Disputes and debts

What can you do if a Ukrainian supplier took your payment and never delivered?

Published 29 October 2026 · facts checked against the primary sources on 2026-10-29 · Ukraine For ALL, Kyiv

Foreign buyers have the same remedies as Ukrainian ones. What decides the outcome is paper: the contract, the invoice, the payment confirmation and proof that the supplier was asked to perform.

What does the law give the buyer?

The general limitation period for a claim is three years (Civil Code, Art. 257). A claim for a contractual penalty (fine or penalty interest) has a one-year period (Art. 258(2)(1)). The wartime extension of limitation periods in the Code's final provisions was removed by Law No. 4434-IX of 14 May 2025, so check how its transitional rules apply to an older claim.

Step 1. Send a written demand

A demand letter fixes the date from which the seller is in delay and the 7-day term of Art. 530(2) runs where the contract has no deadline. Send it to the address in the Unified State Register and to the email named in the contract, and keep proof of delivery. Attach the payment confirmation and state which remedy you choose: delivery or refund.

Step 2. File a claim in a commercial court

Disputes arising from contracts in business activity go to the commercial (economic) courts (Commercial Procedure Code, Art. 20(1)(1)). Foreign persons have the same procedural rights as Ukrainian companies (Art. 365). A company takes part through its director or another officer authorised by law or its charter (Art. 56(3)), or through a representative: an advocate (Art. 58(1)), or in a small claim any adult with procedural capacity (Art. 58(2)). A pre-trial claim is required only where the parties agreed on one or a law requires it (Art. 19).

For a money debt under a written contract of up to 100 subsistence minimums, UAH 332,800 in 2026, the creditor may apply for a court order (судовий наказ) instead of a full claim (Art. 148). If the contract sends disputes to arbitration, including international commercial arbitration, the claim goes there (Art. 4(6)).

Court fees for a money claim filed in a commercial court in 2026 (Law No. 3674-VI "On court fee", Art. 4; subsistence minimum for working-age persons UAH 3,328 from 1 January 2026 under Law No. 4695-IX, Art. 7):

Step 3. Enforce the judgment

A judgment that has entered into force is enforced on the basis of an enforcement document: a court order (наказ) of the commercial court (Law No. 1404-VIII "On enforcement proceedings", Art. 3). The creditor chooses who enforces it:

The enforcement document must be presented within three years from the day after the judgment enters into force (Art. 12(1), (2)). During martial law the terms set by that Law are interrupted and start again from the day martial law ends (Section XIII, para. 10-2). The same paragraph suspends enforcement against defence-industry enterprises on the government's list and against military units, and prohibits enforcement on territories of active hostilities and occupied territories on the official list. A company whose accounts are frozen by an enforcement officer may still pay salaries of up to five minimum wages per employee, taxes and the social contribution.

Where people get stuck

• No proof of the demand. Without a dated demand, the seller argues that delivery was never requested.
• A contract without a delivery date. Then the 7-day term starts only from the demand (Art. 530(2)).
• Suing the wrong entity. The invoice, the contract and the bank account must belong to the same company, with its registry code (EDRPOU).
• Waiting too long. The three-year limitation period of Art. 257 runs again since Law No. 4434-IX, and penalties expire after one year (Art. 258).
• A debtor that is part-state-owned. A private enforcement officer cannot act where the state holds more than 25% (Law No. 1404-VIII, Art. 5(2)).

FAQ

Can I get the prepayment back instead of the goods?

Yes. The buyer chooses: the goods or the refund of the prepayment (Civil Code, Art. 693(2)).

Is interest charged on the prepayment?

Yes, from the day the goods were due until delivery or refund (Art. 693(3)). The contract can make it run from the day the supplier received the money.

Can I skip the full lawsuit for a small debt?

For a money debt under a written contract up to UAH 332,800 in 2026, the court can issue a court order (Commercial Procedure Code, Art. 148). The court fee for that application is UAH 332.80.

How much does it cost to sue in 2026?

The court fee for a property claim is 1.5% of the claim, at least UAH 3,328 and at most UAH 1,164,800, with a 0.8 coefficient for electronic filing (Law No. 3674-VI, Art. 4). Lawyers' fees come on top.

How long do I have to sue?

Three years under the general limitation period (Civil Code, Art. 257). A claim for a contractual penalty must be filed within one year (Art. 258(2)(1)).

How long can I wait before enforcing a judgment?

Three years from the day after it enters into force (Law No. 1404-VIII, Art. 12). During martial law that term is interrupted (Section XIII, para. 10-2).