The full-scale war in Ukraine continues, and Russia strikes residential buildings, offices, and critical infrastructure in Kharkiv almost daily.
This was reported by Mayor Ihor Terekhov in an interview with Liga.net.
“To rebuild everything the aggressor has destroyed, more than 10 billion dollars are already needed. Each strike means broken windows, shattered roofs, and damaged apartments. But most importantly — there are dead and injured. Russia lies when it says it only hits military targets. With each strike, we have more and more evidence that this is a real genocide. Pivnichna Saltivka is the pain of the entire country. There is practically not a single multi-story building there that has not been affected,” Terekhov said.
When asked where the city plans to obtain funds for reconstruction, Terekhov replied that several priorities have been defined in Kharkiv’s budget.
“The first is support for the military. We transferred over half a billion hryvnias to the accounts of military units. The second priority is support for children whose parents were killed in combat. The third is actual reconstruction. Ten billion dollars — no city budget in the world could handle such a burden. That is why we involve international partners. More than 150,000 Kharkiv residents remain without housing. In 2022, we managed to rebuild 200 buildings, and last year — 67. It’s a drop in the ocean,” the mayor explained.
He also noted that businesses in Kharkiv are currently in a difficult situation, but some companies continue to participate in the city’s reconstruction.
“For example, we have almost completed the construction of an underground school for 450 students in one shift. This was made possible thanks to cooperation with construction companies and international funds. In addition, together with the military, the State Emergency Service, and IT specialists, we are developing our own differentiated air alert system. This will be a city-wide alert system integrated into the general network,” Terekhov added.