Zelensky announces program to rebuild Ukrainian cities Russia destroyed

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has commissioned the government to start a special state program focused on reconstructing every Ukrainian city damaged by Russia’s invasion, CNN reported. 

In a statement, on Thursday, Zelensky said, “After the war, after our victory, we will rebuild everything that was destroyed. Very quickly and with a very high quality”, and added, “A special state program for reconstruction will be created for each affected city. I have already instructed the government to start the elaboration”. 

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The president also promised the program would be of high quality and widespread. He said, “The best architects, the best companies, the best projects. For every city! I want to say this on the example of Kharkiv. Our Kharkiv, which is now experiencing the worst suffering since World War II … Freedom Square will be such that everyone, all of us, all Europeans will be there!”

Zelensky also continued, “Poltava Way, Belgorod Highway, Myronosytska Street, Regional Children’s Hospital, Kharkiv Oncology Center, Karazin University, Labor Palace, Korolenko Library … We will rebuild everything! I promise you personally”. 

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His announcement comes as Russia has shelled several cities in Ukraine damaging civilian targets too. Most recently, their attack on a maternity hospital in Mariupol has drawn global outrage. However, Russia has denied responsibility for the attack, after they initially alleged Ukraine had set up combat positions in the hospital. 

Earlier, the Russian attack on the Holocaust memorial Babin Yar, in the capital city Kyiv, also drew Zelensky’s condemnation. He said at a press conference, “This is beyond humanity. Such missile strike means that, for many Russians, our Kyiv is absolute foreign. They know nothing about our capital, about our history. They have orders to erase our history, our country and all of us”, as per the Associated Press. The president continued questioning whether “Sophie’s Cathedral, Lavra, Andrew’s Church” would be some of Russia’s next targets in their quest to “denazify” and “demilitarize” Ukraine.