---
title: "NBU changes identification rules after veteran scandal: banks receive new verification methods"
description: "The NBU has changed client identification rules following a scandal involving veteran Ruslan Knysh, who was denied a card due to amputations. Banks are now required to use alternative verification methods for people with physical limitations. 🏦🇺🇦"
date: 2026-07-16T15:44:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/nbu-changes-identification-rules-after-veteran-scandal-en
tags: [nbu, privatbank, ruslan-knysh, andrei-pyshnyy, ukraine]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# NBU changes identification rules after veteran scandal: banks receive new verification methods

![Green bank card held in hand — symbol of new NBU identification rules after veteran scandal](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/16/nbu-izmenil-pravila-identifikacii-posle-skandala-s-veteranom/nbu-izmenil-pravila-identifikacii-posle-skandala-s-veteranom-1.webp)

Significant changes have occurred in the Ukrainian financial sector aimed at ensuring equal access to banking services for all categories of citizens. The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has officially expanded the list of methods by which credit institutions can identify and verify their clients.

The regulator's decision was a direct response to the public outcry caused by an incident involving a combat veteran who was denied service due to physical limitations. The new rules aim to eliminate the barriers faced by people with disabilities when attempting to obtain a bank card or open an account.

### Reaction to the incident at PrivatBank

The direct impetus for revising the regulatory framework was a high-profile case that occurred at a PrivatBank branch. War veteran Ruslan Knysh, who had lost all his limbs, approached the bank to receive a new card. However, the employees of the financial institution refused to serve him.

The reason for the refusal was the strict requirements of the standard identification procedure: the client was required to hold the bank card up to their face independently for photo verification. Due to his physical condition, Knysh could not perform this action, and the bank staff refused assistance from an accompanying person. The situation quickly gained wide public resonance, sparking a wave of criticism against the banking system.

Following the publication of the scandal details, the head of the National Bank, Andriy Pyshny, publicly apologized to the veteran. In his statement, the regulator promised to review existing procedures to prevent similar situations in the future.

### New rules and financial inclusion

The NBU press service reported that the changes were approved by Board Resolution No. 81 dated July 15, 2026. The document enters into force on Friday, July 17. Banks now have the right to use additional methods of client verification that do not require them to perform physical actions inaccessible to people with disabilities.

The regulator emphasizes that these measures are an important part of the financial inclusion development strategy. The goal of the changes is to ensure equal access to financial services for all citizens of Ukraine, regardless of their physical condition. Banks are now obliged to take into account the individual needs of clients when conducting identification procedures.