Ukrainian digital has been undergoing a three-year test of resilience. The war has changed our habits, locations, and priorities — but it hasn’t stopped the market’s evolution. Despite constant turbulence, Ukraine’s digital audience has not declined. It adapts, relocates, and finds new ways to interact with brands and content.

As part of its annual Digital Research, the newage. team analyzed how the audience has evolved — which demographic groups remain active online, how attention has shifted across regions, and what’s happening with purchasing power.

The data shows that Ukraine’s digital ecosystem has not only endured — it has matured and become more complex. What we’re witnessing is not a decline, but a reconfiguration of the audience; not an exodus, but adaptation. And that’s the key signal for the market: digital remains the primary communication environment in Ukraine.

Digital Audience 2025

Ukraine’s digital market has entered a phase of stability after two years of turbulence. Despite the ongoing challenges of war, infrastructure disruptions, and migration, the number of internet users remains high, and the audience structure is now more balanced than in the first years of the full-scale invasion.

Numbers That Prove Stability

As of 2025, Ukraine has 17.8 million active internet users aged 14–70. If we include children under 14 and adults over 70, the total digital audience exceeds 21 million Ukrainians.

This means that two-thirds of the country’s population live in the digital space — engaging with content, brands, and online services. And while the war has reshaped the market structure, digital itself remains a massive and resilient communication environment.

Recovery after 2022

After a significant decline in 2022, when millions of Ukrainians temporarily or permanently left the country, the years 2023–2025 became a period of gradual stabilization.

This recovery is driven by two key factors:

• the return of part of the emigrant population, and
• the digitalization of regions where internally displaced people have settled.

In other words, the digital audience has not shrunk — it has redistributed. Many users have changed their location but remained in the online space, and therefore remain accessible to brands.

Gender balance: a return to pre-war proportions

The war had a significant impact on the demographic structure of the digital audience, and this shift is clearly visible in the data.

Before 2022, women made up the majority of online users in Ukraine — 52% compared to 48% men. After the start of the full-scale invasion, the situation changed: many women went abroad, while men who remained in the country became the dominant group within the active digital audience.

In June 2023, we recorded a temporary predominance of men — 51% compared to 49% of women. This reflected the peak of migration fluctuations.

As of August 2025, the balance has shifted again: women have returned to active participation in the digital space, now making up 51% of the audience, while men account for 49%.

This “gender pendulum” is gradually stabilizing, and the structure of the digital audience is returning to its pre-war proportions, though with a slight deviation.

For brands, this marks a return to the familiar balance between segments that characterized the market before 2022.

Youth Remains in Ukraine

Special attention should be paid to the 18–22 age group — a generation that actively shapes trends and drives the evolution of digital consumption.

Despite initial concerns, there has been no mass exodus of young people. While some students and young professionals have gone abroad for studies or work, the overwhelming majority have remained in Ukraine. The youth continue to be highly active in the digital space — evident through their engagement in e-commerce, entertainment content, gaming, and social media.

This is an important signal for brands working with the “conscious” generations — Gen Z and Alpha: they are here, they are active, and they expect honest and modern communication.

Ukrainian digital has not only endured — it has evolved in quality. The audience has been redistributed and partially renewed, yet remains large and highly engaged.

Migration and population redistribution: how the digital market map has changed

The war has drastically reshaped the geography of Ukraine’s digital audience. Whereas media activity used to be concentrated mainly in large cities, today the market has become more distributed and dynamic. Users haven’t disappeared — they’ve relocated, forming a new map of attention, purchasing power, and behavior.

Mass movements: external and internal migration

Since 2022, about 4.3 million people have left Ukraine — those who now live abroad temporarily or permanently. Some of them remain active within digital ecosystems: they use Ukrainian services, watch Ukrainian content, and maintain connections with brands through social media.

At the same time, 3.9 million Ukrainians have changed their place of residence within the country. This massive internal mobility has significantly influenced the structure of the digital audience — particularly in terms of where highly active online users are now concentrated.

Kyiv remains a “magnet,” but the West is growing

The capital continues to hold its position as the main digital hub. According to our estimates, Kyiv’s population has increased by 26% due to the influx of internally displaced people. Today, Kyiv concentrates the largest share of digital users, financially capable citizens, and premium audiences.

At the same time, the western regions of Ukraine — Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and Volyn — are experiencing steady growth. Significant groups of users from frontline areas have relocated here, forming new local centers of digital activity. As a result, digital segments that were once considered “secondary” have gained strategic importance in media planning.

A new balance between regions

The distribution of the digital audience has become more balanced than before the war.

• the Central and Western regions have grown due to migration flows,
• while the East and South have lost part of their audience but retained a strong core in major cities (Dnipro, Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv).

As a result, a new equilibrium has emerged: digital presence is no longer concentrated solely in Kyiv. Today, a brand can achieve large-scale reach even with a focus on regional campaigns.

What this means for brands

Migration hasn’t destroyed the market — it has reconfigured it.

Now it’s time to think not in terms of administrative borders, but in terms of audience ecosystems — clusters where online activity, purchasing power, and local media intersect.

For communication strategies, this means:

• Reassess the role of secondary cities. They have become independent digital hubs.
• Redefine geographic reach. Campaigns that once focused only on Kyiv should now scale to Lviv, Chernivtsi, or Dnipro.
• Add flexibility to targeting. Account for population shifts and new sociodemographic combinations across regions.

Ukrainians haven’t disappeared from digital — they’ve simply changed coordinates. Brands that quickly adapt to this new map will gain a competitive advantage.

Purchasing Power: Data, Perception, and Reality

The Ukrainian economy continues to adapt to wartime conditions — and with it, the structure of consumption is changing. People have become more mindful of their spending, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are experiencing poverty. Rather, it signals rationalization: we plan purchases, make conscious choices, and increasingly seek the right balance of value and money.

Income: Nominally Rising, Perceptibly Falling

Despite the average salary in Ukraine reaching around ₴25,000 in 2025, income distribution remains uneven. According to research by newage. in partnership with Kantar, more than half of the population (45%) earns less than ₴20,000 per month.

The largest group of Ukrainians earns between ₴10,000 and ₴20,000 per month (28%), while another 17% make under ₴10,000. At the same time, 22% of respondents report monthly incomes between ₴20,000 and ₴30,000, and only 11% fall within the ₴30,000–₴40,000 range. Those earning over ₴40,000 make up about 14%.

However, this figure varies significantly by region:

• Kyiv remains the leader — around ₴30,000;
• Western regions average ₴25,500;
• Central, Southern, and Eastern regions — approximately ₴23,500;
• Northern regions record the lowest levels — about ₴20,500.

The regional gap is driven by economic structure: Kyiv concentrates most high-tech and service-sector jobs, while frontline regions have seen partial business shutdowns or reduced activity.

Although the average salary in Ukraine increased from ₴15,000 in 2022 to ₴25,000 in 2025, this growth was not linear. Data from Work.ua and the NBU euro exchange rate dynamics show that:

• 2023 brought only +5% growth in euro terms due to high inflation,
• 2024 marked a period of active recovery (+12% in euros, +23% in hryvnias),
• 2025 shows moderate stabilization (+6% in euros, +17% in hryvnias).

The reason is simple: inflationary pressure and currency fluctuations. Even with the gradual strengthening of the labor market, income growth in foreign currency terms lagged behind domestic rates.

In other words, we are indeed earning more than in 2022, but the purchasing power of that growth is limited. That’s why Ukrainians intuitively don’t feel the increase in income, even if nominally, their salaries have risen.

newage. Consuming Capacity Index: measuring real purchasing power

Income alone isn’t enough to understand how willing consumers actually are to spend. That’s why the newage. team developed its own tool — the Consuming Capacity Index.

The index takes into account not only income, but also the structure of expenses, price levels, credit activity, housing costs, inflation, and business profitability.

The model makes it possible to see not just the level of income, but the residual consumption capacity — that is, how much money an average Ukrainian has left after covering basic expenses (rent, food, utilities).

This approach is crucial for businesses because it reflects not a “statistical well-being,” but the real ability to spend and make purchases.

Geography of Purchasing Power: Kyiv and the West Lead, Regions Catch Up

According to the Index, Kyiv and the Kyiv region remain the undisputed leaders, showing the highest purchasing power in Ukraine.

The gap with other regions persists but is gradually narrowing: Lviv region (+4%) confidently holds second place, followed by Odesa, Dnipro, and Kharkiv — the key economic hubs of their respective macro-regions.

Western regions deserve special attention, as they have shown the highest growth dynamics over the past year:

• Ivano-Frankivsk and Volyn regions — +9,
• Zakarpattia, Rivne, and Vinnytsia — +7.

This growth is driven by internal migration, the development of small businesses, and the increasing share of young, digitally active users.

In essence, we are witnessing the equalization of consumer capacity across Ukraine: if previously Kyiv was the only “center of power,” today several new growth hubs are emerging — primarily in the West.

Why This Matters for Business

For marketers and brands, the Consuming Capacity Index serves as a key indicator of where real purchasing power is now concentrated in Ukraine.

• Kyiv remains the core of premium segments.
• Lviv and Dnipro shape strong middle-income audiences.
• Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Uzhhorod are becoming new demand centers in the regions.

Ukrainians haven’t stopped buying — they are simply doing so where stability and opportunity exist. The index reveals not a crisis, but a new geography of economic life.

Other parts of the global newage. Digital Research 2025 study:
• Digital Habits and Premium Segments
• How Brands Win in the Video Ecosystem

Ukrainians Stayed Online

Ukrainian digital has endured the test and emerged stronger. The audience hasn’t disappeared — it has shifted geographically, renewed itself, and adapted to new realities. Migration has redrawn the map of attention, turning once “secondary” regions into full-fledged digital centers. Kyiv remains the core, but now it stands alongside Lviv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi, and Ivano-Frankivsk.

Ukrainians have become more cautious in spending, yet they haven’t stopped consuming. The Consuming Capacity Index by newage. shows that purchasing power is rising, and the market is becoming more balanced. This means that business potential hasn’t disappeared — it has simply evolved.

Digital 2025 is no longer a stage of survival — it’s a time of conscious growth. People are online, brands are close, and data empowers confident decision-making. Those who understand how the audience has changed gain a strategic advantage, because today communication is built not on assumptions, but on real behavioral patterns.

At newage., we conduct an annual comprehensive digital research to give brands more than just numbers — we provide guidance. We continue to measure Ukrainian digital even in the most turbulent times — so that businesses can make decisions based on data, not intuition.

You can explore the full study on SlideShare or YouTube.

FAQ: Digital Audience of Ukraine in 2025

Has Ukraine’s digital audience decreased?

No. After the drop in 2022, the audience has stabilized — there are now over 17.8 million active users aged 14–70, and more than 21 million when including children and seniors.

How did the war affect user structure?

Not through reduction, but redistribution. Some Ukrainians moved abroad or to other regions, yet remained online. The digital geography is now broader than it was before 2022.

What is the current gender balance?

It has returned to pre-war proportions: women — 51%, men — 49%. This means media campaigns can once again be planned without significant demographic imbalance.

Has the youth remained in Ukraine?

Yes. Most Ukrainians aged 18–22 continue to live and consume content within the country. They are highly active in e-commerce, social media, and gaming, remaining the main drivers of digital trends.

Where is purchasing power the highest today?

Kyiv remains the leader, but Lviv, Dnipro, Odesa, and Chernivtsi are rapidly catching up. The western regions show the strongest growth, becoming the new centers of economic activity.