Microsoft will provide Ukrainian critical infrastructure and other state-critical sectors with $100 million in technology assistance by the end of 2023, company Vice President Brad Smith said during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister – Head of the Ministry of Digital Affairs Mikhail Fedorov on Thursday.
“With technical assistance, government agencies, critical infrastructure and other sectors in Ukraine will continue to use digital infrastructure and work in the Microsoft cloud for free. The company will also help with the curation and implementation of Ukraine’s digital sectors, such as cyber, judiciary, customs, medicine and education,” the company said in a statement to the Ministry of Digital in its Telegram channel.
Fedorov noted that Microsoft was one of the first companies to suspend all new sales of products and services in Russia back in early March.
“During this time, Ukraine has received more than $400 million in support. In addition to free services, Microsoft supports Ukraine in the field of cyber, donates to humanitarian aid and cooperates with the Ukrainian government to document the war crimes of Russian invaders,” the deputy prime minister said.
As a result of an enemy strike on critical infrastructure facilities, part of Kyiv has been de-energized, and there is no water supply in some areas, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said.
“As a result of attacks on critical infrastructure, part of the capital has been de-energized. There is no water supply in some areas. All services are working. More details later,” Klitschko wrote on his telegram channel on Monday.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal says that as of 11:00 am, 11 important infrastructure facilities in 8 regions and Kyiv have been damaged. The prime minister noted that the main goal of Russia is to sow panic, scare, leave Ukrainians without light and heat.
“All services are working on the ground, we are promptly restoring our infrastructure. We will do everything to restore all facilities as quickly as possible. Thanks to our rescuers and doctors who are now saving people’s lives in the epicenters of shelling. Thanks to our power engineers who are resuming the power supply of cities under shelling” he wrote.
Shmyhal also said that the air defense managed to shoot down more than 40 missiles out of 70.
The capacities of Ukrainian enterprises are sufficient to satisfy the need for roofing materials for the restoration of housing, social and critical infrastructure facilities affected by Russian aggression, Hanna Hontarenko, the acting director of the Ukrainian Steel Construction Center, told Interfax-Ukraine.
“Based on the results of work of the operational headquarters for the provision of construction materials in the Ministry of Regional Development, the needs of each region for roofing materials necessary for the restoration of housing, social and critical infrastructure have been determined. The internal potential of enterprises producing roofing materials in Ukraine allows us to meet these needs as soon as possible,” she said.
At the same time, the expert added that since the end of February 2022, the construction sector and the metallurgical industry have undergone significant changes.
“The destruction and occupation of the capacities of the largest metallurgical plants Azovstal and Illich Iron and Steel Works, a reduction in demand in the domestic market, an increase in the exchange rate and the cost of logistics – all these factors led to an increase in the cost of rolled metal. Since the beginning of the year, the price for certain assortment items has increased by more than 30%,” she said.
According to her, due to the aforementioned factors, steel structures manufacturers work with a low level of loading, however, due to stocks in warehouses and the work of metallurgical enterprises in Zaporizhia, Dnipro, Kryvy Rih, there is no shortage of rolled metal.
“But the situation will change when stocks are exhausted for certain assortment items that cannot be manufactured in Ukraine, and then demand will have to be met through imports,” the expert says.
As for the issue of steel roofing, the raw materials for it, namely rolled products, are produced by Zaporizhstal. Galvanizing and galvanizing/painting is carried out at the facilities of Unisteel LLC (the design capacity is 100,000 tonnes/year) or Modul-Ukraine LLC (the design capacity is 200,000 tonnes/year).
HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE, MANUFACTURERS, RAUTA, roofing materials
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a Memorandum on Turkey’s participation in the restoration of Ukraine’s infrastructure. In addition, Turkish campaigns will also provide consulting and technical assistance, said Deputy Head of the Office of the President (OP) Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
“In Lvov, during a meeting between President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a Memorandum was signed on Turkey’s participation in restoring Ukraine’s infrastructure,” he wrote on his Telegram channel.
According to him, Turkish state and business structures will develop specific restoration projects, as well as provide consulting and technical assistance.
“The restoration of the bridge in the village of Romanovka, Kyiv region, is being considered as the first project,” Tymoshenko stressed.
“We thank our partners for supporting the Fast Recovery plan and our initiatives,” the deputy head of the President’s Office wrote.
Denmark, through the EU civil protection mechanism, has offered Ukraine 35 excavators to restore damaged and critical infrastructure across the country, the European Commission has said.
“Destroyed by the war, Ukraine needs excavators to help rebuild damaged and critical infrastructure across the country. Denmark has offered 35 heavy machinery vehicles to Ukraine via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. First vehicles have already arrived via the EU hub in Poland,” the European Commission said on Twitter on Friday.
