lack of funding. At the same time, the Ministry of Social Policy is developing a long-term professional pension reform that provides for an increased single social contribution rate.
Photo: Economichna Pravda
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