Safety and Security

Crimea: U.S. citizens are urged to follow the guidance in the Travel Warning for Ukraine and defer all travel to the Crimean Peninsula. The Russian Federation is likely to take further actions in Crimea in 2015 consistent with their illegal occupation of this part of Ukraine. The international community, including the United States and Ukraine, does not recognize this purported annexation. The Russian Federation maintains an extensive military presence in Crimea and along the border of eastern Ukraine. In addition, there are continuing reports of abuses against the local population by de facto authorities in Crimea, particularly against those who are seen as challenging their authority on the peninsula. The Department of State is extremely limited in terms of the services and assistance that can be provided to U.S. citizens who enter or reside on the Crimean peninsula.

Eastern Ukraine: The Department of State also warns U.S. citizens to defer all travel to Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Russian-backed separatists continue to control areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. A ceasefire agreement signed by Ukrainian, Russian and separatist leaders established a de facto dividing line between Ukrainian government-controlled and separatist-held areas of Ukraine, but separatist forces continue to attack government-held territory and attempt to advance beyond the boundary established by the ceasefire agreement. U.S. citizens have been specifically targeted by gunmen representing the self-proclaimed authorities and threatened, detained or kidnapped for hours or days. The Government of Ukraine has been unable to provide some government services in many parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Shortages of water, power and food supplies have also been reported in separatist-controlled territory, and widespread disorder and looting has been confirmed in these areas.

U.S. citizens should exercise caution in the regions of Odesa, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Small-scale bombings and terrorism incidents are becoming more frequent throughout these regions, especially Kharkiv and Odessa. While most attacks are at night and appear intended to cause property damage and incite fear, some recent attacks were fatal, targeting populated areas during daylight hours. Travelers in the cities of Odesa and Kharkiv should exercise extreme vigilance in public places, especially after dark.

During the past year, large-scale protests have occurred in many cities throughout Ukraine. U.S. citizens in Ukraine should avoid large gatherings or protests and adjacent areas. While mostly peaceful, some of these protests have turned violent and resulted in deaths and injuries. Even demonstrations that are meant to be peaceful can become violent and unpredictable. Be alert and aware of your surroundings and pay attention to what the local news media report. If the U.S. Embassy obtains information about a planned protest ahead of time, an announcement will be posted on the U.S. Embassy website. Stay up to date by:

• Bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs website, which contains the current Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts as well as the Worldwide Caution.
• Following us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Facebook page as well.
• Calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free within the U.S. and Canada, or a regular toll line, 1-202-501-4444, from other countries.
• Taking some time before travel to consider your personal security – here are some useful tips for traveling safely abroad.

CRIME: Street crime remains a problem in Ukraine. The country continues to undergo significant economic, political, and social transformation, and income differences have grown accordingly. As a result, you and other foreign visitors may be perceived as wealthy and become easy targets for criminals. The police are poorly paid, trained, and equipped, and historically were considered to be one of the most corrupt organizations in Ukraine, frequently soliciting bribes. Although reforms are underway, they will take time. Ukrainian police and emergency services remain below Western European and U.S. standards in terms of training, responsiveness, and effectiveness. Ukrainian law enforcement and emergency officials rarely speak English and interpreters are not readily available.

U.S. citizens are advised that the U.S. Embassy has received a marked increase in reports concerning burglaries, robberies and pickpocketing throughout Ukraine over the past few months. Most street crimes reported to the U.S. Embassy are non-violent and non-confrontational, and range from home invasions to simple pick-pocketing, purse-snatching, and theft of personal items from parked cars. Many of these crimes occur in downtown Kyiv or on the public transport system, including the metro. Muggings, attacks, armed robberies, harassment, or the drugging of unsuspecting victims at nightspots and bars (who are then robbed and/or assaulted) have been reported. Cases of assaults in apartment building corridors, elevators, and stairwells, as well as armed break-ins and crimes involving firearms have also been reported, but are rare. Victims frequently report that violent assaults involve the use of bottles or clubs.

Citizens should always be aware of pickpockets. If a group of people, including children, surrounds you and starts to engage you in conversation, immediately get control of your valuables. Ignore all attempts at conversation, push through the group, and leave the area immediately. When riding on public transportation or moving in crowded areas, keep your purse, bag, or backpack tightly under your arm and/or in front of your body. Ensure all bags are securely zipped. Do not carry wallets or mobile phones in back pockets. Do not carry large sums of cash or all of your credit/banking cards at once. The Embassy regularly receives reports of pickpocketing on the metro.

Most crime reported against U.S. citizens took place during the late evening/night and early morning hours. Take a taxi during late evening/early morning hours. Drink responsibly and remain in control of your faculties. Do not accept drinks from strangers and once you receive your drink, keep it with you. Travel in well-lit areas and on major streets. If at any time you feel you are in danger, get to the nearest populated safe area (hotel, restaurant) or uniformed law enforcement.

A commonly reported scam in Kyiv is the “wallet scam,” which involves a person dropping a wallet or a packet of money near you. After you pick up the wallet/packet and attempt to give it back to the individual who dropped it, the scam artist claims that the wallet is missing money and accuses you of stealing it. The individual either threatens to call the police if you don’t pay or asks you to show your wallet to prove that you did not take any money. When you show your wallet, the thief grabs your money and flees. A very common variant involves a second person who intercedes and claims to be a police officer, often flashing a badge. The second person also asks to see your wallet, grabbing the money and fleeing or, through sleight of hand, stealing your money. Many variants exist: two wallets, three or more thieves, etc. All variants involve the victim picking up something and returning it to the person who dropped it.

U.S. citizens have reported being robbed by people posing as police officers. Police officers in Ukraine, including plain clothes officers, routinely stop people on the street to check identity documents and U.S. citizens are required to carry their passports and produce them on request. If you have doubts about the legitimacy of a police officer, however, you can ask to see their photo ID.

Burglaries of apartments and vehicles represent a common threat to long-term residents. Although few cars are actually stolen, primarily because of increased use of alarm systems and security wheel locks, vehicular break-ins and vehicular vandalism are frequent.

While most travelers do not encounter problems with crime in Ukraine, there have been hate crimes directed at ethnic and religious minorities, and members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities (please see more on LGBT issues under Special Circumstances section). In Kyiv, these incidents have occurred without provocation in prominent downtown areas commonly frequented by tourists. The majority of people targeted have been of Asian, African, or other non-European descent. Racial minorities may also be subject to various types of harassment, such as being stopped on the street by both civilians and law enforcement officials. Individuals belonging to religious minorities have been harassed and assaulted in Kyiv and throughout Ukraine. Although senior government of Ukraine officials have publicly deplored these hate crimes and groups behind them, Ukrainian street-level law enforcement officials are either unwilling or are unable to deter hate crimes effectively. The Government of Ukraine has established special law enforcement units to prevent and investigate hate crimes; despite these efforts, problems with this type of crime continue to exist.

Ukrainian law differs with regard to sexual assault and rape, and Ukrainian law enforcement officers generally treat such cases with less seriousness and professionalism than their U.S. counterparts. If you become a victim of rape or sexual assault, you should expect little assistance from Ukrainian law enforcement. We recommend you contact the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to help find medical care, and to help you understand the local criminal justice process.

Internet Scams: Internet crime is a serious problem in Ukraine. The U.S. Embassy frequently hears from people who have had large amounts of money stolen by Internet contacts they thought were their friends, loved ones, or romantic interests. These Internet scams include lotteries, on-line dating or introduction services, and even requests from a “friend” in trouble. In many cases, scammers troll the Internet for victims and spend weeks or months building a relationship and credibility. Once they have gained their victim’s trust, they create a false situation and ask for money. Once money has been sent, there is almost no chance it will be recovered.

In many other cases, U.S. citizens are scammed into sending money to a person or agency in Ukraine with the understanding that either a young woman will visit the United States, or the U.S. citizen will visit her in Ukraine. Often, these scams lead to requests for increasing amounts of money for various purposes, including requests to assist with faked emergency situations (such as unexpected ticket or visa fees, serious illness, or family members in trouble). Once the U.S. citizen becomes suspicious, the individual or agency will cut off contact. Many of these scams have existed for many years using a variety of different identities, agency names, and addresses. In addition, some U.S. citizens visiting their “friend” or “fiancée” in Ukraine have been extorted out of thousands of dollars, and in some cases have been seriously assaulted. Numerous U.S. citizens have also lost money to agencies and individuals who claimed to be able to arrange a student or fiancé visa to the United States. We urge you to read the document entitled “Marriage Brokers” on our website, as well as the State Department’s information sheet on internet dating scams for additional information.

Another scam involves scammers hacking a social media account and sending fake messages to friends and relatives stating they are in trouble and need money immediately. Do not send any money if you receive such a message. Contact the U.S. Embassy immediately if you suspect a U.S. citizen is in distress in Ukraine. 

Credit Card Fraud: Credit card and ATM fraud are wide-spread. Ukraine generally operates as a cash economy, and money scams are common. Although credit card and ATM use among Ukrainians is increasing, the U.S. Embassy strongly recommends that you exercise caution and use credit cards only at reputable businesses. You should avoid using ATMs on the street or in public places whenever possible. Machines located inside bank branches are generally safer. 

Crime Against Business: The U.S. Embassy has received reports of harassment and intimidation directed against foreign business persons and interests. Reported incidents include:

• Physical threats (possibly motivated by rival commercial interests tied to organized crime).
• Local government entities engaging in such practices as arbitrary termination or amendment of business licenses, or dilution of corporate stock to diminish U.S. investor interest.
• Delays of payment or delivery of goods.
• Arbitrary “inspections” by tax, safety, or other officials that appear designed to harm the business. U.S. business entities are encouraged to read the most recent Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) Annual Crime and Safety Report for Ukraine.

Do not wire money to Ukraine unless the recipient is well-known to you and the purpose of business is clear. United States citizens have reported transferring money to Ukraine to pay for goods purchased from residents of Ukraine via online auction sites, but never receiving the goods in return.

Don’t buy counterfeit or pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you are the victim of a crime in Ukraine, you should contact the local police and the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv. We can:

• Replace a stolen passport.
• Help you find appropriate medical care following violent crimes such as assault or rape.
• Put you in contact with the appropriate police authorities and, if you want us to, contact family members or friends.
• Help you understand the local criminal justice process and direct you to local attorneys, although the local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crime.

In case of emergency in Ukraine, call the following emergency numbers:

• Fire – 101
• Police – 102
• Ambulance – 103

Operators generally do not speak English. As noted previously, Ukrainian police and emergency services are still generally below Western European and U.S. standards in terms of training, responsiveness, and effectiveness. U.S. citizens have reported waiting up to several hours for Ukrainian police and ambulance services to respond to calls for emergency assistance, especially in rural areas. Ukrainian law enforcement provides no adequate level of deterrence to street crime, and is not able to investigate criminal incidents to any minimal level expected in Western countries. Visitors to Ukraine should note that Ukrainian law enforcement and emergency response officials generally do not speak English, and translators are generally not readily available.

Please see our information on victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.