Ukraine switches back to winter time on October 25
Ukraine moved its clocks back one hour at 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, October 25, 2026, beginning its annual transition to winter time. The day became one hour longer, and smartphones and most modern devices adjusted automatically while mechanical clocks required manual changes.
Key points
- Clocks in Ukraine were moved back one hour at 4:00 a.m. on October 25, 2026.
- The annual transition takes place on the last Sunday of October.
- The change increased the length of the Ukrainian day by one hour.
- Most modern devices adjusted automatically, generally using an internet connection.
- Mechanical clocks had to be adjusted manually.
- Parliament adopted bill No. 4201 in July 2024 to establish permanent Kyiv time, UTC+2, without seasonal clock changes.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had not signed the bill as of publication.
Why it matters
The transition added an hour to the day and required many residents to adjust mechanical clocks. Seasonal time changes continued because the legislation establishing permanent Kyiv time remained unsigned.
What happened
At 4:00 a.m. on October 25, clocks across Ukraine were set back one hour. The transition took place on the last Sunday of October, making the day one hour longer. Most modern smartphones and gadgets changed the time automatically, while mechanical clocks had to be moved by hand. Ukraine continued to observe seasonal time under a 1996 Cabinet of Ministers resolution because the bill adopted in 2024 to introduce permanent Kyiv time had not been signed by the president.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian reporting focused on practical effects, including automatic adjustment of modern devices, the need to change mechanical clocks manually, and options for checking the exact time. It also highlighted that the 2024 legislation was expected to make the October 2024 transition the last one, yet the annual change continued in 2026.
Background
Ukraine traditionally changed clocks on the last Sunday of October and March. In July 2024, the Verkhovna Rada adopted bill No. 4201 proposing permanent Kyiv time, UTC+2, without seasonal changes, but the bill remained unsigned. The existing rules therefore continued to come from a Cabinet of Ministers resolution dated May 13, 1996. Seasonal time was first introduced in Great Britain in 1908 to distribute electricity use more efficiently throughout the day.