# Finance
The court has authorised a special investigation into the case concerning the embezzlement of funds from the ‘Finance and Credit’ bank
The Pecherskyi District Court of Kyiv has granted permission for a special pre-trial investigation into a suspect in the case concerning the embezzlement of funds from the ‘Finance and Credit’ bank. The sum in question is 113 million US dollars.
A large-scale operation to produce counterfeit euros has been foiled in Poland
Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) has uncovered a criminal gang suspected of producing and putting into circulation counterfeit banknotes worth around €360 million. Some of these were intended to be put into circulation in Ukraine.
The level of counterfeiting of hryvnia banknotes has fallen by a third in Ukraine
By the end of 2025, the level of counterfeiting of national currency banknotes had fallen by two-thirds compared with 2024. The most commonly seized counterfeit banknotes were those in denominations of 500 and 200 hryvnias.
Over the next five years, the number of billionaires worldwide could rise by 25% — The Guardian
By 2031, the number of billionaires worldwide could reach 3,915. The world’s wealthiest individuals are accumulating wealth at an accelerated pace thanks to technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence.
A US soldier has been accused of insider trading after winning $400,000 by betting on Maduro’s ousting
In the US, charges have been brought against a member of a special forces unit who made over $400,000 from betting on the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Why did the dollar rise at the start of 2026, and how did the National Bank respond?
In early 2026, the hryvnia hit new lows against the US dollar on several occasions. The exchange rate was affected by both domestic economic issues and external events, whilst the National Bank of Ukraine responded with interventions and a tight monetary policy.
Compensation for destroyed homes in the occupied territory – how to apply
Internally displaced persons from the temporarily occupied territories who hold the status of combatant or person with a war-related disability may, from 1 December 2025, apply for a housing voucher worth 2 million hryvnias via the ‘Diy’ platform. Here’s a guide to the procedure and the timeframe within which the funds can be used.
Moldovan billionaire Vladimir Plahotniuc has been sentenced to 19 years in prison
Vladimir Plahotniuc, the former leader of Moldova’s Democratic Party, has been found guilty of bank fraud, organising a criminal group and money laundering. A court in Chișinău has sentenced him to 19 years’ imprisonment.
Якими будуть прожитковий мінімум і зарплата з 1 травня 2026: з’явилися точні цифри
Monitoring police stations for violence: Deputy Police Chief Pavlichenko earns a monthly salary of $4,000
For the past two years, Kateryna Pavlichenko has been responsible within the Ministry of Internal Affairs for combating gender-based violence and promoting gender equality within law enforcement agencies. But the key question here is: has this work yielded any results, and why is she being paid such a huge sum for it?
EU ambassadors have approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and a 20th package of sanctions against Russia
European Union ambassadors, meeting at the Coreper level, have approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. Final approval is to be given via a written procedure.
Loans are growing by more than 30%: what the NBU’s statistics reveal
The National Bank reported that lending to businesses and households remained at a high level at the start of 2026.
