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State budget expenditure exceeded 1.35 trillion hryvnia: where did the money go?

State budget expenditure exceeded 1.35 trillion hryvnia: where did the money go?

Katerina Melnychenko Deputy Editor-in-Chief

20 May 2026, 13:15

State budget expenditure exceeded 1.35 trillion hryvnia: where did the money go? — On expenditure from the general fund of the state budget for January–April 2026

In January–April 2026, cash expenditure from the General Fund of the State Budget of Ukraine amounted to 1.35 trillion UAH. This is 163.6 billion UAH, or 13.8%, more than in the same period last year. In April, expenditure from the general fund of the state budget reached UAH 433.1 billion. The largest share of funds was allocated to security and defence.

This has been reported by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine.

State budget expenditure for January–April

According to the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, in January–April 2026, total cash expenditure from the general fund of the state budget amounted to UAH 1.35 trillion.

This is UAH 163.6 billion, or 13.8%, more than in the same period last year.

In April, general fund state budget expenditure amounted to 433.1 billion UAH.

How much was allocated to security and defence

Expenditure from the general fund of the state budget on security and defence for January–April 2026 amounted to 854.1 billion UAH.

This represents 63.3% of all general fund expenditure.

In April, 283.1 billion UAH was allocated to security and defence.

Major areas of expenditure

In the structure of expenditure by economic classification, the largest share of funds was allocated to the remuneration of public sector employees, including social security contributions.

In January–April, UAH 555.5 billion was spent on this, including UAH 147.1 billion in April.

This accounts for 41.2% of total expenditure over the first four months of 2026. Compared with the same period last year, this expenditure increased by 80.3 billion UAH, or 16.9%.

Social benefits and pensions

UAH 235 billion was allocated to social security, specifically for the payment of pensions, benefits and grants.

In April, these expenditures amounted to 65.5 billion UAH.

This represents 17.4% of total expenditure. Compared with the same period last year, they increased by 22.1 billion UAH, or 10.4%.

Funds were allocated, in particular, to transfers to the Pension Fund to finance the payment of pensions, supplements and pension increases.

Funding was also provided for the social protection of children and families, support for citizens facing difficult life circumstances, as well as housing subsidies and concessions for the payment of housing and communal services, and the purchase of solid and liquid domestic fuel and liquefied gas.

Transfers to enterprises and the needs of the Armed Forces

UAH 205.4 billion was allocated to subsidies and current transfers to enterprises, institutions and organisations.

In April, these expenditures amounted to 96.8 billion UAH.

This represents 15.2% of total expenditure.

The funds were allocated, in particular, to the purchase of goods to meet the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as to provide medical support for specific state programmes and comprehensive programme-based measures.

Goods, services and medical guarantees

UAH 151.4 billion was allocated to pay for goods and services.

In April, these expenditures amounted to 53 billion UAH.

This represents 11.2% of total expenditure.

The funds were allocated, in particular, to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations and law enforcement agencies.

This involved the procurement of military equipment, weapons, ammunition, defence-related products, personal protective equipment (including helmets, body armour and other specialist gear), fuel and lubricants, food supplies, as well as payments for utilities.

Funds were also transferred by the National Health Service of Ukraine for the implementation of the programme of state guarantees for medical care for the population.

Public debt and local budgets

UAH 103.2 billion was allocated to servicing the national debt in January–April.

In April, these expenditures amounted to 38.2 billion UAH.

This represents 7.6% of the total. Compared with the same period last year, expenditure on servicing the national debt increased by 10.7 billion UAH, or 11.6%.

UAH 75.1 billion was allocated to transfers to local budgets, including UAH 20.2 billion in April.

This represents 5.6% of the total. Compared to the same period last year, these expenditures increased by 21.2 billion UAH, or 39.3%.

What happened in January 2026

It was previously reported that the total cash expenditure of the general fund of the state budget for January 2026 amounted to 243.8 billion UAH.

This is UAH 29.7 billion, or 13.9%, more than in January 2025.

Expenditure on security and defence in January 2026 amounted to UAH 149.6 billion, or 61.4% of all general fund expenditure.

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