The Kherson region is among the top three regions with a decline in the number of sole proprietorships

The Kherson region was among the top three regions in Ukraine where, based on the results of the first half of 2026, the number of sole proprietorships that closed exceeded the number of new ones. Over the course of six months, the region lost 293 sole proprietorships, while in most other regions of the country, entrepreneurship continues to grow.

This is according to data from the OpenDataBot analytical platform, which analyzed information from the Unified State Register.

In total, 141,472 new sole proprietorships have been registered in Ukraine since the beginning of the year, while 102,258 entrepreneurs have ceased operations. Thus, the net increase amounted to 39,214 new businesses.

At the same time, the number of new registrations remained virtually unchanged compared to the same period in 2025, while the number of closures decreased by 36%. Last year, nearly 160,000 sole proprietors ceased operations during the first six months.

Despite the positive nationwide trend, the Kherson region remained among the few regions where business continues to decline. The situation is worse only in Donetsk Oblast, where the number of sole proprietorships decreased by 569, and in Luhansk Oblast, which lost 93 entrepreneurs. In all other regions of Ukraine, more new sole proprietorships are opening than are closing.

Analysts attribute this situation primarily to the consequences of the war. The Kherson region remains one of the hardest-hit regions in the country due to constant Russian shelling, infrastructure destruction, the occupation of part of its territory, and difficult conditions for doing business.

The largest increase in the number of entrepreneurs this year was recorded in Kyiv (+5,058), Dnipropetrovsk (+4,284), Lviv (+4,254), Kyiv (+3,756), and Odesa (+2,955) regions.

The most active sectors for starting new businesses in Ukraine are education, retail trade, postal and courier services, real estate transactions, and wholesale trade. At the same time, the largest decline in the number of entrepreneurs is observed in the computer repair and equipment sector.

Earlier, the Kherson City Territorial Community approvedthe “Unbreakable Business” entrepreneurship support program for 2026–2028. The program’s goal is to preserve and restore businesses amid the war, create jobs, and support the economy of the frontline community.

Андрій Колісніченко