Business Relocation in Ukraine 2025: How the Map of Entrepreneurship Is Changing and Why Kyiv Remains Key
Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, business relocation has become not just an economic phenomenon but a new reality for entrepreneurs. During the first eight months of 2025, Ukrainian businesses relocated 8,345 times across the country. Nearly 8,000 companies changed locations some just once, others multiple times, adapting to war conditions, market shifts, and constant changes. This dynamic has become the norm: “The number of relocations has stabilized and is even 10% lower than before the full-scale war began.”
These figures are confirmed by analysts and official statistics the number of relocations remains almost the same as last year. Some businesses have moved more than once, making relocation part of their survival strategy.
Kyiv remains both the most popular region from which businesses are leaving and the main destination for those seeking new opportunities. According to Opendatabot:
- 657 more companies left the capital than arrived,
- In total, 2,909 companies left Kyiv in the first eight months of 2025, making up 36% of all relocated businesses,
- Kyiv received 2,252 companies.
The balance is simple: Kyiv is the center of business gravity, but at the same time, it’s a city from which businesses are forced to leave due to risks or oversaturation. “Most businesses relocate to and from Kyiv,” analysts emphasize.
Main Routes: Where Are Businesses Coming From and Going To
The most popular relocation routes are:
- From Kyiv to Kyiv region (494 companies),
- To Dnipropetrovsk region (379),
- In the opposite direction: from Kyiv region to Kyiv (378),
- From Kyiv to Kharkiv region (358),
- From Dnipropetrovsk region to the capital (336).
Analysts note that in 2025, more businesses moved to Kharkiv region than left it: +374 companies. A similar trend can be seen in Zaporizhzhia (+276), Lviv (+161), Zakarpattia (+83), and Kyiv (+77) regions.
Meanwhile, in the capital, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Volyn, and Poltava regions, there is a negative balance: “More left than arrived.” For Kyiv, it’s -657 companies; Dnipropetrovsk, -102; Donetsk, -97; Volyn, -83; Poltava, -62.
By Sector: Who Is Relocating the Most
Relocation isn’t just about geography it’s also about sectors. “Most often, companies working in trade relocate: in fact, every third business that moved across the country is from this sector.” Next are construction (6%), agriculture (5%), and real estate (5%).
This distribution is logical: trade and construction are most sensitive to market and security changes, while agriculture and real estate depend on stable infrastructure.
Analysts provide concrete cases:
- “Operkom” (revenue UAH 1.4 billion) a restaurant and hotel business, moved from Kyiv to Zaporizhzhia region and is now in the process of bankruptcy.
- Medical laboratory “Eskulab” (UAH 942.4 million in revenue) returned to Lviv region after a short stay in Kyiv.
- Insurance company “Asko DS” (UAH 83.9 million in revenue) relocated from Donetsk to Kyiv in August.
These examples illustrate both general trends and the unique stories of each company. Relocation is often a forced decision due to risks or the search for a new market.
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Causes and Consequences: Why This Is Happening
The relocation of Ukrainian businesses is driven by several reasons:
- Security. Most companies relocate from regions that are on the front line or under threat of shelling.
- Infrastructure changes. Some businesses migrate to cities with better logistics and workforce.
- Government support programs. Ukraine operates a business relocation program that allows companies to move with state support: “Companies located near the front line or in occupied areas can take advantage of it.”
- Development opportunities. Sometimes relocation is an attempt to find a new market or investment opportunities.
The government offers a support package: help in finding a new location, organizing transportation, housing employees, logistics, purchasing raw materials, and finding new markets. Any company can join the program by applying and passing the selection process.
Relocation is carried out either independently or with the support of state operators (“Ukrzaliznytsia,” “Ukrposhta”) or private carriers.
Why Stabilization of Relocations Is Logical
According to analysts, “the number of relocations has stabilized and is even 10% lower than before the full-scale war began.” After the initial shock and a wave of mass relocations, businesses began to adapt to the new reality.
This shows that:
- Some companies have already adapted and no longer need to move,
- The market has become more predictable,
- Entrepreneurs understand risks and opportunities better.
In 2024, 11,083 companies changed their legal address. In 2025, the pace of relocations remains high but without panic spikes.
What Does Relocation Mean for the Economy
Relocation is not just a challenge but also a chance for regional development, business restarts, and job preservation. However, it also means losses for certain cities Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Volyn, and Poltava remain the leaders in “outflow.”
Every relocated company is a story of survival, flexibility, and searching for new growth points.
Business relocation in Ukraine in 2025 is no longer a shock reaction to threats, but rather the result of a deliberate strategy.
Businesses move in search of safety, support, a stable market, and development. The government provides tools, but the final decision is up to entrepreneurs. The stabilization in relocation rates indicates market maturity and gradual adaptation to new conditions. The fight for every job and every company continues and every move reflects not just the map of the country, but also the mindset and resilience of Ukrainian business.
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