Road signs in Ukraine


Road signs in Ukraine are governed by a combination of standards set out by the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, the European Union, and Ukraine Transport and Roads Agency. Ukrainian signs are similar to the signs of other post-Soviet states and are set out in 7 separate categories based on meaning: [|warning], [|priority], [|prohibitory], [|mandatory], [|information], [|service], and [|additional plates].
The state importance roads have different indexes, each standing for the respective letter in Cyrillic.
Ukrainian road signs were used in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol before their occupation and subsequent annexation by Russia in 2014. After the annexation of the Crimean peninsula by Russia, Ukrainian road signs began to be removed and replaced with Russian ones. In some cases, road signs in Ukrainian were removed from Crimea, while in others the text was changed from Ukrainian to Russian, including the names of settlements.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine was started on February 24, 2022, Ukravtodor began to remove road signs as they could be used by invading Russian forces to find their way around the country. Ukravtodor also posted an edited photo of a standard road sign in which directions to nearby cities have been replaced with Russian-language profanities. In the territories of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts occupied by Russia in 2022, Ukrainian-language road signs were removed by the Russians and replaced with Russian-language ones.

Standardisation

On January 1, 1980, the standard GOST 10807-78 was introduced in the Soviet Union. In August 1991, after Ukraine gained independence from the Soviet Union, the standard GOST 10807-78 continued to operate until it was replaced by the Ukrainian standard DSTU 2586-94 in 1995. With the adoption of the standard DSTU 2586-94 new road signs appeared in addition to those used in the Soviet Union before its collapse in 1991.
On January 1, 2003 the standard DSTU 4100-2002 was introduced, replacing the standard DSTU 2586-94 according to the decree of the State Standard of Ukraine.
On July 1, 2015 the standard DSTU 4100-2014 was introduced, replacing the standard DSTU 4100-2002 according to the order of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine No. 1484 dated December 29, 2014.
On November 1, 2021, a new standard DSTU 4100:2021 for road signs in Ukraine was introduced, replacing the standard DSTU 4100-2014. According to this standard, signs will be easier to read, and their accumulation is prohibited. The main difference is that the names of settlements will have a different font and will be capitalized, not uppercased. There is also a new typeface, called Road UA, that will be used. The new standard provides:
  • Layout of road signs of individual design according to the new principle;
  • The text must begin with a capital letter;
  • Arrows have a new shape;
  • European symbols are used to indicate the center of the settlement and the river;
  • Defined clear proportions and distances between the elements, depending on the size of the capital letter, which is chosen based on the location of the sign and the category of the road;
  • Transliteration of names of settlements is provided.
In addition, this standard will have a new designation of diagonal pedestrian crossings and a new sign for safety islands. Signs and signs to road signs for the development of cycling infrastructure will also be updated.

Warning signs

Warning signs are an upward-pointing red triangle, with white backgrounds and black pictograms. Yellow backgrounds are used for temporary dangers or roadworks conditions. Signs may include additional plates detailing the danger, who the signs apply to, or other necessary information.

Priority signs

Priority signs regulate the movement of vehicles in an orderly fashion. The priority road sign tells drives that they have priority at all intersections ahead on the road until the end sign. The traffic bottleneck signs are used where the road is too narrow to permit vehicles to pass side-by-side, but rather must alternate.

Prohibitory signs

Prohibitory signs regulate the use of the road based on movement, classes of vehicles, or other restrictions.

Mandatory signs

Mandatory signs instruct drivers on actions they must take or obey, or may mark types of vehicles permitted to use the road.

Information signs

Information signs describe conditions of the road and area that do not require a danger warning, mandatory instruction or prohibition.

Service signs

Service signs mark the way to road services that may be required by the driver. They may include arrows, distances to, or names of the service.

Additional plates

Additional plates provide extra information about the sign above it.

Historical/obsolete signs

There are images of historic or obsolete road signs, some of them are no longer used. However, the Soviet-style road signs and the typeface specified in the Soviet GOST 10807-78 standard may still be used in inscriptions despite the fact that the modern DSTU 4100:2021 is adopted.