Ukraine official: Cost of damage from Russian invasion already exceeds $100 billion

Published March 11, 2022 at 10:57 am

This Maxar satellite image taken and released on March 10, 2022 shows a close-up of fires burning in an industrial area in southern Chernihiv, Ukraine. - Russia and Ukraine failed to make a breakthrough on March 10 in their first top-level talks since Moscow's invasion two weeks ago, as Russian advances sparked fears the Ukrainian capital Kyiv could soon be encircled. (Photo by various sources / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Satellite image ©2022 Maxar Technologies " - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - THE WATERMARK MAY NOT BE REMOVED/CROPPED / THE WATERMARK MAY NOT BE REMOVED/CROPPED

The cost of damage to Ukrainian civilian property and state infrastructure caused by Russia’s invasion from destruction due to a full-scale war from Russia is already in excess of USD $100 billion, Oleh Ustvenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian President, told the Interfax news agency on Friday.

The Russian military attack has forced half of Ukraine’s businesses to stop working, he said.

Ustvenko said the real cost of repairing all the infrastructure, hospitals, residential buildings, businesses and residences damaged or destroyed by Russian Federation (RF) military action in Ukraine is certainly well above USD $100 billion, and the number is increasing constantly.

Ustvenko called for RF financial assets frozen abroad, particularly reserves of the Russian Central Bank, be mobilized to repair RF-caused destruction in Ukraine. He recommended frozen assets of RF oligarchs likewise be sent to Ukraine to repair damage.