Rebuilding without waiting for the end of the war: how Denmark helps Mykolaiv

Updated at 3:03 p.m. Commentary of Mykolaiv City Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych was added to the article.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Denmark to Ukraine Ole Egberg Mikkelsen and Mayor of Mykolaiv Oleksandr Sienkevych

At the end of March 2022, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, offered Denmark to take custody of the Mykolaiv Oblast. This happened after the country's leader addressed the kingdom's parliament. At the end of August last year, the mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, and the Minister of International Development of Denmark, Flemming Moller Mortensen, signed a memorandum of cooperation. The memorandum envisages joint work on the formation of reconstruction projects and the involvement of investors from various countries in the restoration of Mykolaiv.

Since then, close cooperation between Denmark and Mykolaiv provides the city with the necessary humanitarian and financial aid, equipment for utility workers who worked day and night, helps in equipping shelters and in restoring infrastructure damaged by Russian shelling.

During this period of interaction, the cooperation between Mykolaiv and Denmark became a model, which was emphasized by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

In general, Denmark shows solidarity with Ukraine through multifaceted and long-term support provided on a bilateral basis together with our partners and allies. Since the beginning of the war, Danish support for Ukraine has amounted to about 2.8 billion euros in military support and about 375 million euros in civilian aid.

NikVesti tells about the help Mykolaiv receives from Denmark.

From February 2022 to October 2023, Denmark assumed a major responsibility for the restoration of infrastructure in Mykolaiv and the region. According to the report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, the total amount of allocated funds was 75.5 million euros.

Distribution of funding:

• Reconstruction of water supply with special emphasis on efficient use of resources — 8 million euros;

• Support for ambulances and equipment for water and heat supply — 2.3 million euros;

• Support for the reconstruction of buildings and equipment for water and heat supply — 3.4 million euros;

• Equipment for water and heat supply — 3.4 million euros;

• Emergency repair support — 2 million euros;

• Support of necessary water infrastructure — 10 million euros;

• Electricity and heat supply support — 3.5 million euros;

• Reconstruction of social infrastructure facilities, water supply, sewage and heat supply, subsidies for local self-sufficiency — 4.7 million euros;

• Support for reconstruction of buildings and electricity supply — 2 million euros;

• Creation of the Mykolaiv recovery office, support of community resilience, involvement of civil society, as well as professional education and training — 4.7 million euros;

• Support for emergency, electricity and heat supply — 17.8 million euros;

• Restoration of social infrastructure, in particular neighborhoods, schools, bomb shelters — 13.5 million euros;

• Technical assistance — coordination unit/coordinating chamber to support Denmark's reconstruction in Mykolaiv — 270,000 euros.

It should be noted that Denmark implements the process of tenders and selection of contractors independently, seeking to avoid corruption risks. According to the mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, this strategic partnership has already become a key stage in the recovery and development of the region.

Report on the financial support of Denmark to the city of Mykolaiv and the region starting from February 2022

As of November 2023, assistance from Denmark has already proven to be concrete and effective. According to the deputy mayor of Mykolaiv Serhii Koreniev, who supervises the work on cooperation with the kingdom, Denmark turned out to be the partner that the city always dreamed of. The country is actively involved in the restoration of infrastructure, providing financial assistance, construction materials and equipment for various sectors, including water, electricity and heating systems.

«This is the partner that Mykolaiv could have dreamed of, and now this dream has come true, and he has appeared at our place. I think that the people of Mykolaiv also see that help is coming, and the Danish partnership is present. Citizens can feel it on the streets of the city, when buses will come to us, and new garbage trucks will enter the routes. It will happen very soon,» Serhii Koreniev said in a comment to NikVesti.

Opening of the restoration and development office and the Danish embassy in Mykolaiv

On Monday, November 6, the Office for Reconstruction and Development of the Urban Community was opened in Mykolaiv with the support of the governments of Denmark and Sweden. The mission of the Office is defined not only as a place of concentration of ideas, but also as a central point for the implementation of projects aimed at improving the infrastructure and development of the city.

Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych shared his impressions of the opening of the office, emphasizing the importance of this step for the further development of Mykolaiv.

«This is the place where all restoration projects will flock, and project managers will work on attracting funds for the development of the city of Mykolaiv and its restoration, as well as the development of small and medium-sized businesses in our city. This entire project was implemented thanks to the governments of Denmark and Sweden, as well as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). They filled it with appliances, furniture, and all equipment. And our task was to update the premises for the opening of this office. This is a very important initiative that will help Mykolaiv in its post-war development,» said Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych.

Opening of the Reconstruction and Development Office in Mykolaiv. Photo: Mykolaiv City Council

Highly qualified experts in various fields will work in the Office, who will study and develop reconstruction projects. In particular, they will actively seek funding for projects and cooperate with city council divisions for their successful implementation.

«Denmark is rebuilding Ukraine right now, without waiting for the end of the war,» the Embassy of the Kingdom of Denmark in Ukraine reported.

In addition, Denmark plans to open an office in Mykolaiv, which will work under the embassy in Kyiv. He will coordinate activities between local authorities and Danish companies and organizations involved in the reconstruction. By the end of October, the Embassy office was recruiting a team to implement plans within the Mykolaiv-Denmark Partnership.

Recovery after Russian shelling: new equipment, heat, transport and engineering systems

Artillery shelling by the Russian occupying forces in the Mykolaiv region caused damage to thousands of residents and destroyed apartment buildings, more than 80 educational institutions, as well as medical institutions and utility facilities. In April last year, the regional center found itself without centralized water supply. Therefore, the first stage of cooperation between Denmark and local authorities was aimed at preparing the city and the region for winter and helping the citizens.

The city council explains that Denmark's aid is not based only on providing technical support to the municipality, moreover, the city does not always know the cost of this or that equipment that is provided to the city, since it has nothing to do with procurement.

Arrival of a batch of construction materials from Denmark. Photo: Mykolaiv City Council

Arrival of a batch of construction materials from Denmark. Photo: Mykolaiv City Council

In addition, Denmark provides assistance directly to the residents of Mykolaiv through public organizations and international institutions such as the Red Cross, the United Nations, and the Danish Refugee Council (DRC).

In the first year of the war, the kingdom focused on helping with water purification, supplying equipment for water, electricity and heat supply.

«Assistance was also provided to KP «Mykolaivvodokanal» with the supply of pipes and pumps, moreover, equipment was delivered to KP. Also, water purification systems were handed over to the Department of Education, Medicine, Regional Heat, there were about 50 of them,» says Vice Mayor Serhii Koreniev.

The Danish government allocated more than 40 million euros to prepare for winter on November 7. The aid package includes, among other things, the purchase and installation of equipment for heat supply, water supply, centralized heating, support for the reconstruction of critical social infrastructure and civil institutions in the region. In addition, it includes the transfer of 20 mobile heating boilers.

Deputy Mayor Serhii Koreniev noted that 10 boiler houses will be sent to the Mykolaiv region, and the other 10 will be distributed in Mykolaiv. He added that Denmark also handed over 13 modular biofuel boilers to the city last year.

In addition, Denmark previously allocated funding for CHPPs in the amount of 3.8 million euros to restore engineering systems, prepare water for boiler rooms and purchase the necessary equipment for a successful heating season.

As part of the aid to the city, 4 new buses are also provided for Mykolaivpastrans KP by the end of 2023, with plans to deliver another 8 buses next year. In addition, the Danish government has received a request for the supply of a large loading crane, a rotary telescopic crane and a vacuum excavator for KP Mykolaiv Parks.

Restoration of gymnasium and university and arrangement of shelters

The facade of the First Ukrainian Gymnasium named after Mykola Arkas was destroyed on November 1, 2022, during the bombing of Mykolaiv by Russian troops. As a result of shelling in the gymnasium, a part of the wall collapsed, the interior of the classrooms was opened, and the roof above the facade was damaged.

In the spring of 2023, Denmark expressed its intention to rebuild the Lyceum named after Mykola Arkas, while preserving its authentic appearance. In September 2023, Ukrainian architects presented Ole Egberg Mikkelsen with reconstruction options.

The damaged facade of the Mykola Arkas First Ukrainian Gymnasium

Serhii Korenev said that the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which is financed by Denmark, is currently responsible for the restoration of the facility. The gymnasium will be renovated in accordance with modern requirements for the functionality of the educational institution. Design is now underway, which includes repairing all the damage and upgrading engineering systems.

Project documentation provided by the city is estimated at approximately 1 million euros. UNOPS is currently contracting for additional design.

«After studying the project by the UNOPS organization, Denmark said that it is ready to restore the gymnasium, but it will take a lot of time considering that the repair work must be carried out to bring the gymnasium up to all modern requirements for the functionality of an educational institution. Taking into account the restoration, the need to rearrange all engineering systems, it will cost much more. And now, at the last meeting of the steering committee, additional funds were allocated so that UNOPS could do this. The project is designed for 2024-2025, it will definitely happen, just not quickly,» Serhii Korenev stressed.

Not only the Mykola Arkas Gymnasium will get a new life: UNOPS is also designing storage facilities in two schools in the city of Mykolaiv.

The building of the Admiral Makarov National Shipbuilding University was damaged by shelling

The building of the Admiral Makarov National Shipbuilding University was damaged by shelling

In addition, Denmark is considering the possibility of restoring the building of the Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding, which was one of the first universities to be destroyed by a Russian missile attack. Five S-300 missiles hit the university building on the morning of July 15, 2022.

General plan and strategic development

In the fall of 2022, it became known that a new Master Plan of the city will be developed in Mykolaiv, which will include the concept of post-war reconstruction. The Italian office «One Works» and the Danish company COWI are working on the general plan of Mykolaiv, which will focus on the modernization of water supply, heating and sewage networks in the city. In this way, the Italian architects took responsibility for what will happen in Mykolaiv «on the ground», and the Danish engineers — «under the ground».

Part of the future embankment at the confluence of Ingul and Southern Bug, photo by Dmytro Udovytskyi

According to Yevhen Polyakov, the city's chief architect, work on creating the city's master plan will continue for quite some time.

«COWI, which is involved in this project, has already developed preliminary strategies until 2025, covering aspects of electricity supply, power generation, heat supply and solid waste management until 2050. This is their block, these developments are already there, and now, on the basis of the previous strategy, they are developing a solution for the general plan,» said Yevhen Poliakov.

In more detail, how and why at the height of the war the Mykolaiv municipality and foreign partners decided to engage in long-term planning for the future reconstruction of the city, focusing their efforts on the development of new urban planning documentation, you can read in the article: «A chance for recovery: Why Mykolaiv began work on the master plan at the height of the war» on NikVesti.

Residential buildings after shelling

Residential buildings after shelling

Also, one of the largest projects that can be included in the master plan and the implementation of which is currently being considered by the Danish partners is the restoration of landscaping in several areas of the city, which were significantly affected by the shelling of the territory near apartment buildings. In particular, the emphasis is placed on such streets as Karpenko, 49/1, 54 Krylova Street, and General Popel Street. The representatives of the Danish delegation express their intention to create a pleasant and safe environment for residents, which will facilitate the return of people home.

«The Danes are considering options for renovating public works. They want to show that there is improvement so that people come back. In order not to provoke conflicts between the residents of the courtyard, they will make projects for everyone — inter-block passageways, a children's playground, i.e., the issue of the improvement of the area around the house,» said Serhii Koreniev.

An important aspect is that Denmark actively collects a list of needs from local authorities and assesses what resources and opportunities they can provide.

According to Tetiana Shulichenko, director of the Department of Economic Development of the Mykolaiv City Council, if earlier Denmark paid more attention to the issue of replacing pipes, pumps and supplying equipment, now the emphasis has shifted to restoration projects.

«The last meeting with representatives of Denmark was full of presentations of a number of projects that can receive funding. Among them is help for the oncology hospital in acquiring an additional source of ionizing radiation, the creation of a cluster hospital on the 3rd Slobidska Street, a perinatal center, a rehabilitation center on the basis of the fourth hospital,» Tetiana Shulichenko told NikVesti.

The Ambassador of Denmark, Ole Mikkelsen, visited the Mykolaiv Regional Oncology Center

Also this year, the city council reviewed regulatory acts in cooperation with the Anti-Corruption Initiative with the support of the Danish government and the European Union. The result of this process was the proposed development of three new regulatory acts aimed at standardizing business conditions. In particular, they are aimed at approving complex schemes for placing outdoor advertising in the city.

«We are working on the creation of uniform rules for everyone, which will help promote the development of business in Mykolaiv,» said the official.

​Tetiana Shulichenko spoke about cooperation with the Danish Refugee Council, which last year provided grant support to local enterprises. Next year, it is planned to allocate up to 5 thousand dollars to support small and medium-sized enterprises, which will be selected by the competition commission.

Mykolaiv City Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych

In a comment for NikVesti, the mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, noted that cooperation with Danish partners has become key and indicative not only for the city, but also for the entire country and international partners. He noted that the success of Mykolaiv is an example of the effective work of the local government, which uses aid as intended and adheres to transparent standards.

«I would say that cooperation between Mykolaiv and Denmark is key today not only for our city. It is indicative for the whole country and our international partners. No matter who I meet, no matter at which international forum I speak, I am always asked to tell how we managed to do it, the city of Mykolaiv is being set as an example today. This causes pride, on the one hand, and on the other hand, it imposes even more responsibility on us. Because we show all partners that it is possible to work with us, that we use all assistance as intended, that we do not allow corruption, take all necessary measures for control, etc. Mykolaiv's success in this regard will be a guarantee for other Ukrainian communities. The cooperation between Mykolaiv and Denmark became not only a demonstration of solidarity, but also an effective mechanism for the implementation of projects aimed at improving the infrastructure and quality of life of the local population. Denmark not only provides financial support, but also actively coordinates and implements projects in the field of medicine, business, social infrastructure and other areas,» he said.

The Mykolaiv city mayor reminded that during the meeting of the Steering Committee of the partnership between Mykolaiv and Denmark, a new package of aid to Ukraine from the Government of Denmark in the amount of 42.9 million dollars was approved. However, what share of these funds will be directed to the needs of Mykolaiv has not yet been determined. Also during the meeting Oleksandr Sienkevych presented proposals for the development of the rehabilitation center for military and civilians, our children's hospital, modernization of heating systems, development of the «Safe City» system

«It is important for us to develop our city at all levels, including utility companies. We plan to spend money on modern equipment for the efficient work of public utilities and improve the quality of services,» the mayor added.

The mayor also noted that the removal of the military personal income tax will significantly affect the city budget, but it will motivate even more to attract partners and ensure the stable development of Mykolaiv.

It is also important to note that Denmark's aid is not limited to post-war reconstruction, but includes initiatives to develop and stabilize the city for the long term. Thanks to the fruitful cooperation with Denmark, Mykolaiv not only feels supported in a difficult period, but also has the opportunity to recover and develop in order to become more attractive for investors and business in the future.

Alina Kvitko, NikVesti