The goal of the Recovery Operational Group is to regularly bring together experts, observers, and representatives of international financial institutions to discuss and find solutions to Ukraine’s urgent recovery needs on a sectoral basis.
Alyona Shkrum, Maryna Denysiuk and Kostyantyn Kovalchuk, Deputy Ministers of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, met with partners to outline the main current challenges for Ukraine to ensure winter resilience. This was the first meeting in this format since the group was established. The Ukrainian Donors’ Platform brings together 30 countries and international organisations that are financially supporting Ukraine’s recovery.
The discussion is focused on protecting the energy system and heat supply to the regions, modernising and optimising water infrastructure, and restoring water supply and sewerage in the southern regions of Ukraine.
“Today we are launching a new format within the Ukrainian Donor Platform. The difference between the expert and political levels sometimes creates a gap in understanding the recovery process, its logic and priorities between us and our partners. This can sometimes lead to a lack of synchronisation of our joint efforts. The Recovery Operational Group is designed to help us with this.
As Ukraine is still going through the heating season, we are focused on ensuring its continuity, despite the risks of Russian attacks on our critical infrastructure. In particular, our attention is focused on three main components – water supply and sewage, heating and protection of our energy facilities. Today, these are critical areas for us, and we need to respond to problems as quickly and efficiently as possible. We count on the support of our partners in finding appropriate solutions and raising funds, in particular through the private sector,” said Alyona Shkrum.
The establishment of the Recovery Operational Group was announced by Oleksiy Kuleba, Vice Prime Minister for Recovery and Minister of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, during the 12th meeting of the Steering Committee of the Ukrainian Donor Platform in early January 2025. The platform aims to regularly bring together experts, observers, and representatives of international financial institutions to discuss and find solutions to Ukraine’s urgent recovery needs on a sectoral basis.
In her speech, Maryna Denysiuk emphasised the need to continue funding projects to build defences for Ukraine’s energy facilities:
“This issue is vital for the successful passage of the heating season, the continuity of electricity supply and the construction of new decentralised generation in Ukraine to overcome the daily challenges we face.
Together with the Reconstruction Agency, we are working to build three different levels of protection for such facilities. The work is ongoing, and the main thing for us is the financial support of our partners, as this area is relevant and critical to survive not only this winter but also the next heating season. If we have additional funds, we can potentially consider protecting more facilities accordingly. I believe that by combining our efforts and experience, we will be able to strengthen the resilience of the Ukrainian energy sector.”
She also emphasised the importance of the Roadmap for Energy Assistance to Ukraine developed by the G7+ Energy Coordination Group. Maryna Denysiuk noted that it provided an opportunity to create a comprehensive long-term framework for the recovery of Ukraine’s energy sector.
Konstantin Kovalchuk emphasised the priorities in the district heating sector.
“One of the most important areas in the sector for us is the decentralisation of heat generation to reduce dependence on large sources. That is why the Unified Project Portfolio for Public Investment in the Heat Supply Sector includes a priority project for 2025, Decentralisation of the Energy System, with a total value of $780 million. It envisages decentralisation of large heat generation sources through the installation of cogeneration units and block-modular boiler houses.
The Ministry has also prepared a clear plan to resolve the problematic issues of heat supply and identified the main areas of necessary changes to the legislation that will ensure the continued stable operation of enterprises, cover their operating costs and create conditions for their investment attractiveness,” he said.
Kovalchuk also said that the Ministry has started developing an important document – the State Target Economic Programme for Energy Modernisation of State-owned or Communal Heat Producers for the period up to 2030.
In addition, Alyona Shkrum spoke about the current state of affairs in the water supply and sewerage sector. She emphasised that the risk of a water supply collapse in the frontline regions poses a risk of disease outbreaks, which could potentially not only have serious consequences for the health of Ukrainians, but also increase the cost of restoring the sector many times over in the long run.
At the same time, the First Deputy Minister of Communities and Territories Development stressed that together with partners, they managed to prevent such scenarios. She also noted that in 2025, the focus will remain on addressing the sector’s priority needs, including the construction of water mains in Mykolaiv region.
The next Recovery Operational Group meetings will focus on transport, housing, and social infrastructure.