In December 2024, 20-year-old Ruslan Knysh — a fighter with the 3rd Separate Mechanized Brigade who lost all four limbs near Izyum — came to a Kyiv branch of PrivatBank to restore his card for state benefits. The manager asked him to take a photo holding the card near his face. Holding the card for another person is prohibited by regulations. No hands — no card. Only after public outcry raised by the "Angels" patronage service did the bank decide to address the issue individually.
Now PrivatBank is launching a systemic response: an inclusive mobile service for military personnel and veterans. Bank employees will visit medical facilities and communities themselves — opening accounts, issuing or reissuing cards, conducting identification and updating information. The service will cover all regions where the bank operates.
"We want our defenders to receive financial services where they are now — in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, communities"
Mikael Björknertt, Chairman of PrivatBank
What changed after the scandal
The bank's reaction to the incident with Ruslan was swift in words: NBU head Andriy Pyshny personally promised to fix the situation, and PrivatBank assured it would provide all services. But this very case exposed a systemic problem: standard verification procedures were designed without accounting for severe combat injuries.
The new service attempts to resolve this contradiction infrastructurally. In addition to mobile visits, the bank also launched a 24/7 hotline for veterans, military personnel, and people with disabilities, and is reviewing internal regulations — with additional staff training.
Scale and real demand
PrivatBank is the country's largest bank with a market share of over 30% and the widest branch network. State benefits for the wounded and veterans most often go to its cards. Therefore, verification failures hit the most vulnerable clients — those who find it physically difficult to get to a branch or complete a standard procedure.
- Opening accounts and issuing cards — directly in medical facilities and communities
- Identification and data updates without visiting a branch
- Coverage of all regions where the bank operates
- Separate hotline — 24/7
The mobile format removes one specific barrier — geographic and physical. But the verification procedure for people with severe amputations is still regulated by the general NBU regulations, not a special protocol. If the bank does not document adapted identification rules in writing — the next manager in the next branch may again not know what to do with a person without hands.
The question is not whether the bank will come to the veteran. The question is whether there will be a documented protocol that does not depend on the goodwill of a specific employee — and when the NBU will approve it.
