Possible involvement of Russia: the amount of false money in Ukraine increased by 62% - the NBU

According to the Central Ukrainian Bank, the increase in the number of counterfeiters was recorded at the beginning of the first half of this year, but the situation is moderate. In the EU, the problem with fake banknotes is much more significant. In Ukraine, the number of counterfeit notes increased by 62%. It is about hryvnia and foreign currency. This was stated at the National Bank after the Ministry of Finance request. According to the results of the first half of the year, 3.

4 fakes were recorded per 1 million true bills. At the beginning of a full -scale war, counterfeit banknotes for the same million were much less - 2. 2 in 2022, as well as 2. 1 in 2023. Accordingly, the growth was 62%.

"In April-May this year, the National Bank observed a short-term increase in the activity of counterfeiters, which is explained by some adaptation to the realities of martial law and the desire of the attackers to check the effectiveness of counteraction to such cases," the statement said. Nevertheless, the National Bank is called such a moderate growth, because if you take periods to a full -scale invasion, the fake for 1 million real money was 7. 1.

In the European Union, the situation is not better and the scams work much more actively: the National Bank separately emphasized that criminals in Ukraine are more like to spread false dollars rather than the euro. In the first half of 2024, 1,200 fakes were removed from circulation, while in previous years 600-700 pieces were recorded. US dollars dominated this issue - 95%. It is a $ 100 face value.

Among the hryvnias from January to June, 90% of counterfeiters occurred in two denominations of old issues-500 UAH 2006 and 200 hryvnias 2007. This problem is solved by gradually withdrawal from the circulation of old issues: new samples of Ukrainian currency are more seriously protected with modern elements, which helps to avoid counterfeiting. The regulator continues to teach cash staff so that they can handle fakes better.

In addition, if new types of counterfeits are removed from the circulation, then the entire banking system, law enforcement agencies, etc. are warned about it. "The National Bank is systematically working on increasing the reliability of Ukrainian money. According to international practice, banknotes need to be updated at a certain periodicity every 10-15 years. To minimize or completely prevent the attempts of criminals to fake banknotes," the statement said.

The NBU stated that the sources of fake growth have not been found now and cannot be excluded that there is a Russian influence here, although there is no corresponding evidence. At the same time, history shows that there are many facts when the country's economy was specifically filled with false money to weaken the enemy. "Indeed, there are such historical facts.

During the Second World War, the Nazi leadership of Germany tried to use the printing of the British pounds to destabilize the UK economy. The National Bank systematically monitors the state of withdrawal from the circulation of counterfeit money," the NBU summed up. We will remind, on July 25 it was reported that Russia has filled Libya with counterfeit money in the amount of more than $ 1 billion, which is said in Reuters.