{
  "id": 13154537,
  "title": "Pensions without a future: Why Ukraine can no longer sustain its pay-as-you-go system",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/pensions-without-a-future-why-ukraine-can-no-longer-sustain-its-pay",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-09T15:51:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Interfax-Ukraine",
    "slug": "interfax-ukraine",
    "url": "https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/blog/1217407.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ukraine's pension system, a pay-as-you-go model, is facing a long-term crisis due to demographic challenges. With an ageing population and falling fertility rates, the system is increasingly reliant on a shrinking workforce to finance benefits for future retirees. The United Nations reports Ukraine's fertility rate at 0.98 children per woman, well below the sustainable level of 2.1. Meanwhile, life expectancy in Ukraine has risen to 80 years for women and 70 years for men, shifting the balance between working and retirement age. Since the Russian invasion, Ukraine has seen a significant decrease in birth rates and a growing number of refugees, further straining the workforce and potential tax base. The pension deficit, which reached UAH 1,020.9 billion in 2025, is not only a financial burden for the pension fund but also a public finance challenge, requiring more resources from the state budget. As demographic trends continue to decline, the pension system will need to find solutions through increased contributions, higher incomes, or higher taxes, potentially exacerbating the economic strain on formal employment and the shadow economy.",
  "summary": "Svitlana Dovhalenko, Economist at CASE Ukraine, PhD",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Kyiv Post",
        "title": "Planning to return to Ukraine now or in the future? The “Dodomu” platform can help you prepare",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/planning-to-return-to-ukraine-now-or-in-the-future-the-dodomu",
        "published": "2026-10-09T14:18:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ukrinform - Politics",
        "title": "Forum in Paris discusses Ukraine’s future in EU and NATO, conditions for lasting peace",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/forum-in-paris-discusses-ukraines-future-in-eu-and-nato-conditions",
        "published": "2026-10-09T17:05:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}