Fuel cashback: Ukrainians have started receiving their first payments

The global oil market is in turmoil due to the situation in the Middle East, leading to a sharp rise in fuel prices at Ukrainian petrol stations. To protect motorists from price shocks, the government is continuing to operate a partial compensation scheme. Find out how the fuel cashback scheme works and how much you can save

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The government has extended the fuel cashback scheme until 31 May, but has amended the terms of payment. However, new limits come into effect from 1 May: the maximum cashback amount is now 500 UAH per month (previously 1,000 UAH).

Ukrainians Have Begun Receiving March Payments Under the “National Cashback” Program

Starting May 7, Ukrainians began receiving payments under the “National Cashback” program for March 2026. The funds will be deposited onto special cards for nearly 4.8 million program participants. This was reported by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine.

The program continues to operate as usual and covers an increasing number of categories of Ukrainian-made goods and services.

New cashback calculation model launched

The March payment was the first under the updated differentiated cashback model. It provides for two levels of compensation depending on the product category.

An increased cashback rate of 15% is applied to Ukrainian goods in categories with a high share of imports. Specifically, these include:

– cosmetics and hygiene products;

– household chemicals;

– home goods, repair, and construction supplies;

– pet supplies;

– office supplies;

– clothing and footwear;

– certain types of cheese, pasta, and grains.

Which products qualify for 5% cashback

A 5% cashback rate applies to product categories that already have a strong presence in the Ukrainian market.

These include:

– food products;

– pharmacy products;

– gardening and farming supplies.

The government notes that the program will continue to operate as usual, and the list of partners and product categories will gradually expand.

Cashback on fuel: how it will work

The programme provides for a partial refund when purchasing fuel at petrol stations that join the initiative. The compensation will be calculated using the National Cashback system, which is already familiar to many and is currently used by about 9.4 million citizens.

The preliminary refund rates are as follows:

15% of the cost of diesel fuel;

10% of the cost of petrol;

5% of the cost of autogas.

An important detail: the programme will be temporary. According to the prime minister, the compensation mechanism will be in effect until 1 May. The main goal of the initiative is to quickly reduce the financial burden on consumers during a period of price fluctuations.

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Which petrol stations are participating in the cashback scheme?

According to media reports, the scheme will involve petrol station chains registered with ‘National Cashback’:

▪️ “Ukrnafta”,

▪️ OKKO,

▪️ WOG,

▪️ Amik Energy,

▪️ BVS, KLO,

▪️ Motto,

▪️ Chippo,

▪️ VostokGaz,

▪️ Avtotrans,

▪️ Mango,

▪️ Parallel,

▪️ Rodnik,

▪️ BRSM-Nafta.

How is fuel cashback calculated and where can it be spent?

Ukrainians who already use ‘National Cashback’ will receive compensation automatically when paying by card. To join, you need to open a card with a partner bank and select it for payments and disbursements in ‘Diia’.

“This is an additional support measure in response to rising fuel prices, which allows us to help people quickly through a mechanism that is already in place,” explained Svyrydenko.

The use of the ‘fuel’ cashback will be subject to the same rules as the main programme. The funds received for fuel can be spent on the same range of goods as the national cashback:

▪️ payment of utility bills;

▪️ payments at restaurants and shops;

▪️ purchase of tickets for transport;

▪️ medical services;

▪️ donations to the Armed Forces of Ukraine or the purchase of military bonds.

Oil prices are rising: why prices are increasing and what to expect next

The main catalyst for the price increase at Ukrainian petrol stations was the escalation in the Middle East. Global oil prices have skyrocketed due to the threat of supply disruptions. Since Ukraine is almost entirely dependent on imports of petroleum products, global trends are instantly reflected in domestic prices — new batches of fuel are already being purchased at higher prices.

Fuel market experts predict that the crisis will hit diesel the hardest. This is because Europe itself is experiencing a shortage of this type of fuel and is actively importing it, including from the Middle East.

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