One of the districts of Kharkiv where housing is being renovated as part of the UNOPS project. Bringing Back Hope: UN Helps Restore Housing in War-Torn Kharkiv Peace and Security
Kharkiv was one of the first major cities in Ukraine to feel the full brunt of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Airstrikes caused widespread destruction and forced displacement. Since 2023, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), with financial support from Japan, has been working to restore housing in Kharkiv.
The project aims to repair structurally intact buildings damaged in 2022, and involves replacing windows and doors, as well as repairing roofs and facades. The goal of the initiative is to provide residents with safe and habitable spaces and to revive life in war-torn neighborhoods so that the local population can find a sense of normality even in the face of ongoing conflict.
Consequences of military action
“In 2022, the Severnaya Saltovka district of Kharkiv suffered greatly. It was almost completely destroyed, and residents of the entire district were left homeless. It requires very serious restoration, up to and including the reconstruction of entire blocks,” explains the head of the repair team, Liliya Netesa. Despite the ongoing shelling, the work is proceeding as usual.
“Residents are concerned about the situation on the frontline. They had doubts about continuing the project after the recent escalation in May,” she shared. “But when they got their windows back, they were overjoyed. It brought a sense of hope and confidence.”
Liliya experiences the aftermath of war every day. “Sometimes I leave in the morning, and when I return to Kharkiv, I find that the city is paralyzed after another attack. The shelling stops transport, including the metro. No one can get anywhere,” she explained.
“There are also power outages: sometimes they are planned, sometimes not. Our energy system is badly damaged, and when there is a new attack, the power can go out without warning,” Liliya added. According to her, these disruptions create economic hardship: “There are not enough jobs, salaries are low, prices are inflated.”
Reviving a Community
The UNOPS project contributes to the local economy by providing work for construction workers like Liliya and her colleagues. The team is also working with a local NGO to engage residents in the affected areas.
“This project is not just about rebuilding housing. It is about reviving the community,” said Oleg Grishchenko, a UNOPS civil engineer overseeing the repairs.
The initiative will renovate hundreds of apartments, as well as common areas and the exteriors of apartment buildings. With additional funding from the Government of Japan, the project has been extended until December 2024.
“Kharkiv has become a pioneer in demonstrating how emergency response and recovery can go hand in hand,” said Simon Porter, Acting Director of the UNOPS Ukraine Office.
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