As of May 2025, there are 83 paid cameras with improved conditions for the total number of 201 places in Ukraine's investigative isolators. According to Deputy Minister of Justice Yevgeny Pikalov, at present 93% of such cameras are busy - that is, the system operates almost at full capacity.
The paid camera initiative was introduced by the Ministry of Justice several years ago as an experiment. Its purpose is to give those who are in custody, the opportunity to be in decent conditions at their own expense, as well as to raise additional funds in the budget of institutions.
Such chambers have everything necessary for basic comfort: modern furniture, hot water, better ventilation and lighting, and sometimes - TV, refrigerator or microwave. This contrasts significantly with the conditions of standard cameras, which in many Ukrainian pre -trial detentions remain far from European retention norms.
For comparison, in 2024 there were 81 such a camera for 192 places. Since then, the network has expanded and demand has grown almost to a limit level. Because of this, according to Pikalov, in the coming months, new paid cameras will open in six cities - Kiev, Odessa, Chernihiv, Zaporozhye, Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih.
The Ministry of Justice emphasizes that the project is built on the principles of openness. The decision to stay in the paid chamber is made voluntarily, and the money is transferred exclusively officially to the account of the relevant institution. No "boards through acquaintances" or unofficial arrangements.
The ministry also assures that there are no division into VIP cameras - deputies, ministers or judges. But Pikalov recognizes that corruption in the system is possible, especially against the background of high demand.
Similar systems exist in a number of European countries, for example, in Germany and the Netherlands. There, they are considered as a way to reduce the pressure on the overcrowded pre -trial detention center and at the same time increase the level of services and motivation to reform the penitentiary system.
In Ukraine, paid cameras partially perform a similar function - they unload standard premises and allow establishments to earn small improvements in infrastructure.
Despite some criticism, the project of paid cameras in the Ukrainian pre -trial detention center demonstrates steady demand and, according to officials, will continue to be scale - taking into account the needs of regions and financial capabilities.
