Mayor: It will take 20 years to restore Mariupol

"The issue of restoration, the revival of the half-million-strong city that we saw and imagined, a modern, European, Ukrainian city that we built for seven years, respectively, the two months of full-fledged Russian aggression which destroyed 50% of the city will take 20 years restoration. If we are talking about critical restoration, critical infrastructure, stabilization of the situation, restoration of all utility spheres and areas, UAH 14 billion is needed" Boychenko said during the FREEDOM telethon, Ukrinform reports.

He noted that the city hall was already elaborating a plan of priority steps to be taken after the liberation of Mariupol.

"We are not waiting for any decisions on liberation. Since last September, together with our regional team and the Mariupol municipality, we have been working to answer the main question: how quickly do we return to the city of Mariupol, what should we do in the first three months, half a year, 12 and 18 months from the point of view of stabilizing the situation: utility works, all functional directions, education, healthcare. We already have clear answers and we presented them at ReBuild Ukraine in Warsaw in February, presented our model for the rapid recovery of Mariupol," the mayor emphasized.

As reported, Mariupol suffered one of the biggest humanitarian disasters caused by Russian aggression. The city has been almost 90% destroyed by enemy shelling. Currently, more than 100,000 residents remain there.