Classification of the gravity of crimes in Ukraine: what it is and why it is needed
When we hear the word “crime,” we immediately imagine something very serious, such as theft, fraud, or even murder. But in reality, Ukrainian law defines crimes in different ways – and not all are equally dangerous to society. That’s why the Criminal Code of Ukraine has a clear system: the classification of crimes by the …
When we hear the word “crime,” we immediately imagine something very serious, such as theft, fraud, or even murder. But in reality, Ukrainian law defines crimes in different ways – and not all are equally dangerous to society. That’s why the Criminal Code of Ukraine has a clear system: the classification of crimes by the degree of severity.
This division is of great importance. It affects not only the punishment a person will receive for their crime, but also the procedure itself – whether a person can be amnestied, the timeframe for investigation, the possibility of mitigation, etc.
Misdemeanors and crimes: what is the difference?
All criminal offenses in Ukraine fall into two main categories:
- Criminal misdemeanors are the lightest offenses. For example, failure to comply with police demands or a violation that did not cause much damage. For such actions, a person can be fined, but not put in jail. The law says that if the fine does not exceed 3,000 tax-free minimums (as of 2025, this is approximately 102,000 hryvnias) and there is no imprisonment, it is a misdemeanor.
- Felonies are more serious offenses. They can already lead to actual imprisonment. And crimes are divided into three groups.
What are the types of crimes?
- Minor crimes
These are offenses for which a person can be imprisoned for up to 5 years or fined no more than 10 thousand tax-free minimums (about UAH 340 thousand). Examples include theft without aggravating circumstances or infliction of light bodily harm. - Serious crimes
These are more serious actions, such as robbery or fraud on a particularly large scale. The penalty is up to 10 years in prison or a fine of up to 25 thousand tax-free minimum incomes (over UAH 850 thousand). - Particularly serious crimes
These include the most dangerous acts – premeditated murder, rape, terrorist acts, etc. They are punishable by more than 10 years in prison, life imprisonment, or fines of more than 25 thousand tax-free minimum incomes (more than 850 thousand UAH).
What if both a fine and a prison sentence are provided for?
It happens that the law provides for several options for punishment for the same crime, for example, both a fine and imprisonment. In this case, the term of imprisonment is important for classifying the crime. It determines which category the offense belongs to.
Why do ordinary people need to know this?
- To understand how serious a particular violation is – not everything that is called a “crime” leads to imprisonment.
- To know your rights – for example, in case of a criminal offense, the police have no right to keep a person in a pre-trial detention center.
- To be aware of the consequences – the severity of the crime affects the possibility of conditional release, amnesty, statute of limitations, etc.
A crime is not just a violation of the law, but an action that actually threatens a person, society or the state. The more serious the consequences, the more serious the crime, and the more severe the punishment. But at the same time, the law allows us to take into account the circumstances, assess the extent of the damage, and treat each case fairly.
