Society

On 15 July 2026, Orthodox Christians commemorate Saint Vladimir, Prince of Kyiv and Equal to the Apostles. According to folk tradition, on this day homes were sprinkled with holy water and sunlight was allowed into the rooms, in the belief that this would protect the home from evil.

When talking about the Atlas Festival 2026, it’s hard to describe it as simply a summer festival in Kyiv, as it’s a major city-wide event that transforms the capital into a cultural hub for several days. ThePublic has compiled detailed information on how this year’s Atlas Festival 2026 will unfold, how much tickets will cost and which artists will be taking part.

A reform of social assistance has come into force in Germany – the ‘Bürgergeld’ payment has been replaced by a new basic social assistance scheme. The law is being phased in from 1 July.

A deferment from mobilisation may be removed from the electronic military registration document if the official registers no longer confirm the legal grounds for granting it. Simply moving house or registering with a different military registration and enlistment office does not automatically result in the loss of the deferment.

The Ethics Council has received information from the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office regarding possible instructions given to the chair of the selection committee concerning two leading candidates for the post of director of NABU. One of them, according to information disclosed during the interview, was the bureau’s current head, Semen Kryvonos.

Ukraine has a property tax (the so-called ‘luxury tax’), the amount of which depends on the total floor area of the property. The tax authorities calculate the amount that owners must pay for excess square metres themselves. Here’s how the calculation system works in 2026, who is eligible for relief, and under what conditions an additional 25,000 hryvnias is added to the tax bill.

A single journey on a Kyiv minibus will cost up to 25 hryvnias. The Association of Transport Operators of Kyiv and the Kyiv Region has cited three factors that have contributed to the fare increase.

Pharmacies have been temporarily permitted not to carry out chemical analysis of every batch of medical cannabis products, provided that the product is merely repackaged without altering its dosage form. This simplified procedure will remain in place for one year; however, there are no plans to abolish controls entirely.

Short Telegram links to channels, profiles, groups and posts have stopped opening for users in various countries. The messenger’s mobile and desktop apps continue to work.

On Tuesday, 14 July, Orthodox Christians commemorate the Righteous Prince Oskold, the First Martyr of Kyiv, who was given the name Nicholas at his baptism. On this day, the Apostle Aquila, one of the Seventy, the martyr Justus of Rome, and the Venerable Onesimus of Magnesia are also commemorated.

In Poland, an unidentified man verbally abused some Ukrainian teenagers and aggressively demanded that they return to Ukraine.

Європейський Союз планує обмежити доступ до соцмереж дітям до 13 років. Їм дозволятимуть використовувати соцмережі впродовж обмеженого періоду, а також під наглядом дорослих.