It was the first time the journalists had visited Lviv Oblast, so they were primarily interested in the work of all spheres of public and economic life in the region during the full-scale war.
As part of the press tour, a delegation of journalists from African countries arrived in Lviv region. They talked to Maksym Kozytskyi, head of the Lviv Regional Military Administration, about how the region organized assistance to IDPs, relocated businesses and the consequences of enemy air attacks.
– We have heard that Lviv region has sheltered the largest number of IDPs during the full-scale war. How did you organize the work with people?” – Saiku Jammeh, (Republic of Gambia), journalist with Journalists for Justice (JFJ).
Before the outbreak of full-scale war, the population of Lviv region was 2.5 million people. After February 24, about 8 million Ukrainians evacuated through our region, including 2 million who took refuge in Lviv Oblast, fleeing the shelling. As of now, more than 220 thousand people are officially registered in the region, including 60 thousand children. Most of all, we evacuate people with disabilities and elderly people who receive assistance in medical and social institutions in the region.
– To what extent has the economy suffered due to Russian aggression? Jackson Biko Ugo (Republic of Kenya), journalist at Nation Media Group.
There is no region in Ukraine that would not have a negative impact on the economy at the regional level. Last year, 7 companies relocated to us, and a total of 161 companies continue to operate here. The number of jobs that relocated businesses have brought with them and created here today is more than 5,000. The region has done a tremendous job in this area, so budget revenues continue to grow and the economy is developing.
It is worth noting that when the export of products through the Black Sea was blocked, the main transportation corridor ran through our region.
– Lviv region is the farthest from the war zone. But your region is also under attack. What are the consequences? Orrin Singh (South Africa), journalist for Eyewitness News.
Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, the enemy has attacked approximately 900 facilities in the Lviv region. Only 25 of them can be classified as critical or military facilities, while the rest are hospitals, kindergartens, schools, private homes, and warehouses.
The enemy also continues to attack our energy infrastructure. Last month, our citizens’ homes had electricity for only 10-12 hours a day. And now it’s only summer. We are preparing for a difficult winter, because in addition to the lack of electricity, there are some settlements that may be cut off from heat supply due to another attack.
We are a densely populated region. There are almost no families in the region whose family members are not currently fighting, or families who have lost a loved one. I have also lost acquaintances. Unfortunately, in the 21st century, neither the Red Cross nor other organizations can help us return the bodies of our military or find the missing.
– War is always a lesson for any nation, and sooner or later any war ends. What will you always remember about this struggle as time passes? Nicholas Leonard Ibekwe (Federal Republic of Nigeria), journalist for the Premium Times of Nigeria.
The end of the war cannot be in the surrender of territories. This is not why hundreds of thousands of people died. Ukrainians hope that the international community will help achieve a just peace and that war criminals will be punished. We need like-minded people, because it is impossible to defeat Russia on our own. If the world wants sustainable peace, it must correct its mistakes. Russia is at war with Ukrainians, not as a state, but as a nation. They are ready to exterminate us. The latest cynical attack on the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital in Kyiv is a vivid example of this.
Our country is the largest exporter of food, so victory is also important in terms of food security in the world. We have nuclear power plants that need international protection. Accidents at these facilities are a catastrophe for humanity.
This war united us against a common enemy and also united us in times of crisis, when everyone helped everyone. I remember February 2022. Lviv railway station. Hundreds of thousands of people with suitcases, children, and pets fled the Russian aggression. At that time, shelters were quickly organized at the train station, where people could spend the night, eat, get medical care or any information. Lviv residents brought clothes and food to these stations. It used to sound like a movie plot, but this is our reality.
– As the head of the entire Lviv region, what are the main areas that have been particularly affected by this war? Jackson Biko Ugo (Republic of Kenya), journalist at Nation Media Group.
We were not ready to teach children in bomb shelters, but now every educational institution has put its premises in order, where it is possible to continue the educational process easily and safely. By the way, international philanthropists helped us with this. Due to the relative territorial security, the number of applicants to our educational institutions has increased. Thus, our region has become a center of talented youth.
The most powerful rehabilitation and prosthetics centers for victims of Russian aggression, the UNBROKEN Superhumans Center, are now located in Lviv Oblast. Professional assistance is provided at the regional hospital in Vynnyky and the rehabilitation center in Velykyi Lubin. Many children are treated in the Western Ukrainian Specialized Children’s Medical Center, and many are born in the regional perinatal center. During the full-scale war, all these institutions have significantly improved their material and technical base, including with support from the regional budget.
The defense sector. We have started manufacturing drones and robotic systems that are already helping our boys and girls at the front. Dozens and hundreds of startups by our young people are now connected with supporting the defense sector.
By the way, the meeting is part of the project “Deploy Ukraine for the Global South”. This is the third such visit by foreign journalists under the program of the same name. In particular, in May of this year, the head of the Lviv Regional State Administration met with journalists from Latin America, and even earlier – with journalists from Southeast Asia. The press tour was organized by the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center.