In Ukraine, a good news story is building

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been catastrophic. About one-fourth of Ukraine’s population is displaced. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed. Countless cities and villages have been destroyed, and experts predict it will take over $1 trillion to rebuild.

Amidst this devastation, however, lies a good news story. While Russia’s war continues, Ukrainians across the country started to rebuild their homes. Last month, photos and videos circulated on social media showing rebuilt Ukrainian apartment buildings that were previously destroyed by Russian artillery strikes. In addition, restoration efforts across Kyiv Oblast have been very successful. Apartment buildings, shopping centers, and gas stations were rapidly rebuilt, and the government is looking to extend these efforts to other parts of the country.

How have the Ukrainians rebuilt their infrastructure so quickly?

In May 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian government launched UNITED24, an initiative defending and rebuilding Ukraine. One of the programs within this initiative is “Rebuild Ukraine.” The project seeks to restore damaged and destroyed buildings in cities across Ukraine. To date, the program has raised some $14 million.

“The Ukrainian reconstruction program will be the largest rebuilding project since the Second World War,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated when the “Rebuild Ukraine” program was announced. “We are grateful to everyone who contributes to the reconstruction of our country,” he added.

Some prominent Ukrainian individuals are directly involved in these restoration efforts. For example, world-renowned tennis star Elina Svitolina and professional boxer Oleksandr Usyk are ambassadors for the program. They have collectively raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help fund apartment restorations across Kyiv Oblast.

The efforts and resilience of the Ukrainian people have inspired many. Outside of those contributing to these efforts in Ukraine, prominent international companies such as Uber and Deloitte have contributed to these restoration efforts.

Several international companies are exploring how they can contribute to this cause. For example, French firm Neo-Eco wants to use rubble to help construct new apartment buildings. This company has been “transforming demolition rubble into new construction materials” for over 15 years, and it is eager to assist Ukraine in its restoration efforts. According to the company’s vice president, Neo-Eco will look to complete several newly constructed buildings in Ukraine by the end of 2024.

Despite these trends, some international donors have expressed their concerns. These individuals argue that many parts of the country are still in a war zone, and that rebuilding sites within these areas is risky. Restoring Ukraine’s infrastructure will be very expensive, and they argue that buildings in the war zone could easily be destroyed or damaged again during the ongoing Russian invasion.

But the Ukrainians do not have a choice. To date, millions of Ukrainians have been forced from their homes. Rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure would allow them to return to their homes, and it would provide thousands of Ukrainians with shelter.

“A lot of the damage is not fixable within a week or a month,” said Dr. Tymofiy Mylovanov, the president of the Kyiv School of Economics, in an interview with The Guardian. “If we [establish a] good benchmark in terms of funding [for Ukrainian infrastructure], then the rest will follow,” he added.

Other international donors may argue that Ukrainian restoration efforts are too ambitious. While “Rebuild Ukraine” is currently rebuilding a few apartment complexes in Kyiv Oblast, the Ukrainian government estimates that the war has damaged over 150,000 residential buildings. This does not include the numerous schools, hospitals, nursing homes, and cultural centers destroyed by the Russians.

In other words, there is a lot of work to be done to rebuild Ukraine. But the Ukrainians are undeterred by these hardships.

“We have taken into account that some bridges [and buildings] could be destroyed again,” said Oleksandr Kubrakov, the Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine. But “it’s symbolic, and it’s important [to conduct these efforts],” he argued. “Without those bridges [and other forms of critical infrastructure], we won’t have a country. We’re focusing on the most critical projects which are important just for survival.”

In other words, the Ukrainians are aware of the dangers associated with the war. They also acknowledge that some of their work will be undone as the war continues. Despite these concerns, the Ukrainians are determined to rebuild their country. The efforts undertaken by the Ukrainians suggest that they will do everything they can to rebuild their homes, and they will not back down until their country returns to normal.

No one knows when the war will end. But Ukraine’s continued optimism and its ongoing restoration efforts have made a difference for its citizens.

Mark Temnycky is an accredited freelance journalist covering Eastern Europe and a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center. He can be found on Twitter @MTemnycky