Related: Ukraine Rental Market Growing Despite Geopolitical Events
CEO of Avis Ukraine Updates Conditions
Haim Kapelnikov’s staff is safe, with part of his team evacuated from Kyiv to Lviv.

Kapelnikov manages 12 locations in Ukraine from his head office in Kyiv. Regional offices are in Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Dnipro.
Image: Wikimedia Commons/Peter Fitzgerald
Haim Kapelnikov, the CEO of Avis Ukraine, communicated today with Auto Rental News on present conditions of his car rental business within the country.
Kapelnikov manages 12 car rental locations in Ukraine from his head office in Kyiv. Regional offices are in the major cities of Lviv, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Dnipro. Kapelnikov’s employees are safe and in constant communication. Part of the staff has been evacuated to Lviv, with arrangements made for accommodation, he wrote in a LinkedIn exchange.
Kapelnikov reported that all 12 locations were open today with limited staff until 1pm Kyiv time. Those locations except for Lviv will be closed for the next days. “In two days we’ll assess the situation and (m)ake (the) decision (on whether) to open our RAC stations,” he wrote. “The main priority will be the safety of our employees and clients.”
Avis Ukraine’s call center is operational. All Avis Ukraine cars are being permitted to cross borders to neighboring E.U. countries where customers are able to drop their cars at any Avis location in Europe. “Our colleagues in Avis Europe are updated and supporting our client(s),” Kapelnikov wrote, citing the assistance of Mike Ellis, Avis Budget Group regional manager, who has been helping to notify Avis locations in neighboring countries for the last two weeks.
“In general all RAC companies are assessing the situation take care of the safety of their teams,” Kapelnikov wrote. “We have full support for Avis Ukraine clients in all Avis stations in Europe.”
Auto Rental News will update the situation when new information is available.
More Rental Operations

Rethink The Future To Avert A Race To The Bottom
Rental car operators heard a sobering industry message and a stern challenge at the close of the International Car Rental Show.
Read More →
DriveItAway, Free2move Plan Shared Fleet Program for Independent Rental Fleet Operators
Vehicles would be placed with participating rental operations to support car renter demand and provide additional fleet capacity.
Read More →
Stellantis Recalls 1.3 Million Jeep Vehicles Worldwide Over Fire Risk
Stellantis is recalling more than 1.3 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models worldwide over a fire risk linked to power steering pump wiring.
Read More →
Green Motion And U-Save Open Rental Operations In Guatemala
The brands will open their first rental car outlets in the country at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City.
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Drives $623 Billion+ in Economic Impact as Spending Reaches $538 Billion
The data also underscores the industry’s strong multiplier effect across the U.S. economy, revealing that each dollar invested in business travel in 2024 generated $1.16 in GDP.
Read More →
Rental Fleet Sales Skating Just Above 2025 Levels
The U.S. economy's continued growth and positive business investment are creating a favorable environment for fleet vehicle demand.
Read More →Grow Your Rental Business Beyond Cars
Rental fleet operations are facing numerous evolving challenges and opportunities from AI technology to rate and revenue management, to customer service and business growth.
Read More →
Using AI to Create Clarity, Not Conflict, in Rental Car Damage
Rental companies still need people, policy, judgment, and thoughtful implementation, with operators remaining in control of the customer experience.
Read More →
Get Ready To Roll: No Stopping Self-Driving Rental Cars
The autonomous mobility technology revolution will move at its own pace, but sooner rather than later.
Read More →
Southwest Airlines Selects CarTrawler For Its Car Rental Booking Platform
The platform is designed to allow customers to compare and book rental vehicles more easily during the travel booking process.
Read More →
