#112 safest of 195Europe

Ukraine Crime Rate & Safety

Homicide statistics, crime trends, and travel safety for Ukraine

4of 4

US State Department Travel Advisory

Do Not Travel

Updated November 14, 2024

Ukraine recorded 3.8 intentional homicides per 100,000 people in 2021, a rate that is moderate by global standards. That places Ukraine #84 of 195 countries by homicide rate, compared with the Europe average of 1.6 per 100,000 and a world average of 5.2. Homicide rates have fallen 25% over the past decade (from 5.1 in 2012). For travelers, the US State Department currently rates Ukraine at Level 4 of 4: Do Not Travel.

Homicide Rate

3.8 /100k

📊

Safety Rank

#112 of 195

🛡️

Travel Advisory

Level 4 of 4

✈️

Data Year

2021

📅

Homicide Rate Trend (1990-2021)

Intentional homicides per 100,000 people. Homicide rates have fallen 25% over the past decade (from 5.1 in 2012). Source: UNODC via World Bank.

Ukraine homicide rateWorld average

How Ukraine Compares

Ukraine3.8

Europe average1.6

World average5.2

Intentional homicides per 100,000 people, latest available year per country.

Who Is Affected

In Ukraine, the homicide rate for men is 5.7× higher than the rate for women — 10.8 vs 1.9 per 100,000 (2017).

Male victims10.8

Female victims1.9

Homicide victims per 100,000 of each sex. Source: UNODC via World Bank.

Armed Conflict Context

Ukraine has recorded battle-related deaths in recent years. Conflict deaths are counted separately from homicides — a country can have a moderate crime rate but significant conflict risk, and travel advisories weigh both.

Battle-Related Deaths

68,097(2024)

Military Spending

34.5% GDP(2024)

Safety for Travelers

Summary of the current US State Department advisory for Ukraine:

Reissued with updates after periodic review. Do not travel to Ukraine due to Russia's war against Ukraine. The Department of State continues to advise U.S. citizens to not travel to frontline regions of Ukraine and areas along Ukraine's border with Belarus due to presence of Russian and Belarusian military and security forces on the Belarusian side of the border, proximity to active ground combat, frequent shelling, missile and drone attacks on populated areas and civilian infrastructure, and limitations on the Embassy's ability to provide assistance to U.S. citizens in those areas.

Level 1

Exercise Normal Precautions

Level 2

Exercise Increased Caution

Level 3

Reconsider Travel

Level 4

Do Not Travel

Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov →

Safety Guidance for Ukraine

Practical safety information for visitors, from US State Department country information (last updated January 21, 2025).

Terrorism Activity

Credible information indicates that terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Europe. European governments are taking action to guard against terrorist attacks; however, all European countries remain potentially vulnerable to attacks from transnational terrorist organizations. Small-scale bombings continue to occur throughout Ukraine. While most attacks are at night and appear intended to cause property damage and incite fear, multiple attacks within the past year have been fatal, sometimes occurring in populated areas during daylight hours.

Please read the

Travel Advisory for Ukraine before traveling. While in Ukraine, you should carry travel documents with you at all times.

Potential for civil disturbances

Large-scale protests have occurred from time to time in cities throughout Ukraine. You should avoid large gatherings or protests and adjacent areas. In the past, some protests have turned violent and resulted in deaths and injuries. Be alert and aware of your surroundings and pay attention to local news media. The Embassy will post information about sizeable planned protests on the Embassy website .

Crimea

There is extensive Russian Federation military presence in Crimea as part of Russia’s occupation and attempted annexation of this part of Ukraine, which the international community, including the United States and Ukraine, does not recognize. There are continuing abuses against and arbitrary imprisonment of foreigners and the local population by the occupation authorities in Crimea, particularly abuses against individuals who are seen as challenging Russian authority on the peninsula. The U.S. government prohibits employees from traveling to Crimea and is unable to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens there.

Eastern Ukraine

: U.S. citizens should not travel to the eastern parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts due to ongoing armed conflict. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in this area. U.S. citizens have been specifically targeted by gunmen representing the self-proclaimed authorities and threatened, detained, or kidnapped for hours or days. Shortages of water, power, medicine, and food supplies have also been reported in Russian-proxy-controlled territory, and widespread disorder and looting has been confirmed in these areas.

Crime

Criminals may target tourists due to perceived wealth. A new professional and well-trained police force (Patrol Police) has been implemented, but police corruption remains an issue. Criminal activity, including burglaries, robberies, muggings, and pickpocketing is increasingly a problem in Ukraine. Law enforcement and emergency officials rarely speak English, and interpreters are not readily available. Muggings, attacks, armed robberies, harassment, or the drugging at nightspots of unsuspecting victims (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. Recently, there has been an increase in reports of criminals luring unsuspecting visitors to Ukraine with promises of cheap lodging and/or companionship.

Victims of Crime

U.S. citizen victim of sexual assault should report crimes to the local police at 102 and contact the U.S. Embassy at +38 (044) 521-5000 after hours. Local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes. See our webpage on help for U.S. victims of crime overseas . We can: provide you with information about medical facilities provide information about reporting a crime to the police contact relatives or friends with your written consent explain the local criminal justice process in general terms provide a list of local attorneys provide information on victim’s compensation programs in the U.S. provide an emergency loan for repatriation to the United States and/or limited medical support in cases of destitution (subject to approval) help you find temporary accommodation and arrange flights home in cases of destitution replace a stolen or lost passport

Domestic Violence

U.S. citizen victims of domestic violence may contact the Embassy for assistance. The Embassy will be able to assist with contacting police and provide you with a list of local shelters.

Tourism

The tourism industry is unevenly regulated, and safety inspections for equipment and facilities do not occur everywhere. Hazardous areas/activities are not always identified with appropriate signage, and staff may not be trained or certified either by the host government or by recognized authorities in the field. In the event of an injury, appropriate medical treatment is typically available only in/near major cities. First responders are generally able to access areas outside of major cities and to provide necessary medical treatment, but it may take time for them to arrive. Local law requires foreigners to have medical insurance when traveling to Ukraine. U.S. citizens are encouraged to consider purchasing additional medical evacuation insurance when arranging their medical insurance for traveling to Ukraine.

About This Data

Homicide figures are intentional homicides per 100,000 people, compiled by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and published by the World Bank (indicator VC.IHR.PSRC.P5). Homicide is the most reliably comparable crime statistic across countries because definitions of other offences (assault, theft, robbery) vary widely between national legal systems and reporting practices.

Travel advisory levels are issued by the US Department of State and updated continuously. They reflect risks to travelers including crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health, and natural disasters — not only crime rates. Countries report crime data with different lags; the most recent available year is shown for each metric.