Good afternoon, esteemed colleagues, dear Ukrainians.

First of all, I would like to congratulate our colleague Oleksandr Kubrakov on his appointment to the post of Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine – Minister for Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.

Accordingly, today we are making a decision to merge the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine.

This will strengthen management capabilities, adding more efficiency to the process of planning and implementation of recovery programs. At the same time, it is a great responsibility of the new Deputy Prime Minister to Ukraine and Ukrainians.

We have repeatedly noted that the process of Ukraine’s recovery will take place even though the war continues. It is not only about long-term projects, but also about the so-called rapid recovery – what is needed today and now.

In order to implement the emergency recovery program, we need USD 17 billion next year. We are in constant contact with our partners to attract these funds. The post of the Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine will allow to consolidate this work.

Currently, the Government has allocated more than UAH 5 billion to the regions most affected by the hostilities. These funds will be used for the restoration of critical infrastructure and other priority things that allow us to bring life back to our communities, towns and villages. We are working to ensure that every family has light, heat, water and communication. We are restoring critical roads, bridges and river crossings. This work has been going on every day for the last six months. As of now, more than 2,000 kilometers of roads have been cleared in Ukraine and more than 70 river crossings have been built. Not hundreds, but thousands of objects have been restored.

Now the priority of the Government is the rapid restoration and counteraction to the terrorist attacks of russia against our energy system. The Government is working on this. Ukrenergo is working. Other state and private energy companies are working. Thousands of people are now involved in the work to ensure that our energy system survives and Ukrainians have light.

During the 9 months of war, Ukrenergo specialists have carried out emergency works and partially restored power supply at 45 substations of different voltage classes damaged by shelling. This is 88% of all damaged facilities. Emergency repair works have also been carried out, and 52 out of 87 high-voltage power lines have been restored. And this is tens of thousands of kilometers.

A significant number of power facilities – substations and overhead lines – have been repeatedly damaged after the emergency repair works. But again and again, power engineers restore what have been damaged and bring back the light. We receive repair equipment from almost all European countries. The USA, Canada, Japan, and the EU are helping us. Hundreds of power transformers and tens of thousands of generators are being delivered.

Today, I have tasked the Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine to establish a coordination headquarters that will actually coordinate the supply and distribution of generators Ukraine purchases and receives as humanitarian aid. Also, the headquarters will provide the sufficient amount of fuel for these generators. The priorities must be clearly defined. We have to provide all critical infrastructure and all the Points of Invincibility. This is our top priority.

As of this morning, electricity producers cover 83% of consumption needs. All distribution system operators – regional power distribution companies – have been informed of the consumption limits for each region, which ensure the power supply of critical infrastructure facilities as a priority. The needs of other consumers – enterprises and the residential sector – are met by 40-50%.

The rehabilitation activities are ongoing, thus allowing to reduce the time of outages as well as to move to the projected planned schedules.

Tariffs for utilities, as we promised, will remain unchanged this winter. We have also allocated sufficient funds to fully finance all subsidies to be provided to about 3 million families. We are making the system of subsidies flexible and efficient to help first of all those families who need it the most.

Actually, to increase such efficiency, the appointment and calculation of subsidies will be carried out through the Pension Fund of Ukraine. Today, we have decisions that will allow the Pension Fund to fully perform its new powers and functions. We are increasing the revenues and expenditures of the Pension Fund budget by UAH 12.6 billion. Everyone who is entitled to subsidies will receive them in full.

Moreover, starting from December 1, people can apply for subsidies in one of three convenient ways: to the CASPs (Centers for Administrative Services Provision) or an authorized representative of local authorities; through the Diia portal in electronic form; to the PFU service center either through the web portal or mobile application of the Fund.

Ukrainians who have already benefitted from subsidies last year will be reassigned them automatically.

We are doing everything to ensure that everyone has access to state support in this difficult winter period.

We are vigorous in activities to enhance our resilience to new challenges and bring our victory closer.

Thank you for your attention! Glory to Ukraine!