Victoria Drapaylo, attorney at the Inspector Prava channel, breaks down what Law No. 14005 actually changes — and why media headlines are overstating the threat
On 7 April 2026, the Verkhovna Rada passed amendments to Ukraine’s Law on Enforcement Proceedings. Media outlets quickly ran headlines claiming that property could now be seized even for minor debts. A detailed legal analysis tells a different story.
Key changes
- Higher protection threshold for primary residence: Previously, a debtor’s sole dwelling could not be seized if the debt was below 20 minimum wages. The new law raises this threshold to 50 minimum wages — approximately UAH 432,350 (based on the minimum wage of UAH 8,647 effective 1 January 2026).
- Important exceptions to residential protection: The protection does not apply if the property is pledged as mortgage collateral, or if the debt arises from a criminal offence, bodily injury, or wrongful death. Active-duty military personnel enjoy full protection of their primary residence for the entire duration of martial law plus one year after it is lifted — regardless of the debt amount or its legal basis.
- Vehicles and the debtor registry: Amendments to the Road Traffic Law require the Ministry of Internal Affairs to check vehicle owners against the unified debtor registry for any registration action. A debtor will be unable to sell, gift, or deregister their vehicle until the debt is resolved.
- Automatic lifting of account freezes for small debts: If a debt does not exceed 10 minimum wages (~UAH 86,470) and has been paid in full, the freeze on bank accounts will be lifted automatically by the enforcement system — without waiting for a separate court order from the enforcement officer.
“Nothing has changed globally or radically. Nothing alarming has happened. Some measures have actually improved — especially for military personnel.”, —
Victoria Drapaylo, attorney, Inspector Prava channel
As of the publication date, the law has not yet been signed by the President. Even after signing, the automated system for lifting account freezes may operate in manual mode during a transitional period.