The government wants to sell “Sens Bank” as soon as possible – Forbes
2 May 12:03
The Cabinet of Ministers plans to finalize the selection of an advisory firm for the sale of Sens Bank in June and accelerate the privatization process. A government source told Forbes Ukraine about this, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to the source, the target date for the sale is the end of 2026.
“The government is ready to divest this asset as soon as possible,” the source said.
He noted that it is difficult to assess the bank’s potential value at this time, which is precisely why an advisor is needed.
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The Ministry of Finance began searching for an advisor on the privatization of Sens Bank on March 31. The advisor’s main tasks will include increasing the value of the stake, attracting potential investors, and preparing and conducting all stages of the sale. The advisor will be engaged with a service period extending until March 1, 2029.
Two sources at the NBU and the Ministry of Finance told Forbes Ukraine that they have not yet discussed these plans with government officials or Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko’s team.
What came before
Until 2023, Russians Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven—against whom Ukraine and the EU have imposed sanctions—were among the key owners of Sense Bank (formerly Alfa-Bank Ukraine). ABH Holdings S.A. and ABH Ukraine Limited, through which Friedman and Aven owned Sense Bank, also fell under NSDC restrictions.
On May 29, 2023, the Verkhovna Rada authorized the nationalization of banks whose shareholders are subject to international or Ukrainian sanctions. And on July 22, the state, represented by the Ministry of Finance, became the 100% owner of Sense Bank.
The institution was mentioned in the so-called “Mindich tapes.” In November 2025, MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak spoke about possible political influence on the bank. A similar claim appears in an article by “Ukrainska Pravda” published in late April. As recently as last fall, the bank denied any connection or outside influence on its operations.
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