Maintaining and Protecting Infrastructure in Kherson Oblast: Five Questions for Mykola Savchenko, Head of the Restoration and Infrastructure Development Office in Kherson Oblast
1. Kherson Oblast remains one of Ukraine’s regions most affected by the difficult security situation and constant shelling. What are the Restoration Office’s priorities today, and how has your approach to work changed under these conditions?
Today, our priorities have been completely reshaped by the realities of war. Capital construction and long-term development in the conventional sense are not our primary focus at this stage. Our main priorities are emergency response, protecting critical infrastructure and maintaining military logistics.
I would also like to highlight the pilot project in Posad-Pokrovske. The village was 80% destroyed, and rather than carrying out piecemeal repairs, we are implementing the comprehensive recovery of an entire settlement based on a unified architectural design code for the first time.
We are simultaneously building 230 private homes from the ground up, upgrading all utility networks, constructing an outpatient clinic and a safety center, and carrying out major repairs on 41 kilometers of roads, including sidewalks and street lighting. A key feature of this pilot project is the integration of new standards for accessibility and safety. And, of course, the ultimate goal is to enable people to return home.
2. Which infrastructure assets are currently the most critical for Kherson Oblast — roads, bridges, water supply systems or protective structures — and where is the Restoration Office concentrating most of its resources?
Today, an infrastructure asset’s critical importance is determined by how essential it is to keeping the region functioning. Bridges and other engineering structures come first. Destroyed bridges on the region’s key logistics routes pose a serious risk to military supply operations and humanitarian missions.
The second priority is the engineering protection of critical infrastructure. We have committed significant resources to constructing Level II protective structures at energy facilities. Civil protection structures, including radiation shelters, are also being incorporated into social infrastructure projects in communities under direct fire.
3. Have there been repeated attacks on infrastructure you are restoring? How does this affect work planning and the choice of engineering solutions?
Yes. This is the harsh reality we face every day. Some road sections and protective structures at energy facilities have been hit repeatedly. Repaired residential buildings in Posad-Pokrovske have also sustained further damage. Of course, this puts additional pressure on our resources, but we cannot afford to stop. These repeated attacks have fundamentally changed the way we approach engineering solutions.
4. What are the most difficult challenges facing your team today — security risks, lack of time, limited resources or other factors? How do you maintain continuity of operations?
The greatest challenges are keeping our people safe and dealing with an acute shortage of qualified personnel. Many of our specialists have evacuated. It is extremely difficult to find qualified engineers willing to work amid daily shelling in Kherson and across the region.
5. With the autumn and winter season approaching, what are the Restoration Office’s key priorities for ensuring that critical infrastructure remains operational even if intensive attacks continue?
Our key task for the autumn and winter season is to maintain reliable road access and protect energy supply systems amid the risk of potential blackouts. We are actively preparing road maintenance equipment and de-icing materials for winter operations, as debris from attacks combined with icy road conditions could completely disrupt logistics.