The total amount of direct damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure as a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion reached almost $170 billion as of November 2024, which is $12.6 billion more than at the beginning of 2024, the press service of the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) reports.
According to analysts from KSE, the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development, and the Ministry of Economy, the housing stock, transport infrastructure, and energy sector suffered the greatest losses.
The housing sector remains the most affected, with direct losses estimated at $60 billion. As of November 2024, 236,000 residential buildings were damaged or destroyed, of which 209,000 were private houses, 27,000 were apartment buildings, and another 600 were dormitories. In regional terms, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Kherson regions suffered the most damage, the study says.
Analysts estimate the losses of transport infrastructure at $38.5 billion. At the same time, more than 26 thousand kilometers of highways were damaged and destroyed, which is estimated at $28.3 billion. The losses of railroad transport amounted to $4.3 billion, port infrastructure – $0.85 billion, and the aviation industry – $2 billion. Direct losses to private passenger vehicles are estimated at $2.2 billion, with 260,000 cars destroyed or damaged.
Ukraine’s energy sector lost $14.6 billion. The attacks completely destroyed the Kakhovka and Dnipro hydroelectric power plants, Trypillia and Zmiiv thermal power plants, damaged or destroyed significant other generating facilities, as well as high-voltage substations and oil and gas infrastructure.
According to experts, the industry, construction, and service sectors suffered losses of $14.4 billion. Companies lost equipment, production facilities, and logistics capacities. As of November 2024, almost five hundred large and medium-sized private and state-owned enterprises were destroyed or seriously damaged.
The KSE estimated the losses of the agricultural sector at $10.3 billion. More than 130,000 units of agricultural machinery were lost, 4 million tons of grain storage facilities and 16,000 hectares of perennial crops were destroyed or damaged. The forestry fund also suffered significant losses: 298 thousand hectares of forests were damaged due to hostilities and fires, with losses estimated at $4.5 billion.
Losses to educational infrastructure are estimated at $7.3 billion. Over 4,000 educational institutions, including 229 schools, 110 kindergartens, and 97 universities, were damaged or destroyed during the full-scale invasion.
The healthcare sector lost $4.3 billion. Hospitals, clinics and other medical facilities were hit. A total of 1,554 medical facilities were damaged, including 515 hospitals and 465 outpatient clinics.
Cultural heritage, sports and tourist facilities were damaged to the tune of $4 billion. 3,921 cultural facilities, 399 religious buildings, and 343 sports complexes were damaged.
The housing and utilities sector lost $3.5 billion. 925 boiler houses, 214 central heating stations, and more than 354 kilometers of heating networks were severely damaged.
The digital infrastructure and telecommunications sector suffered direct losses of $1.2 billion. Internet networks, mobile radio networks and trunk communication lines were damaged. In the de-occupied territories, the destruction of networks sometimes reached 100%, and thousands of mobile base stations were destroyed, analysts summarized.
Saudi Arabia is interested in developing cooperation with Ukraine in the agricultural sector, according to Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval, who is on a working visit to the country as part of a Ukrainian government delegation.
According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food on its website, representatives of the Ukrainian delegation held a meeting with Saudi businessmen, which was attended by more than 80 representatives of various business sectors interested in cooperation with Ukraine.
“I thanked them for their support of our country and for believing in its future despite everything. For example, Continental Farmers Group is a company with Saudi capital that already cultivates 200 thousand hectares of Ukrainian land. They are one of the top 10 largest taxpayers in the agricultural sector, having paid more than UAH 1.6 billion in taxes at various levels last year. And they are planning to expand their capacities. In particular, they plan to grow grain and potatoes in the western regions,” the Minister said.
Another example, according to him, is the Saudi company SALIC, which invested in one of the largest Ukrainian agricultural holdings, MHP, acquiring 12.6% of their shares. In particular, the Minister discussed possible expansion of cooperation with the CEO of SALIC.
“I am pleased that the Saudi side sees the prospects for development in Ukraine. We discussed with them the possibility of cooperation in growing crops, veterinary medicine, and feed production. The business also expressed interest in jointly developing beef cattle breeding and organic products. We will continue to work,” the minister summarized.
As of February 14, Ukraine exported 27.275 mln tonnes of grains and pulses since the beginning of 2024-2025 marketing year, of which 1.585 mln tonnes were shipped since the beginning of the current month, the press service of the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food reported, citing the State Customs Service.
According to the report, as of the same date last year, the total shipments amounted to 26.269 million tons, including 2.393 million tons in February.
In particular, since the beginning of the current season, Ukraine has exported 11.464 mln tonnes of wheat (10.14 mln tonnes in 2023/24 MY), 2.106 mln tonnes of barley (1.507 mln tonnes), 10.8 thsd tonnes of rye (1 thsd tonnes), and 13.27 mln tonnes of corn (14.355 mln tonnes).
The total export of Ukrainian flour since the beginning of the season as of February 14 is estimated at 45.5 thsd tonnes (in 2023/24 MY – 70.6 thsd tonnes), including wheat – 42 thsd tonnes (66.9 thsd tonnes).
In January 2025, TAS Insurance Group (Kyiv) paid UAH 202.6 million under the concluded insurance contracts, which is 26.5% more than the amount of the company’s indemnities for the same month in 2024.
According to the insurer’s website, 27.63% of the total volume of payments was for hull insurance (UAH 56 million), which is 37% more than in January of the previous year, 31% or UAH 62.7 million (+7.8%) for MTPL, and 24.9% for Green Card.
The share of VHI in the company’s claims portfolio in December amounted to 15.9%, or UAH 32.13 million (+28.3%).
The company paid out UAH 14.82 million under other insurance contracts.
TAS BUSINESS was registered in 1998. It is a universal company offering more than 80 types of insurance products in various types of voluntary and compulsory insurance. It has an extensive regional network: 28 regional directorates and branches and 450 sales offices throughout Ukraine.
Cryptocurrencies are increasingly becoming part of the global financial system, and countries in the Balkan region are demonstrating a variety of approaches to their regulation.
Serbia
Status: Officially recognized and regulated.
Legislation: Law on Digital Assets (2020).
Regulators: The National Bank of Serbia and the Securities Commission.
Taxes:
Capital gains tax: 15%.
Income tax: 15%.
Penalties: Up to 5 million dinars ($46,400) or 20% of annual income for operating without a license.
Croatia
Status: Not recognized as legal tender, but not prohibited.
Regulation: There is no special law, operations are regulated by general rules.
Taxes: Income from cryptocurrencies is subject to capital gains tax.
Albania
Status: Regulated by law (2020).
Regulators: Financial Supervision Authority and National Agency for Information Society.
Taxes:
Capital gains tax: 15%.
Corporate tax: 15%.
Sanctions: Administrative fines and restrictions on activities.
Status: There is no special legislation, operations with cryptocurrencies are not prohibited.
Warnings: The central bank notes the risks associated with cryptocurrencies.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Status: Not legal tender, no exchange for official currency is possible.
Taxes: The tax on income from transactions is 10%.
Regulation: There is no legislation, but trading and buying cryptocurrencies is allowed.
Republika Srpska (part of Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Status: Cryptocurrencies are legalized (amendments to the law on the securities market, 2022).
Supervision: Securities Commission.
Taxes: Income tax is 10%.
North Macedonia
Status: Not recognized as legal tender.
Regulation: There is no regulation, cryptocurrency activities are not prohibited.
Kosovo
Status: Not recognized as legal tender, no special legislation.
Restrictions: A complete ban on mining has been introduced since 2022 due to the energy crisis.
Approaches to cryptocurrencies in the Balkans vary:
Serbia and Albania establish a clear legal framework, ensuring the legality of operations.
Montenegro and North Macedonia have no special regulation, but do not prohibit its use.
Kosovo restricts activities due to the energy crisis.
It is important for potential users and investors to study local laws and consult with experts to work safely and legally with cryptocurrencies in the region.
Source: https://t.me/relocationrs/434
Elections in Ukraine should be held no earlier than six months after the end of martial law, said David Arakhamia, head of the Servant of the People parliamentary faction.
“Let me remind you once again that, first of all, elections are impossible during martial law. And secondly, within the framework of the Jean Monnet Dialogue, the leaders of all factions and groups have agreed that elections will be held no earlier than 6 months after the end of martial law,” he wrote in Telegram.
He also recommends that everyone once again read the text of this document with the conclusions adopted during the ninth Monet Dialogue (Jean Monnet Dialogues for Peace and Democracy), which he attached below the text of the statement.
