As of November 1, 2023, the process to permanently remove unrenewed domain names from February 24, 2022, to May 1, 2023, will commence. Once deleted, these domains will be available forregistration by anyone. If you had a domain that went into the Redemption Period due to late payment, it may still be reserved for you. Get in touch with your registrar to find out more.
Typically, domains are removed about two months after the service expires and the owner hasn't extended it. However, due to the hostilities starting on February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian domain registry, "Hostmaster," and registrars collectively decided to 'freeze' all expired domains in the Redemption Period state. This was done to provide a lifeline to domain owners affected by the war, allowing them to recover their domains when things settled down.
A year after the hostilities began, registrars decided to return to their standard procedures, as the large number of domains in Redemption Period status was causing complications and overloads for the registry. Users were given an additional six months starting on May 1, 2023, to renew their domains. You can find more information in the news.
This six-month extension period will conclude on November 1, 2023. Until that date, you have the option to reactivate your domain name by paying double the annual fee (which is much cheaper than the standard regulations). If the domain isn't renewed, it will become available for free registration, and someone else can take ownership.
To make use of this opportunity, you can check for expired domains in your hosting control panel or reach out to your registrar's technical support for details on renewing your domain name.
