1. Introduction
October 2025 in Kherson region became a month when security challenges dictated budget policy, and infrastructure restoration was accompanied by personnel changes and a corruption scandal. The Regional Military Administration made significant changes to the regional budget, directing UAH 240.9 million to healthcare and UAH 97.5 million to education and the arrangement of shelters. In Kherson, the heating season started, although the preparation process was accompanied by problems, in particular, arrears of the population to heat suppliers, which reached over UAH 664 million. At the same time, against the background of these efforts, the leadership of the Ivanivska military administration was detained on suspicion of systematic bribery.
Main trends of the month that defined the situation: prioritization of military and infrastructure expenditures; some revival of business activity (in particular, an increase in the number of FOPs in the IT sector).
Word of the month: Reservation. This term gained particular weight after the OVA on 22 October 2025 updated the criteria for reserving employees of critical infrastructure during martial law for the needs of the economy and the region’s Defense Forces.
Figure of the month: UAH 50 million. That is exactly how much in October six communities of Kherson region transferred to support units of the Defense Forces.
2. Political situation
Decisions of the authorities
On October 6, by order of the head of the OVA, the distribution of a subsidy in the amount of UAH 38.8 million was approved for financial support and incentives for employees of the regional state administration, with the largest share — UAH 16.8 million allocated to the ODA apparatus, and the smallest — to the Service for Children’s Affairs and the Department of Physical Culture, Youth and Sports of the ODA — UAH 660 and 610 thousand respectively.
By order of the head of the OVA dated October 31, changes were made to the regional budget, focused on security, healthcare and recovery. In particular, UAH 27.5 million was allocated for the arrangement of shelters in general secondary education institutions of the region.
Also in Kherson the issuance of permits for the installation of retail kiosks has been stopped.
In each ministry and central executive body there will be a deputy responsible for policies regarding frontline territories.
Personnel changes
The President appointed two judges in Kherson region — Alla Rybas as judge of the Kherson District Administrative Court and Natalia Kuzmenko as judge of the Bilozerka District Court. Also the High Council of Justice adopted a decision to dismiss Tetyana Pintelina from the position of judge of the Commercial Court of Kherson region.
In the regional prosecutor’s office the first deputy head changed — Oleksandr Myhalik resigned, and Andriy Kovalenko, who was previously a deputy, took his place. The new deputy head of the regional prosecutor’s office became the former head of the Beryslav prosecutor’s office, Dmytro Zinevych.
The new head of MKP “Khersonteploenergo” became Anton Maksymovych, the former deputy director of “Vyshnivskteploenergo” in Kyiv region. Prior to this, since July 2025 the enterprise had been headed by Sevastopol businessman Hennadiy Shchurov.
After the scandal over a delay, Andriy Fedotov lost his position as director of the Luchanskyi City Hospital. He was replaced by Viktor Kolisnyk.
Impact of government policy on the region
The government expanded the opportunities of the state program “Affordable Loans 5–7–9%” for entrepreneurs of Kherson region and other frontline oblasts.
Also the Cabinet established an increased level of pay for medics who work in territories of active hostilities (UAH 40,000 for doctors, UAH 27,000 for middle-level staff and 18 000 UAH for junior medical personnel).
By Government resolution some entrepreneurs of Kherson region were exempted from paying the single tax and the military levy.
Teachers of Kherson region who work in-person or in a mixed mode in frontline communities have been granted a monthly supplement of UAH 5,200 from September 1, 2025. For these purposes the Cabinet at the beginning of October allocated the region a targeted subvention of UAH 3.1 million.
3. Economy and finance
Budget status.Local budgets of the region are under pressure due to significant expenditures on the administrative apparatus. However, since the beginning of the year taxpayers of the region have paid UAH 1,584.8 million in taxes to local budgets. Overall, over 8 months of the year Kherson taxpayers paid almost UAH 5.5 billion in all taxes.
Business activity and investment projects. Kherson region ranked among the leaders in the number of projects of the State Fund for Regional Development (DFRR) to receive state financing in 2025. There is an increase in business activity in the IT sector: in Q3 2025 the region opened 101 FOPs, while in 2024 there were 85.
Industry, agricultural sector.In the region’s agricultural sector the lowest corn yields in Ukraine were recorded, while Kherson farmers will receive modular grain storages from philanthropists. In October Kherson region fully switched to the electronic system of the Urban Development Cadastre.
Employment level, demography. On the right bank of Kherson region about 145 thousand people live, of whom in Kherson about 60 thousand. There is no mass return of residents to the Novovorontsovka community observed. Although almost 50 thousand internally displaced persons (IDPs) are registered in Kherson region, since the beginning of the year more than 4 thousand people have been removed from the IDP register.
“Figure of the month” in the economy. UAH 175.2 million. This is the amount to be financed for 6 projects from Kherson region selected within the DFRR.
4. Social sphere
Education.The company «Tensens», which was building an underground school in the Shumenskyi microdistrict without a tender, continues work on the site despite the termination of the contract. In Vysokopillia for UAH 10.9 million they plan to modernize the food unit of the local lyceum. The third season of the sports competitions “Shoulder-to-Shoulder” has started, with 330 student teams from Kherson region among the participants.
Healthcare.During the war Kherson region lost 30 medical workers, and another 151 were wounded. In Beryslav district medical assistance is organized via telemedicine and medications are being delivered under the “Affordable Medicines” program. For the reconstruction of a building into an outpatient clinic of general practice and family medicine in the settlement of Vysokopillia they plan to spend UAH 140.3 million.
Social payments, benefits, subsidies. Kherson region has one of the lowest average pensions in Ukraine — UAH 5,473. In Kherson 7,300 households applied for cash assistance for solid fuel from non-governmental organizations and the UN Refugee Agency. In the Bilozerka community more than UAH 93 million in compensation for destroyed housing was paid under 63 claims. In Kherson region about 5 thousand people of preferential categories are registered, most of them — war veterans.
Crisis. The situation in the Beryslav community has significantly deteriorated; around 1,000 people remain there, of whom 474 are in Beryslav itself, the vast majority of whom are elderly.
5. Security
Consequences of the war.Due to Russian attacks in Kherson region 38 thousand buildings have been damaged, and this figure increases by another 1–2% each month. More than UAH 1 billion was spent on eliminating the consequences of hostilities in the village of Posad-Pokrovske. Rescue divers-sappers of the State Emergency Service of Kherson region continue inspections and clearing of the Inhulets River in Beryslav district; since the beginning of the year more than 146 hectares of water areas have been cleared of mines.
Criminal trends. Law enforcement officers over the first 9 months of 2025 investigated more than 1.5 thousand criminal offenses against the foundations of Ukraine’s national security (treason, collaborationism). More than 8 thousand crimes against peace, security of humanity and international legal order, committed on the territory of the region, were documented. The head of the Velykooleksandrivka settlement military administration, Natalia Kornienko, is suspected of causing damage to the state in the amount of UAH 300 thousand related to reconstruction.
6. Civil society and culture
Activities of the civil sector. In Kherson a safe place for children and their parents has appeared.
Religion.In October the Regional Military Administration registered the charter of the religious community of the Evangelical Christian Baptists “Church of the settlement Bilozerka”.
Culture.During the war the Russians destroyed almost 300 cultural monuments in Kherson region.
International relations:An agreement on partnership was signed between the University of Kiel and Kherson State Agrarian and Economic University. The OVA also appointed new Honorary Ambassadors of Kherson region.
“Trend of the month”
High salaries of regional officials enter into a moral conflict with social reality, where the average pension remains one of the lowest in Ukraine (UAH 5,473).
Conclusions
The security situation in the region remains critical: residential areas, infrastructure and civilians are regularly under enemy attack, which creates great pressure on regional authorities and the population.
Emergency events directly affect trust in the security system, population mobility and economic activity — the risk that the region will “get stuck” in survival mode is very high.
Forecast
Winter as a humanitarian imperative. Even with the physical readiness of infrastructure, the financial sustainability of communal enterprises and the social vulnerability of a large part of the population (low average pension, high unemployment and staff shortages) remain the main challenges that authorities must address.
Economic impact. Growth of inflationary pressure due to logistical problems in winter and the financial burden on local budgets due to debts for utility services. The government’s intention at the start of the new budget year to “reset” the budgets of occupied communities will lead to their premature depletion.
Political impact. Public efforts to combat corruption may increase trust in central authorities but intensify tension between different branches of local administration.
Social impact. An increase in the number of humanitarian missions to assist residents of the region.