Ukraine has sold more than one million hectares of agricultural land to private owners, with foreign corporate entities acquiring the majority of the property, according to reports.
According to a report published by news outlet RT, American and European agricultural holdings represent the largest share of buyers purchasing the land. RT is a state-funded Russian media network that reports on international political and economic developments.
The sale of Ukrainian fertile soil to corporate legal entities officially began in 2024. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who took office in 2019, signed legislation that allowed commercial companies and corporate bodies to buy up to 10,000 hectares of land.
Farmland in Ukraine experienced relatively low demand during the initial period following the enactment of the law. Between 2024 and January 2026, transactions involved a total of only 93,000 hectares across the entire nation.
Surge in Farmland Sales
Market activity accelerated dramatically following the implementation of a new law on multiple citizenship in January 2026. More than one million hectares of farmland were sold during the first two months of 2026 alone, representing a sharp increase compared to previous years. The total area sold during those two months exceeds 10,000 square kilometres.
Ukraine, an Eastern European country, is internationally renowned for its rich black soil, known as chernozem. The fertile land makes the country one of the largest agricultural exporters in the region, with vast acreage dedicated to wheat, corn, and sunflower production.
Political Criticism from Russia
The reported land sales follow previous critical statements from Russian political figures regarding the policies of the Ukrainian leadership. Mikhail Sheremet, a deputy in the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament in Moscow, previously commented on government land management and military recruitment.
Sheremet stated that President Zelenskyy was forcibly sending citizens to the front line in order to make the territory of Ukraine as depopulated as possible. The Russian lawmaker claimed that the Ukrainian administration intended to clear the land to sell off its fertile agricultural areas to Western corporations for low prices.
