Public Holidays in Ukraine 2026 – National & Orthodox Holidays
Ukraine’s 2026 holiday calendar includes national commemorative holidays and religious holidays established by Article 73 of the Labour Code of Ukraine. An important legal qualification applies in 2026: while the statutory holiday dates remain part of Ukraine’s official holiday framework, Article 73 does not apply while martial law is in force. As a result, an official holiday date does not necessarily create an additional statutory non-working day during a period covered by martial law.
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| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | Thursday | Defenders of Ukraine Day | Officially Scheduled* |
Public Holidays in Ukraine 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year's Day | Officially Scheduled* |
| March 8, 2026 | Sunday | International Women's Day | Officially Scheduled* |
| April 12, 2026 | Sunday | Easter | Officially Scheduled* |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | Labour Day | Officially Scheduled* |
| May 8, 2026 | Friday | Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in the Second World War 1939–1945 | Officially Scheduled* |
| May 31, 2026 | Sunday | Trinity | Officially Scheduled* |
| June 28, 2026 | Sunday | Constitution Day of Ukraine | Officially Scheduled* |
| July 15, 2026 | Wednesday | Ukrainian Statehood Day | Officially Scheduled* |
| August 24, 2026 | Monday | Independence Day of Ukraine | Officially Scheduled* |
| October 1, 2026 | Thursday | Defenders of Ukraine Day | Officially Scheduled* |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Officially Scheduled* |
How Public Holidays Work in Ukraine in 2026
Article 73 of the Labour Code of Ukraine establishes Ukraine’s principal statutory holiday dates. These include New Year’s Day, International Women’s Day, Labour Day, the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in the Second World War 1939–1945, Constitution Day, Ukrainian Statehood Day, Independence Day, Defenders of Ukraine Day and Christmas Day.
Article 73 also recognizes Easter and Trinity as religious non-working holidays. Unlike Ukraine’s fixed-date holidays, their calendar dates change from year to year. The Verkhovna Rada’s official holidays calendar for 2026 places Easter on 12 April 2026 and Trinity on 31 May 2026.
Do Public Holidays Automatically Mean a Day Off in Ukraine in 2026?
No, not while the martial-law exception applies. The Labour Code expressly states that Article 73 is not applied during martial law. Therefore, the dates listed as statutory holidays should not automatically be interpreted as additional legally guaranteed non-working days for employees during a period when martial law remains in force.
This distinction is especially important when using a Ukraine holiday calendar for work scheduling. A date can remain an officially recognized Ukrainian holiday while the normal Labour Code rule creating a holiday or non-working day is temporarily suspended.
Martial Law and Ukraine’s 2026 Holiday Rules
Ukraine’s martial-law regime has been extended several times during 2026. The current official legislation extends martial law from 05:30 on 2 August 2026 for 90 days under Presidential Decree No. 596/2026, approved by the Verkhovna Rada through Law No. 4928-IX.
That confirmed period covers Independence Day on 24 August 2026 and Defenders of Ukraine Day on 1 October 2026. Because Article 73 is suspended during martial law, those dates do not automatically create additional statutory days off under the ordinary holiday provisions.
The position for Christmas Day on 25 December 2026 depends on whether martial law is extended again beyond the currently confirmed period. It should not be assumed in advance that the same exception will still apply on that date unless a later official extension is issued.
What Happens When a Ukrainian Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend?
Under the ordinary Labour Code framework, when a holiday or non-working day covered by Article 73 coincides with a weekly day off, the corresponding day off would normally move to the following day.
However, the Labour Code also states that this automatic weekend-transfer rule does not apply during martial law. Therefore, a Sunday holiday in 2026 should not automatically be treated as creating a Monday substitute holiday while the martial-law exception is in force.
Religious Holidays in Ukraine in 2026
Easter
Easter is one of the religious non-working holidays named in Article 73 of the Labour Code. The Verkhovna Rada’s official 2026 calendar records Easter on Sunday, 12 April 2026. The date is therefore supported by an official Ukrainian parliamentary source rather than being calculated from an external religious calendar.
Trinity
Trinity is also recognized by Article 73. The Verkhovna Rada’s official 2026 calendar records Trinity on Sunday, 31 May 2026.
Christmas Day
Christmas Day is recognized on 25 December under the current Labour Code. The former 7 January Christmas holiday is no longer included in the current list of Article 73 holiday dates.
National and State Holidays in Ukraine
Several of Ukraine’s principal statutory holidays commemorate the country’s statehood, constitutional order and national defence. Constitution Day of Ukraine is observed on 28 June, Ukrainian Statehood Day on 15 July, Independence Day of Ukraine on 24 August and Defenders of Ukraine Day on 1 October.
Ukrainian Statehood Day is now observed on 15 July. Older holiday calendars may show a different date, so current legislation should be used when checking the 2026 schedule.
Are All Official Commemorative Days Public Holidays?
No. Ukraine’s official calendar contains many professional, memorial, military and commemorative observances that are not part of the nationwide statutory holiday list in Article 73. Their appearance on an official calendar does not by itself make them nationwide public holidays or statutory days off.
For this reason, the VisaBoards public holiday schedule focuses on the dates established under Ukraine’s principal statutory holiday framework rather than adding every national observance shown in the official parliamentary calendar.
Are Banks and Businesses Closed on Public Holidays in Ukraine?
An official holiday date should not be treated as proof that every bank, shop, office or private business will close in 2026. During martial law, the ordinary Article 73 non-working-day provisions are suspended, and operating arrangements can depend on the employer, institution, sector and applicable wartime rules.
Anyone who needs to visit a particular bank, government office or business should check that organization’s operating schedule directly rather than relying only on the holiday date.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the next public holiday in Ukraine?
The next holiday changes throughout the year. Check the Next Public Holiday section above for the current VisaBoards database-generated result.
How many statutory holiday dates are listed for Ukraine in 2026?
The VisaBoards dataset contains 11 nationwide statutory holiday dates for 2026. This includes nine fixed-date holiday entries plus Easter and Trinity. The total describes official holiday dates and should not be interpreted as 11 guaranteed additional days off while the martial-law exception applies.
Is Easter a public holiday in Ukraine?
Yes. Easter is included among the religious non-working holidays in Article 73 of the Labour Code. The official Verkhovna Rada calendar places Easter on 12 April in 2026.
When is Trinity in Ukraine in 2026?
Trinity falls on 31 May 2026 according to the Verkhovna Rada’s official holiday calendar.
Is Independence Day a day off in Ukraine in 2026?
Independence Day remains an official statutory holiday on 24 August. However, the ordinary Article 73 rules do not apply during martial law, and the currently confirmed martial-law period includes 24 August 2026. It therefore does not automatically create an additional statutory non-working day under Article 73 during that period.
Does Ukraine give a substitute day when a holiday falls on Sunday?
Ukraine’s ordinary Labour Code framework provides for the transfer of a day off when an Article 73 holiday coincides with a weekly day off. That automatic rule is suspended during martial law, so a substitute Monday should not be assumed while martial law remains in effect.
Is Christmas celebrated as a public holiday on 25 December?
Yes. The current Labour Code lists Christmas Day on 25 December. The former statutory Christmas holiday on 7 January has been removed from Article 73.
Does martial law remove Ukraine’s holiday dates?
No. The holiday dates remain established in Ukraine’s Labour Code and official calendar. The legal difference is that Article 73’s normal holiday and non-working-day provisions are not applied during martial law.
Where are Ukraine’s official public holiday rules published?
The principal statutory holiday list is contained in Article 73 of the Labour Code of Ukraine. The Verkhovna Rada also publishes an official calendar that identifies dated observances, including variable religious holidays such as Easter and Trinity.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Ukraine
- Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Labour Code of Ukraine, Article 73: establishes the principal statutory holiday and religious holiday framework and records the martial-law exception.
- Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Official Holidays Calendar 2026: confirms calendar dates for 2026 observances, including Easter and Trinity.
- Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Decree on the Introduction of Martial Law: records subsequent extensions, including the 2026 extension beginning on 2 August.
- Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Law No. 4928-IX: approves Presidential Decree No. 596/2026 extending martial law in 2026.
