Stand with Ukrainian cities

Dear friends and colleagues,

We cannot remain uninvolved in the times when residents of our cities go through cruel sufferings as a result of the war of russia against Ukraine. Dozens of cities suffer from constant shelling, missile attacks, and air bombing, some of them have been thoroughly burnt down, and more are on the edge of humanitarian catastrophe.

Day by day, we see how city authorities continue to work heroically in order to maintain the minimum vital activities, work of medical institutions and municipal services. Workers of such enterprises often perform their duties by risking their lives. Mayors of blocked and temporarily occupied cities remain true to Ukraine and do not cooperate with the occupiers. Wherever possible, city residents participate in peaceful protests against occupation regimes. The whole world admires the bravery of Ukrainians. Now in Ukraine more than 6.5 million * internally displaced persons (IDPs), and humanitarian needs grow at an exponential rate.

Our cities are actually crying for help the assistance from each and every of us. Informational, financial, humanitarian, etc.

Before the outbreak of war, we, in Deloitte Ukraine, were actively involved in the development of our cities and UTCs. By cooperating with local authorities and international donor organizations, we, together with our friends and partners in Ukrainian cities and communities, implemented more than ten successful projects on transformation in different regions of Ukraine. At the moment, we are trying to keep in touch with the cities in order to learn about their needs and ways of help. We collected data for lists of those things needed by our cities. Please see it below. Information is updated on an ongoing basis

Simultaneously, we communicate with international donor organizations, partner cities of Ukrainian cities, and Deloitte offices in other countries and seek for possibilities to arrange assistance.

*According to the UN data as of 30 March 2022

The needs of Ukrainian cities

Mariupol

Mariupol, a peaceful Ukrainian city of 550 thousand inhabitants, was, just a month ago, acknowledged as one the most developed municipalities in Ukraine according to Transparency International and IRI ratings. The city that had already been subjected to the 2015 bombing attacks of the russian regular troops that killed 30 civilians, seven years later, is once again suffering from shelling and bombing of the same regular troops of the same russia .

According to estimates, two thousand civilians have already been killed, including children as of mid-March 2022. From 14 to 20 March 2022, more than 39,000 Mariupol residents left the city via Mariupol-Berdiansk-Zaporizhzhia “green corridor”. People escaped from the Mariupol blockade by using their own vehicles. More than eight thousand motorcars left the city under the continuous fire. According to the mayor, about 50% of the population left Mariupol at the end of March. The other half of Mariupol residents and residents of the surrounding communities are currently suffering from the humanitarian catastrophe and aggressive military actions of the russian army. 80-90% of buildings are either destroyed or damaged, none of the utility services operate in the city.

Zhytomyr

Zhytomyr is a city with the population of 261,800 inhabitants that enjoys rich history. In 2014, the Zhytomyr residents, being a part of 95 Separate Air Assault Brigade, were among the first who defended Ukraine from the russian aggression and participated in the defense of the Donetsk airport.

From the outburst of the full-scale war, thousands of Zhytomyr residents volunteered to be enlisted to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other army units and, together with the military, erected dozens of the defense structures. Zhytomyr has turned into a real fortress that protects both the city inhabitants and more than 6,000 officially registered internally displaced persons from Irpin, Bucha, Mariupol, Kherson, Kharkiv, Kyiv, and other regions of Ukraine who suffered from the hostile activities.

Zhytomyr was exposed to air and missile attacks which destroyed, in addition to the double-purpose infrastructure facilities, the civil structures: residential buildings and education and health care institutions were ruined and damaged.
The city currently serves as press headquarters for foreign information agencies (70 media representatives from 14 countries) who work on showing the world the true face of the war.

As at the beginning of May 2022, the losses caused by russia to the city of Zhytomyr amounted to over UAH 500 million. The city needs technical and financial support for restoring the civil infrastructure (to rebuild critical infrastructure facilities, education and health care institutions, residential buildings, etc.) and adapting the social infrastructure facilities to operation and life in the conditions of the martial law (social hostels, arrangement of basements/air attack shelters in education and health care institutions, etc.).

Kharkiv

Kharkiv, a city of 1,470 thousand inhabitants, is located just 40 km off the russian border and became a subject to a heavy shelling since the first day of the war.

Based on the Kharkiv City Council’s estimates, to date, 1,937 infrastructure facilities have been destroyed, of which 1,671 are residential buildings, as well as 75 schools as the result of aggression by the russian federation. Despite extremely difficult conditions, wastes are continued to be collected in Kharkiv , water supply is restored. About 30% of city’s population have already left the city.

Vinnytsia

Vinnytsia is a city with the population of 300 thousand citizens that occupies leading positions in the ranking of Ukrainian cities in terms of comfort, transparency, energy efficiency, opportunities for business, inclusiveness. Even in the wartime, the economy of Vinnytsia is gradually coming back to life. Stores, markets, and shopping malls are opening in Vinnytsia . The business, with the facilities in the south-eastern regions, is interested in moving production facilities to the territory of Vinnytsia and the region. The critical infrastructure of the city is operating, Vinnytsia residents enjoy the supplies of electricity, water, gas, and heat. As a result of the recent bombing by the russian military forces, the Vinnytsia airport was significantly damaged. Therefore, the city's local authorities are currently seeking support and cooperation with private companies or donor organizations to rebuild the airport building so that to recover the city's mobility system.

A significant number of settlers from other regions of Ukraine are coming to Vinnytsia every day. As of 28 March, there were 6,394 people who had left the fighting areas and registered in the Vinnytsia city community. In particular, 1,636 families and 1,900 children. Also, 5,649 people received the status of internally displaced persons in Vinnytsia . Local authorities provide humanitarian aid to 754 families who had left the fighting areas. However, the exact number of settlers who stay in the city is difficult to determine as there are a significant number of people who stop in the city only for a night. As a result, there is a critical need in medicines, mats, and sleeping bags, as well as financial support to provide food to settlers and territorial defense units that defend the city.

Chernivtsi

Chernivtsi is a city with the population of 265 thousand
citizens. It is located in the south-west of Ukraine, 40 km off the border with Romania. Due to its territorial proximity to the border, local authorities are able to assist effectively in collection and further distribution of humanitarian aid. In the first days of the russian aggression, local team was engaged in establishing the humanitarian center HELP UKRAINE ROMANIA, which, during the month of work, sent more than 700 tons of cargoes to more than 60 local communities. Today, Chernivtsi supports in logistics for the humanitarian aid that arrives from around the world by crossing the Romanian-Ukrainian border, conducts transparent online aid accounting, and works with the official requests from communities in the war zone.

Since the beginning of the invasion, the government froze all capital expenditures, thus, blocking the construction of new roads and public spaces. However, projects to rebuild the city are already in the process of development. Moreover, Chernivtsi has opened the Entrepreneurship Support Center, which works for local businesses and those who have relocated from the war zones. Fourteen companies that had previously worked in what are currently war frontline regions have relocated to Chernivtsi. During the first month of the full-scale war, Chernivetska oblast became a shelter for almost 62,000 internal refugees, almost 20,000 of whom are children.

Mykolayiv

Mykolayiv, a city of 470 thousand inhabitants, is a crucial port in the south of Ukraine. It became a subject to very heavy shelling. Based on the report of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Mykolaiv’s pyrotechnic specialists were involved in the removal of explosive objects 644 times since the beginning of the russian aggression. A total of 371 munition items were captured in combats with the russian military forces at the end of March. Despite that, the city manages to keep its utility services in operating state. The city is partly blocked by the occupying forces and requires significant assistance to keep its services operating.

The city is located 65 km from the Black Sea coast. Mykolaiv is a logistics hub in the south of Ukraine, there are three international transportation corridors that pass through the city and through the Black Sea, the city has an access to the "New Silk Road". Among the seaports of Ukraine, the port of Mykolaiv is the second largest in terms of the goods transshipped, and it is the undisputed leader in vegetable oil transshipment.

Currently, the whole city’s population is suffering from regular airstrikes and shelling by the occupiers. As a result of the shelling, the administrative building and a part of the heating networks were destroyed, due to which the operation of one boiler house was suspended, there is no heat supply to 202 buildings. By the Order of the President of Ukraine, Mykolaiv was awarded the honorary award "The Hero City of Ukraine".

Voluntary evacuation of people from the villages of the region to Mykolaiv continues. There are currently 315 such people in the city. 80% of the people who have been evacuated from the villages do not go anywhere, they simply have nowhere to go.

At the moment, the city needs medicines and medical devices to help patients in the pre-hospital stage, general-purpose medicines and baby food, as well as tactical protective equipment and other equipment to ensure the safety and further functioning of the city in case of escalation of the hostilities. Additionally, the situation remains critical for the zoo of national importance located in the city. The Mykolaiv zoo, after repeated attacks on the city by the russian invaders, has considerable difficulties with food supplies to animals.

Nikopol

Nikopol is a city of regional significance located in Dnipropetrovska oblast of Ukraine on the right bank of the Dnipro river about 100 km south-west of Dnipro city. Nikopol is one of the largest cities in the region with the population of over 110,000 people. The city is a powerful industrial and transportation center conveniently located by the Kakhovka water reservoir. The largest manufactures are former Nikopol Tube Plant, established in 1931, which is now divided into smaller plants (e.g., Centravis , Interpipe Niko Tube), and Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant, which is the largest in Europe and second in the world in producing ferromanganese and ferrosilicomanganese.

Since the beginning of the russian invasion and as of the end of March 2022, more than 650 refugees from the frontline regions have arrived in Nikopol, including 200 children. Due to the city’s location, many refugees make a short stop in Nikopol before going further west. The city’s bus and railway stations maintain connections with the most important destinations. Nikopol also ensures normal work of the city’s utilities providers that secure undisrupted water and electricity supply for the city’s residents.

With the help of volunteering organizations and local government officials, Nikopol has received international humanitarian aid from Romania and Germany. Currently, the city mostly requires personal protective equipment for the residents who serve in the territorial defense units. However, the city welcomes any other humanitarian aid such as medical or food supplies, household goods.

Poltava

Poltava is a city of oblast status in Ukraine, the administrative center of Poltavska Oblast and the Poltava city territorial community, with the population of 279.8 thousand persons. The city of Poltava is known for its numerous historical and cultural landmarks and one of the most important economic, scientific, and educational centers of Ukraine.

Even in the time of war, the business of Poltava continues to operate and satisfy the continuously growing needs of its residents and internally displaced persons. The city’s critical infrastructure is fully operational. Poltava has free manufacturing facilities and is ready to accept the enterprises that relocate from other regions of Ukraine.

Poltava is located in the immediate proximity to the hottest zones where the most active combat actions are held — Kharkiv (150 km), Sumy (175 km), Dnipro (181 km), and the populated areas in Sumska (Trostianets, Okhtyrka) and Kharkivska oblasts (Izium, Derhachi, Lozova) that have suffered most in the war. Those towns have been exposed to constant missile attacks from the very beginning of the war and require the continuous support. Poltava is the place where relief consignments are organized to be forwarded to the above settlements, therefore, Poltava has eleven humanitarian aid reception centers operating in the city.

At the same time, Poltava has provided shelter for thousands of displaced people from the cities and villages in Kharkivska, Sumska, Kyivska, Dnipropetrovska, Luhanska, and Donetska oblasts. The Poltava region has become a temporary place of residence for 100 thousand displaced persons, including about 60 thousand of them staying directly in Poltava. Approximately six thousand internally displaced people are currently residing in Poltava’s educational institutions – schools and kindergartens. Over 30,000 relocated persons from other regions have been officially registered as internally displaced people. The municipal authorities provide them with foodstuffs, clothes, personal supplies, medications, and a complete set of social services.
The municipal authorities are currently in the search of support and are open for cooperation with private companies or donor organizations to ensure the satisfaction of the continuous needs of internally displaced persons who have been staying with the community for a rather long period already.

To date, the city requires a significant support both for itself and for the assistance to the towns mentioned above — medications and medical equipment (in particular, to ensure the healthcare to patients at pre-hospital and hospital stages), general-purpose medicines and baby food, as well as tactical protective equipment and other equipment (to ensure the safety and further functioning of the city in case of escalation of the hostilities).

Additionally, the situation remains critical in terms of food for the animals placed in the Kovalivka Eco-Park (located in the community area) to which they have been evacuated from the Feldman Eco-Park in Kharkiv.
The updated data about the essential needs of the city are provided on the official site of the City Council.

Makariv

Makariv is a peaceful modern village in the close vicinity to Kyiv, a center of the newly established community that has united around itself 48 populated areas in Kyivska oblast. It has been a place of residence for over fifteen thousand Ukrainian citizens.

Having once elected the course for modernization and implementation of environmental approaches, Makariv has been consistently moving ahead, until, from the very outbreak of the war, it has turned into an unassailable fortress – a shield for our Ukrainian capital.

For 37 days and nights, Makariv was besieged and heroically held the line. For 37 days and nights, the village suffered from devastating blows and invasion of the russian intruders, lost its sons and daughters. During this period of time, only the Makariv inhabited area had 597 private residential buildings damaged and 208 ones ruined to the root. The residents of 30 multi-storied buildings lost their places to live. A newly built building of the Makariv General Medical Service Outpatient Clinic, the Teremok and the Barvinok pre-schools, the Adonis Private Clinic, and the bread-baking plant were completely destroyed. And serious damages were delivered to the 5-storey building of the Therapeutic Department of the Makariv Intensive Care Multi-Field Hospital, the premises of the police and fire brigade stations, Lyceum No. 1, the children’s library, the cultural center which, in addition to the concert hall, housed the children’s musical school and sports school for children and youth, and the bridge over the Zdvyzh river. Because of extensive damages, the central part of the village lost its good looks: trading and office premises, stores, residential buildings, etc. were turned into ruins.

After the cease of fire and retreat of the enemy’s troops, Makariv is gradually returning to the peaceful life. Roadblocks are cleared away, and electrical energy, natural gas, and communication supplies are partially restored. Utility services work tirelessly. Local residents, volunteers, and territorial defense soldiers have united their efforts in the commitment to “grant the gift of new life to Makariv”. The first-priority task the local authorities are obliged to resolve is to restore the critical infrastructure facilities and residential buildings. We believe that, supported and assisted by our international partners, we will be able to bring Makariv back to life in the shortest possible time.

Chernihiv

Chernihiv is the city with centuries-long history famous for its sights from the times of Kyivan Rus and Chernihiv Principality. Before the outbreak of the war, Chernihiv was the home for about 300,000 residents. The city had been developing rapidly, as confirmed by the all-Ukrainian and international ratings and high positions in the level of investment attractiveness and credit rating.

The city that had once been ruined during the Second World War, in 2022, again incurred enormous economic losses and destructions as a result of the war of russia against Ukraine. The city had 101 multi-storied residential buildings completely destroyed and 551 partly damaged; two comprehensive schools and one vocational education institution fully swept away and 25 schools, 37 kindergartens, and four vocational schools partially ruined; a children’s dentist clinic fully demolished and five city hospitals wrecked; three water supply pumping stations, out of the five existing ones, destroyed; two sewage pumping stations ruined; fresh water supply and waste water discharge networks damaged; 50% (55 km) of the city’s trolley-bus transport network destroyed and 90 contact system masts pulled down, six trolley-buses damaged; 60 units of specialized machines of the city’s utility enterprises completely destroyed; other facilities of the city’s social infrastructure ruined and damaged, including the building of the Chernihiv City Council; and the Chernihiv combined heat power plant ruined. About 200,000 residents of the city were forced to leave their homes.

Currently, Chernihiv requires funding and the experts who would assess the damage incurred and restore the destroyed critical infrastructure facilities.