On 16 December 2022, the Report on the assessment of damages and key reconstruction needs of Mykolaiv was presented in Kyiv. The KSE Institute conducted the study with the support of the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative (EUACI).
'Since Mykolaiv became a partner of the Integrity Cities in June, the EUACI has been working with the city government to plan for a reconstruction process with transparency, integrity and accountability. One of the tools provided by our programme is a digital platform with data on damages that can develop into a platform for all stages of the reconstruction process. We hope this tool will be used as a best practice by other cities in Ukraine and can feed into a national GIS portal as well’, the Head of the EUACI Allan Pagh Kristensen said.
The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark in Ukraine Ole Egberg Mikkelsen explained the background behind the partnership between Denmark and Mykolaiv that was established in April.
'Now we are looking for a long-term perspective on how Denmark and Mykolaiv can work together on reconstruction. We can see the resilience and strong spirit of the city, and I can ensure you of Denmark’s support to the recovery and reconstruction process’, the Ambassador said.
During the presentation of the report on the assessment of damages and key needs of Mykolaiv, Maksym Nefyodov and Taras Byk reported that the total cost of damage to the city's infrastructure, according to preliminary estimates, is no less than EUR 852 million. The residential area is the most damaged – more than EUR 386 million. This was established by combining Maxar satellite photos, AI analysis and official data from the government. The data will be used to assess the needs, estimate the compensation for damages and reconstruction based on the principle of buildbackbetter.
‘Mykolaiv has seen destruction in all areas of city life. In the beginning, the accounting for city damages was made manually on a paper sheet. All data are now transferred to an additional GIS module developed with the support of the EUACI. The recovery will be based on urgent and strategic needs, but the priority will be given to the city’s development and the comfort of its people. Those who will return to the city after the victory’, Mykolaiv’s Mayor Oleksandr Syenkevych said.
Deputy Minister Ivan Lukerya noted that Mykolaiv's data will be fully integrated with the State Recovery Plan. He explained that to plan the reconstruction of Mykolaiv and other cities, partners need to understand the needs and priorities of funding, directions and projects. Quality data is the basis of reconstruction planning as well as the transparency and accountability of this process will build trust and attract investors.
The head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitaliy Kim, emphasized the importance of restoring the environment that was damaged by the war.
"The preliminary damage of the environment in the Mykolaiv region amounts to about UAH 23 billion. Among them are the emissions into the atmosphere due to explosions and poisonous substances of missiles, the burned forests on the Kinburn Spit and the destruction of unique meadows. These losses should be added to the total restoration of Mykolaiv," explained Vitaly Kim.
The head of the Mykolaiv Oblast Council Anna Zamazyeyeva presented the idea behind the reconstruction council of Mykolaiv that would ensure full coordination and inclusivity of the reconstruction process.
Recording of the event is available in Ukrainian (https://cutt.ly/K0PgBpy) and English (https://youtu.be/fKW5XdRjNJA)