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Latvia pledges 2 million euros for reconstruction of Chernihiv

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Chernihiv will receive two million euros from Latvia for the city's reconstruction, the Chernihiv City Council reported on May 24.

According to the Chernihiv City Council, the funds' use has already been determined and will include equipment for educational institutions and restoring Chernihivvodokanal's facilities, responsible for the city's drinking water and sewage disposal.

Oleksandr Lomako, the acting mayor of Chernihiv, went into detail about the destruction of public facilities caused by the Russian full-scale invasion, what has been done to restore them so far, how much money the city itself is able to invest in reconstruction, and what other resources it needs.

"The city does not have the opportunity to restore everything on its own. The state's priorities are now combat operations and the defense of the country, so we are actively cooperating with international donors and organizations to attract their help to restore Chernihiv," Lomako said.

Chernihiv Oblast is located in the north of Ukraine along the Russian border which has made it particularly vulnerable to attacks.

The Latvian delegation, led by Economy Minister Ilze Indriksone, was informed about the city's main reconstruction needs during the meeting. They were also provided with information regarding future reconstruction plans so that Latvia can determine its involvement in the implementation of specific projects.

The Kyiv School of Economics reported in late March that Russia's war against Ukraine had caused over $138 billion in damages across the country, including an estimated $36.2 billion in damages to infrastructure.

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The Kyiv Independent news desk

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President Volodymyr Zelensky has offered Kyrylo Budanov, the military intelligence chief, to take charge of the President’s Office on Jan. 2. "Now, Ukraine needs more focus on security issues, the development of the Defense and Security Forces of Ukraine, as well as on the diplomatic track in negotiations, and the President's Office will serve primarily to fulfill such tasks," Zelensky said. Budanov accepted the offer. Though not officially appointed yet, Zelensky has already tasked Budanov with updating and presenting strategic foundations for Ukraine's defense. The move follows a major reshuffle that saw the dismissal of Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s long-time chief of staff, in late November. The change occurred amid Ukraine's largest corruption scandal, signaling a shift in leadership dynamics. A source in the President's Office told the Kyiv Independent that the president's final choice would signal whether his focus lies on domestic affairs, diplomacy, or the battlefield. Lieutenant General Budanov, 39, has led Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) since 2020. Under his leadership, HUR has evolved into a formidable force during Russia's full-scale invasion. The spy chief has become a household name in Ukraine, while his agency is regarded as one of the most competent institutions in the country. It conducts intelligence operations within Russia and the Ukrainian territories Moscow holds, operates drone units responsible for hitting targets over 1,000 kilometers away, commands the International Legion and a number of other brigades fighting at the front. In recent months, Budanov also held talks with U.S. and Russian delegations in Abu Dhabi. A lawmaker from Zelensky's Servant of the People party, who spoke with the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity, believes that Budanov's appointment may signal that the widely discussed peace plan will not yield results given the Russian stance. "We need to prepare for a long, exhausting struggle. And this is exactly the approach that Budanov represents," the lawmaker said. Lawmakers and experts argue that it's not as important who becomes the new head of the President's Office, but its future influence. "(Budanov) will need to build his own system, his own vertical of power. I think it will be a different style of leadership for the office," the same source told the Kyiv Independent. "He's a spymaster, but he's not a master of political intrigue." Lawmakers from the president's party who spoke with the Kyiv Independent approved Zelensky's choice, yet questioning why Budanov agreed to take on this role. Although Budanov has never announced plans to pursue a political career, he is regularly featured in opinion polls and ranks among the top presidential contenders, behind only Zelensky and Ukraine's Ambassador to the U.K. Valerii Zaluzhny. According to a recent poll conducted by Socis, Budanov would secure 5.7% in the first round. In a hypothetical runoff between Zelensky and Budanov, the latter one would defeat Zelensky with 56% of the vote against 44%. Volodymyr Ariev, a lawmaker from the opposition European Solidarity party, sees Budanov's appointment either as an an attempt to remove a political rival or a move to shape him into a possible successor to Zelensky. "It all depends on how Budanov will position himself going forward — whether he will be willing, once he moves into the cabinet, to let go of his political ambitions," he told the Kyiv Independent. "Right now, serious changes and reforms are needed. If the president doesn't understand this, then Budanov's role will be reduced to becoming the second Yermak."

Earlier on Jan. 1, Volodymyr Saldo, a Ukrainian politician turned top Russian proxy head of Russian-occupied parts of Kherson Oblast, accused Kyiv of launching three drones at a hotel and a cafe on the Black Sea coast. Saldo claimed that the alleged New Year drone strike on the village of Khorly killed 24 people, including a child, and wounded more than 50.

Ukraine formally joined the European Union's single roaming zone on Jan. 1, allowing Ukrainian citizens to use their mobile phone service across the European bloc without incurring additional charges.

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