Over 170,000 buildings in Ukraine damaged, destroyed by Russian attacks

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has already left over 170,000 buildings damaged or destroyed across the country.

The relevant statement was made by Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning, Leader of the Servant of the People party Olena Shuliak in a blog for Ukrinform.

“During the first year of the war alone, according to the data from the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Russia launched about 5,000 missile strikes and 3,500 air strikes on the territory of Ukraine, and used over 1,100 combat drones,” Shuliak mentioned.

In her words, these statistical data do not include artillery and multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) attacks, affecting the Ukrainian communities situated at the contact line and frontline settlements.

“As a result, according to the preliminary estimates of Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), as of now, we have over 170,000 buildings damaged or destroyed due to hostilities,” Shuliak noted.

Additionally, Russian attacks affected over 3,500 educational institutions, 420 large and medium-sized enterprises, 18 airports and civil airfields, 344 bridges and crossings, 25,000 motor roads.

“Our task today is not just to rebuild as it was, but to restore these settlements according to the ‘build back better’ principle, creating all the conditions for their consistent restoration,” Shuliak emphasized.

A reminder that, as of October 31, 2023, about 160,000 buildings and structures were destroyed or damaged by Russian attacks in Ukraine, including 20,000 apartment blocks.