Kyiv - Industrial and commercial centre of Ukraine

Kyiv is the economic, political and administrative centre of Ukraine. The city has a distinctive service, industrial and technology structure and fulfils central functions in the areas of administration, transport, research and innovation. As the largest university centre in the country, a logistics hub and home to numerous leading companies, Kyiv remains an important economic area - despite the considerable strain caused by the Russian war of aggression.

• Name: Kyiv
• Area: 839 square kilometers (0.14 percent of Ukraine)
• Population: around 3 million (as of 2022)
• Education: 49 universities, around 253,800 students, more than 1,600 educational institutions in Kyiv Oblast
• Infrastructure: Important transport and administrative hub; railway lines, trunk roads, airports; around 1.32 million square metres of logistics space; 2,545 logistics companies in the city (market share 7.54 percent) and 3,319 in the oblast (market share 9.83 percent)
• Industry: IT, food, mechanical engineering, metal processing, plastics, pharmaceutical and chemical industries

Kyiv has a broad economic base and is considered one of the most attractive locations for investment in Ukraine. The city benefits from:

• a large number of well-trained specialists
• active co-operation between companies, authorities and international partners
• a high density of technology, industrial and service companies
• a strong position in national rankings for innovation, economic performance and location attractiveness

Kyiv is home to a vibrant start-up scene, is developing rapidly in the field of defence and drone technology and benefits from its proximity to EU markets and international trade corridors.

Kyiv offers potential for investment in numerous sectors, particularly through reconstruction, modernisation and economic reorientation:

• Transport and mobility: extensive need for renewal in urban transport and in the integration of various transport systems
• Infrastructure: reconstruction and expansion of transport routes, stronger integration into EU networks
• IT and communication: Kyiv as a tech hub; growth of the drone and defence industry; significant role of AI, cyber security and nanotechnology
• Construction and building materials: high demand due to reconstruction and return movements
• Healthcare: Investment in private hospitals, care facilities and infrastructure for veterans
• Defence: fast-growing sector; establishment of international companies and development of new technologies
• Energy: potential in the areas of photovoltaics, solar energy and smart city technologies

Numerous start-ups and a lower number of company closures in Kyiv Oblast in 2024 indicate a stable economic trend:

In addition, the latest Opendatabot Index shows that 61 per cent of Ukraine's economically strongest and most renowned companies are based in Kyiv - including leading energy companies such as D.Trading, Energoatom, Naftogaz and Ukrnafta as well as financial service providers such as PrivatBank.