The level of extreme poverty in Ukraine has increased sevenfold over the past two years, according to an expert.

Despite the fact that salaries in Ukraine are increasing, the poverty level is also rising. Over the two years since the beginning of the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation, poverty in Ukraine has grown by 1.7 times, while extreme poverty, defined as the number of people on the brink of survival, has increased sevenfold, stated Dr. Lyudmila Cherenko, head of the population living standards research department at the Institute of Demography and Social Studies, during an interview on "Hromadske Radio."

The expert cited data from the macroeconomic and monetary review of the National Bank of Ukraine, which indicates a rise in salaries in real terms for 2024. In the third quarter of last year, nominal salaries increased by 22.3%, while real salaries rose by 14.2%. Additionally, starting from April 1, 2024, the minimum wage will increase from 7,100 UAH to 8,000 UAH.

At the same time, the minimum pension remains at 2,361 UAH, which is insufficient for elderly individuals who do not work and lack support from relatives, notes Cherenko.

According to her, from 2022 to 2023, the poverty level in Ukraine has risen by 1.7 times, which is not critical for a country in a state of war. However, the number of people on the edge of physiological survival has increased sevenfold: from 1.3% in 2021 to 8.8% in 2023.

"This means that the situation today is critical not only for those who are employed but also for those who receive no assistance from relatives and live on minimal social transfers," the scholar explains.

In an interview on December 12, Lyudmila Cherenko discussed which regions are experiencing the highest growth in poverty levels in Ukraine. Most notably, following the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation, poverty has surged in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions, while in the Transcarpathian and Chernivtsi regions, the figures have remained stable since 2021.

It is also worth noting that on December 8, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine announced changes to pension calculation rules for 2025. As a result, some pensioners may see their payments decrease significantly: this particularly affects individuals who received additional payments for working in law enforcement or other sectors.

According to the approved state budget, the minimum pension in Ukraine in 2025 will remain unchanged at 2,361 UAH for citizens without work experience. The next pension indexation is scheduled for March.