[52702] Zelensky orders the privatization of Sense Bank this year without delay

The privatization of 'Sense' Bank and government reforms at the top of the agenda

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on May 6, 2026, that the nationalized "Sense Bank" will be privatized later this year. In statements echoed in many Telegram channels, including Труха⚡️Україна and Times of Ukraine, the President emphasized that "there should be no delays in the privatization process." Zelensky noted that the move is intended to "expand business opportunities" and strengthen liberalization in the banking sector.

The decision was made following consultations between the President and Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. According to a report by Цензор.НЕТ, which is characterized by pro-government coverage but is critical of the bank's previous management, the President demands speed in execution. At the same time, channels such as Україна Online and Лачен пише reported that Zelensky instructed the government to carry out a "reboot" of state-owned energy companies, with an emphasis on "Energoatom," as well as to implement changes at the deputy minister level in the near future.

On the other hand, voices were raised questioning the integrity of the process. The channel Березовый сок, which tends to be critical of the government, questioned the identity of potential buyers and asked cynically, "What kind of straw man are we talking about?" In addition, the background of the decision stands in the shadow of revelations by Бізнес Цензор, which reported the discovery of "double accounting" and widespread fraud in the bank that preceded its nationalization in 2023, including granting loans to associates and falsifying reports for years.

Channels such as Новинач linked the need for privatization to past affairs surrounding the "Midas Case" and the "Mindits Tapes," which raise questions about the influence of external factors on the bank's board of directors. The administration, for its part, emphasizes that this is a necessary move for the recovery of the Ukrainian economy and to end the state's excessive control of the financial sector.