Supplier breached our contract—can we freeze their bank accounts during a court claim in Ukraine?

Good morning!

Yes — in Ukraine you can ask the court for interim measures (забезпечення позову) to freeze the supplier’s bank accounts or assets while your breach-of-contract case is pending. This is a common and appropriate tool in exactly the situation you describe, especially where there are signs the counterparty is trying to evade enforcement.

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Hello. Yes, Ukrainian commercial courts can freeze the supplier's bank accounts as an interim measure while your breach of contract case is pending. This is specifically regulated by Article 136 of the Commercial Procedural Code of Ukraine, which authorizes courts to impose security measures to ensure the future enforcement of judgments. Under Article 136, the court has the authority to seize funds in the defendant's bank accounts, prohibit disposal of specific property, or impose restrictions on corporate rights. In your situation, where the supplier has stopped responding after receiving your advance payment and appears to be transferring assets, freezing their bank accounts would be the most appropriate measure to prevent dissipation of funds before judgment. To obtain this interim measure, you need to file an application demonstrating that without court intervention, the execution of a future judgment would be impossible or significantly complicated. The supplier's unresponsiveness and apparent asset movements provide strong grounds for this argument. You must also show that your underlying claim has sufficient merit based on preliminary evidence. The evidentiary package typically includes the supply contract, proof of advance payment through bank statements, correspondence demonstrating the supplier's failure to deliver or respond, and any available information about their asset transfers or restructuring activities. Documentation of their known bank accounts and corporate structure is helpful, though courts can order banks to disclose account information directly. The court should decide on your interim measures application within two days according to Article 136. Once granted, Ukrainian banks must immediately freeze the specified amounts upon receiving the court order. The measure remains effective throughout the proceedings until final judgment execution or until the court lifts it. The court may require counter-security from you to protect the supplier against potential damages if your claim ultimately fails, though this is often waived in cases involving advance payments where the defendant's conduct suggests bad faith.