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Before the full-scale invasion, Irpin was a city that grew almost before our eyes: new neighborhoods, private housing, population growth. At the beginning of 2022, more than 65 thousand people lived here. In March of the same year, this number decreased to several thousand - the occupation forced most of the residents to leave. Today, more than 65 thousand people live in Irpin again, about 95% of the pre-war population of the community has already returned. And the city has also taken in more than 23 thousand internally displaced persons. This means a need not only for housing, but also for jobs, services, and urban spaces.
Destroyed houses, destroyed civilian cars, and burned military equipment: this is what the streets of Irpin looked like after the de-occupation. Photo: Oleg Hryb, ITV news agency (itvua.tv)
The losses were significant: more than seven thousand buildings were damaged or destroyed, in fact half of the housing stock. Of these, more than 80 high-rise buildings required major repairs. In three years, about 80% of the stock was restored - from housing to social infrastructure. But the amount of work is still enormous: part of the sector remains unusable, and the total number of housing is less than in pre-war times. However, in a fairly short period of time, Irpin was able to restore so many infrastructure facilities that this contributed not only to the return of residents, but also to the arrival of families who chose this city as their new home. So, in the first article of the series "After the Crisis: How Key Satellites of Kyiv Are Changing", we analyze what the phenomenon of Irpin's restoration consists of, how the problems of the destroyed city were solved, and what can be an example for other settlements across the country.
Urban Irpin: from ruins to a new strategy
Over seven thousand damaged buildings in 2022 set the scope of the task, while at the same time opening up the opportunity to look at urban space differently: how to integrate accessibility, shelter, green infrastructure, and new social functionality.
One of the first steps was the initiative of the head of the Irpin Investment Council, Volodymyr Karplyuk, when in May 2022, more than a hundred Ukrainian architects came to Irpin to assess the destruction and form a vision for development. This momentum gradually grew into working groups, competitions, and open discussions. Thus, in 2023, the Irpin Reconstruction Summit identified the first pilot projects for the restoration of ten objects, where multifunctionality became the key criterion: from the reconstruction of the Central House of Culture with additional space for a museum and art installations to the creation of Freedom Square on the site of the old market in the format of a hybrid of public space and shelter.
All that remains of the trading pavilions of the old market of Irpin after the attacks of the Russian occupiers. Photo source: Irpin Revival Foundation (irpinhelp.com)
Today, the central square of Irpin looks as if the war had not touched it. Photo: Yuriy Ferendovych
Dutch-Japanese urbanist Hiroki Matsuura noted the need to "stitch together" a city divided by a railway, and Chilean architect Christian Wittig, together with Ukrainian colleagues, proposed the concept of a library as an open community center and temporary memorial, where people who have lost loved ones could work through the trauma they have experienced. Modern urban ideas and approaches are being integrated into local projects: the reconstruction of the Champion Stadium with the support of UNITED24, the renovation of the Historical and Local Lore Museum, the Romanivka Club, etc.
The urban emphasis has shifted from aesthetics to everyday convenience and sustainability. Irpin is gradually implementing the principle of a 15-minute city — with access to services within walking distance. Since 2014, Irpin has begun to create a network of new squares and bike paths connecting disjointed districts. Today, the city has already created 6 large parks, a city embankment of more than 3 kilometers, and more than 10 cozy squares. Landscape architecture works for ecology and psychological comfort, and schools and kindergartens are being re-equipped and designed taking into account shelters, modern facade solutions, and renewable energy sources.
Thus, the city is moving from a reactive “patch and rebuild” approach to a strategic approach where space is designed for the long term. This is not a copy of international practices, but an attempt to develop its own format of urban sustainability.
To understand how the city itself is building a balance between the urgent and the strategic, we turned to those who see the process from the inside. The following shared their experience and assessments: Anzhela Makeeva, Acting Mayor of Irpin and Secretary of the City Council; Serhiy Kanyura, Head of the Housing and Communal Services Department; Volodymyr Karplyuk, CEO of the MOLODIST Investment Group and the VIDVAZHNYH Society, Chairman of the Irpin Investment Council; Valery Serkov, General Director of LLC "NPO "Ekosoft"".
People, infrastructure and business: four stories about the start of the reconstruction of Irpin
Angela Makeeva, Acting Mayor of Irpin, was at the epicenter of events from the first hours of the full-scale invasion. As secretary of the Irpin City Council, she was a key figure in local government, participating in coordinating community assistance and ensuring the restoration of critical infrastructure. On the first day of the invasion, Makeeva took part in an emergency parliamentary session to create a headquarters and allocate funds for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and later, after the evacuation of her family and her stay under occupation, she directly helped with humanitarian aid, medicine, and evacuation. She emphasizes the role of volunteers, business, and international partners in these processes, where coordination with the state became the basis for rapid stabilization.
Angela Makeeva, Acting Mayor of Irpin and Secretary of the City Council. Photo provided by Angela Makeeva
Angela Makeeva: "First of all, we looked for people and animals who remained in the city, tried to understand who needed help. Volunteers and volunteer groups were very supportive. There were many requests from families who had lost contact with their loved ones. After the de-occupation, by decision of the military command, a 24-hour curfew was introduced in the city for a month. This allowed us to record all crimes and document them. I interacted with law enforcement agencies in this direction. I believe that this war is the most thoroughly documented in history. Demining and the first steps towards restoring critical infrastructure were carried out in parallel. Of course, municipal enterprises - Irpinvodokanal, heating networks - are the area of responsibility of local authorities. But without support we would not have been able to cope."
Serhiy Kanyura, Head of the Department of Infrastructure Development, Investments and Housing and Communal Services of Irpin, focuses on the practical aspects of overcoming the infrastructure crises that the city faced immediately after de-occupation. According to Kanyura, as soon as the Armed Forces completed the city cleanup and demining, municipal services took to the streets. Significant assistance was provided by the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, which understood the scale of the destruction well and sent the so-called “municipal landing” to Irpin — brigades from communities and cities not affected by active hostilities. These teams arrived with equipment, settled in dormitories and university premises, where local authorities provided them with housing and food, and they worked almost around the clock. Volunteers — residents of Kyiv and other regions — also actively participated, starting with basic tasks: sorting out rubble, cleaning debris, glass, and garbage from the streets. Local businesses, especially construction companies that had surviving equipment, provided it for cleaning the city and took on the responsibility of financing fuel and other things. Significant assistance was provided by the volunteer association "Dobrobat", which directed a significant amount of its resources to rebuilding the damaged infrastructure, in particular, dismantling the rubble and floors of destroyed roofs of private houses.
Serhiy Kanyura, Head of the Department of Infrastructure Development, Investments and Housing and Communal Services of Irpin. Photo provided by Serhiy Kanyura
Serhiy Kanyura: “Every road was blocked, and even driving through the city was impossible: at best, a damaged wheel, at worst, a mine. After the streets were cleared, the question arose of restoring communications. DTEK Kyiv Electric Networks was responsible for electricity supply. They received reinforcements from other regions and connected the electricity primarily in houses where people had already returned. We gave them data on specific addresses and substations, and they acted promptly.
The situation with water supply is even more telling. If I'm not mistaken, work began on April 19, and in a record 20 days a new water pipeline was laid from Kyiv. This was made possible thanks to Kyivvodokanal, the Kyiv City State Administration, and the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross. That is, in early May 2022, centralized water supply was restored in the city. The quality was not ideal, but the service itself worked — and it was extremely fast.
It was necessary to restore order on the streets, and this was done through consolidated efforts. For example, two cars arrive from Tarascha - we send them to a small street. And the large company "Avtomagistral", a real corporation, worked on the central highways. I also remember "Obuhivtrans": their young manager provided tow trucks. This was extremely appropriate, because on the Romanivskyi Bridge - "Road of Life" - there was a pile of shot-up cars that were interfering with the construction of a temporary crossing. Bila Tserkva also joined in - they had powerful tow trucks that were used to pick up and remove large-sized junk. This is how the Irpin cemetery of burned-out cars appeared, which became almost a monument that almost every international delegation visited. The equipment of our "Irpinvodokanal", the only provider of water supply and wastewater services, was 100% destroyed. There was not a single working car left. And these are not cars for the director's trips, but specialized equipment, without which the enterprise simply cannot function. It was then that the International Committee of the Red Cross restored about 45% of our fleet. These were not new, but used cars, but without them the enterprise would not have survived."
Volodymyr Karplyuk, co-founder of the MOLODIST Investment Group and Chairman of the Irpin Investment Council, From the first days of the full-scale invasion, together with the team, he assisted in organizing community defense and evacuation of residents, organizing humanitarian hubs for the city, and after the de-occupation, he joined the city's restoration as the initiator of many economic and social projects and faced many systemic challenges: thousands of destroyed buildings, the need to attract international funding, and the need to rely on consolidated business to clear the city and stabilize the situation.
Volodymyr Karplyuk, co-founder of the MOLODIST Investment Group and chairman of the Irpin Investment Council. Photo provided by Volodymyr Karplyuk
Volodymyr Karplyuk: “In March 2022, my team, partners, and other representatives of Irpin business realized that we must rely primarily on our own resources to solve immediate problems. The state actively got involved, but a little later. From March to the end of May, almost all budget accounts of local governments were blocked. Any actions during this period — from cleaning up, removing the corpses of Russian soldiers, to clearing the territory, because it was impossible to drive through the streets, because they were covered with parts of destroyed buildings — all this was mostly done at the expense of private funds. And in one of the largest shares — at the expense of the “MOLODIST” Investment Group and the “VIDVAZHNYH” Society. These are two enterprises that are actively building in Irpin. I and my partners Volodymyr Spivak and Anton Myronchuk financed this to a large extent at that time. Of course, we are not the only ones, I am grateful to all Irpin businessmen who were involved in the process.”
Valeriy Serkov, General Director of LLC "NVO "Ecosoft"" — a company that is one of the largest taxpayers in Irpin and a leader in the production of water purification systems — found itself facing the challenge of total business destruction. Preserving a team of approximately 400 specialists (engineers, chemists, R&D specialists, and financiers) and obligations to customers became a priority, so the company temporarily relocated production to Ternopil, where the city council provided 3 square meters of premises on the basis of the old factory. Already in March 2022, production was launched there "from the ground up" so as not to lose key contracts, including exports to more than 60 countries. But returning to Irpin was only a matter of time.
Valery Serkov, General Director of LLC “NVO “Ecosoft”. Photo provided by Valery Serkov
Valery Serkov: “When we returned after the de-occupation — it was around mid-April — we actually became the first company to supply water to the city. We brought a mobile water purification system, connected it directly to the river, and started pouring drinking water into people. We are the largest manufacturer of such systems in Ukraine. The system runs on a car battery and produces 300 liters of clean water per hour. It can filter anything: river water, well water, or even swamp water. For the front and near-front areas, this is invaluable technology.
But when we entered the territory of the enterprise, we discovered catastrophic consequences: a complete loss of production and warehouse capacities. Out of 22 technological lines, not a single one remained. I would say 97% were destroyed. We estimated the total losses at 15 million euros. We managed to save the matrices — the molds without which production is impossible. We lost all the machines, but we saved the matrices. This is a unique thing that distinguishes us from our competitors and thanks to which we are known in the world.
The main challenge after the deoccupation was to keep the team: about 40 people immediately went to the front. The company has people who have been working for 30 years. These are specialists who cannot be trained anymore. Therefore, the most important thing was not to lose people. The city helped us with our return. I remember calling the city council: “Please give us electricity!” — and it was there in a day. They really helped us to resume work faster.”
Residential building renovation projects in Irpin are displayed on information displays. Photo source: Irpin Revival Foundation (irpinhelp.com)
Mosaic of resources: public funds and donor assistance
Financing the restoration of Irpin has turned into a complex mosaic, where state programs alternated with grants from foreign partners, and each year brought new emphases in the distribution of resources. Initially, in 2022, the emphasis was on quick repairs mainly with the funds of patrons and building materials provided as humanitarian aid; state programs also replaced windows and doors destroyed by explosions so that people could return to their homes. By 2023, the city was actually fighting for the restoration of every house and facility: dozens of international trips, thousands of letters gave impetus to the rapid restoration of the city and community. In 2023, broader initiatives appeared: compensation for owners of damaged property and support for capital works, this was the year of the beginning of global processes of urban restoration by the state. By that time, 85% of the residents had already returned to Irpin, because the moment was not lost, and while the state provided defense, the city team, business, international partners and volunteer associations actually became the rear and the driving force that launched the reconstruction of Irpin. 2024 turned out to be tougher due to limited budgets, but the process did not stop thanks to ties with donors who invest in specific facilities, from schools to water supply networks. The state is currently financing 32 such projects from the reserve fund, and organizations such as UNICEF, the governments of Lithuania and Portugal, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Nordic Environmental Finance Corporation (NEFCO) are adding millions of euros to education, housing and communications.
Serhiy Kanyura explains: “At first, it all started quite simply: we sent letters to governments and cities of different countries, appealed to international organizations and financial institutions with a request to help Irpin, which stopped the enemy, and reported on the scale of the destruction. The Lithuanian government restored a kindergarten (about 2 million euros). The Portuguese city of Cascais helped to complete the kindergarten, which we did not have time to complete before the war. IOM has completely renovated three houses and is now building a new one on the site of the first destroyed one: it was damaged by an air bomb at the beginning of the invasion. We also have cooperation with NEFCO. They provided a grant of 7,1 million euros to modernize the water supply systems and boiler rooms, and are also providing equipment for dismantling work.
The city is moving from a reactive “patch and rebuild” approach to a strategic approach where space is designed for the long term. This is not a copy of international practices, but an attempt to develop its own format of urban sustainability.
Later, we realized that we needed to work more specifically. Therefore, we began to develop projects for the restoration of damaged facilities using the city budget and presented specific solutions for each donor. For example, we turned to the IOM. Their mission is to support internally displaced persons. So we suggested that they take the housing stock under their patronage. At first, they coordinated this with their donor, the process lasted two to three months, and later they confirmed their willingness to finance the restoration.
Construction crews from all over the country are involved in the restoration of Irpin. Photo source: Irpin Revival Foundation (irpinhelp.com)
With UNICEF, the logic was different: this organization works in the field of education. So we immediately made a proposal to restore the educational institution. And they agreed: they rebuilt our third lyceum — the largest in the city — for 3,5 million euros.”
Angela Makeeva: "The funds of the Ministry of Regional Development, programs for the elimination of consequences, regional and local budgets - today they cover the main volume of reconstruction. State funding was received specifically for a kindergarten or school. And we presented the entire list of needs to international partners, and they themselves chose the objects. For example, the charitable foundation "Terre des Hommes Italia" restored four high-rise buildings back in 2022. Azerbaijan, through the charitable foundation "Sokar-Blago", restored one of the largest schools and a polyclinic. Subsequently, the government of Azerbaijan directly decided to finance four objects: a children's and youth school, a house of culture, an art center and a high-rise residential building destroyed during the shelling. For this, it was even necessary to initiate an intergovernmental agreement, which is now in the final stage of signing.
The Czech city of Litomerice independently raised funds and financed the restoration of a four- or five-story residential building where the facade, windows, and roof were destroyed. We only coordinated this process, and they themselves chose the foundation and transferred the funds to it.
The World Wind Energy Association, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Wind Energy Association, has already financed the installation of four solar power plants at preschool educational institutions in the community and provided two mobile solar installations for outpatient clinics, using funds collected through charitable initiatives by the population of Germany and Finland.
Irpin Lyceum No. 3 before and after restoration with a UNICEF grant. Photo source: official website of the Irpin City Council (imr.gov.ua)
Development and big business as drivers of reconstruction
However, raising funds and financial sources remain the number one issue, because reconstruction of this scale is impossible solely at the expense of the local or state budget: it requires a balance between municipal funds, international programs, and private investments. This is where local businesses and developers begin to play a key role — their strategies and social responsibility will determine what Irpin will be like in the coming years.
The MOLODIST Investment Group and the VIDVAZHNYH Society were among the first construction companies to resume operations, focusing on housing construction and stabilizing urban infrastructure. Both companies resumed work in the Kyiv region in May 2022, entering the top ten developers in Ukraine in terms of square meters built since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in the coming year.
Volodymyr Karplyuk: "During the war, MOLODIST did not slow down its work, but on the contrary, completed and launched new sites. We managed to keep up the pace. Currently, nine objects with a total area of about 200 thousand square meters are under active construction. These are both residential and commercial areas, because any modern residential complex contains retail premises, shops, pharmacies, etc.
The private sector of Irpin, which has been seriously affected by the attacks of the Russian occupiers, also needs repairs and restoration. Photo source: Irpin Revival Foundation (irpinhelp.com)
Even before 2021, we bought out several unfinished objects. Today, we have completed all these unfinished objects or are currently completing them. The media may criticize us, given the history of the objects. But in the end, the client always decides. People figure it out for themselves: they don't pay attention to rumors, but look at reality. We remain one of the few large construction companies in the region that is actively operating."
"New projects not only contribute to restoration, but also make Irpin attractive for investment," Serhiy Kanyura is sure. "If the city does not just repair the damaged, but also builds new ones, this is a signal: there is order here, the authorities work here, it is safe here. Then someone will come to buy an apartment, someone to open a business, pay taxes and create jobs. This is a kind of marker of stability and development. As part of their projects, construction companies and developers also invest in the improvement of territories, create public spaces. This also helps the city as a whole."
In the first months after the de-occupation, Irpin was effectively left without major budget donors. The three largest taxpayers — the company "Planeta Plastik", the State Tax University and the scientific and production association "Ecosoft" — lost most of their capacities and were struggling to survive on their own. Destroyed workshops, looted warehouses, burned-out production facilities — this was a landscape where businesses had to start almost from scratch. Despite this, entrepreneurs joined the defense and support of the city: they helped with equipment, drones, cars, and supported the families of military personnel and displaced persons. At that time, the scale of assistance was determined not so much by opportunities as by the very fact of survival.
Over time, the situation changed. Ecosoft, together with its partners, restored two high-rise buildings, developers participated in the repairs and supplied building materials, and business gradually returned to an active phase of work. It is no longer just about survival, but also about new opportunities: taxes are once again filling the city budget, enterprises are becoming participants in the reconstruction, and investors are considering the city as an environment for development. After all, by restoring Irpin, business is actually restoring its own future. Currently, more than 13 thousand business entities operate in the Irpin community, of which more than 12 thousand are individual entrepreneurs, which means that in fact every fifth person in Irpin is an entrepreneur. The city is business-oriented and creates all the conditions for its comfortable conduct.
Residential complex "Molodist" is a modern residential complex on Sobornaya Street in Irpin. Photo: Yuriy Ferendovych
Valery Serkov: “The biggest help to Irpin from our side is the restoration of our own production. Because when the enterprise is working, it means jobs, taxes, and the opportunity to support people. The owners created a charitable fund, with the funds of which we helped employees rebuild their homes. We paid for utilities for those who could not return. Yes, we had to lay off about 200 people because there was no work for them. But in eight months we restored all technological processes.
Today we have a new factory with an area of 10 thousand square meters. According to the results of this year, we will produce as much as before the war, and in some lines - even more. Now we are short of workers, we are looking for people. This is the main contribution to the city: taxes, salaries, stability.
In addition, we help in the field of social infrastructure. We installed water filtration systems in all schools in Irpin. The quality of water deteriorated after the fighting: strikes on infrastructure had a strong impact on the situation. Therefore, we provided children with clean drinking water. For a long time, we maintained these systems at our own expense, and only last year did the city partially compensate for the costs for the first time.
We supported the creation of a veteran hub in Irpen, we help veteran sports teams travel to competitions, we launch veteran employment programs. It's not just about inclusion — it's about integrating people with combat experience and a changed psyche into society and production. We immediately envisaged such conditions in the new production buildings.
Reconstruction of this scale is not possible solely at the expense of the state budget: it requires a balance between municipal funds, international programs, and private investments.
Another direction is cooperation with foundations that help the army and amputees. For example, we have been working with Revived Soldiers Ukraine since 2016, and since the beginning of the full-scale war we have been supporting them on a regular basis. They are engaged in prosthetics, rehabilitation, and adaptation of veterans.
"In addition, we participate in the reconstruction of the housing stock through charitable contributions, support local organizations and initiatives. From time to time, we also participate in architectural events when they are held."
Build back better
The war changed not only the appearance of the city, but also the rules of the game. New legislation and military experience dictate mandatory requirements: barrier-free, shelter, modern security standards. For the authorities, this means reviewing urban planning conditions, for utilities — finding solutions in a regime of permanent restrictions, for developers — adapting projects to new realities.
Angela Makeeva: "First of all, these are new urban planning conditions. Now any facility must be inclusive, barrier-free, and with shelter. This is no longer discussed, these are basic requirements."
But at the same time, another principle has emerged: to build better than it was. Not just “beautiful,” as it used to be, but above all, convenient and safe for people. We understand that everyone is exhausted, emotionally tired, and the task of the authorities is to create a space where there are a minimum of reasons for stress. This means competent planning of squares, parks, playgrounds, and modern shelters.
We are opening new public spaces, cultural activities, so that people can get distracted, hear music or poetry. Some say: it’s not the time, war. But, in my opinion, it’s exactly the time. If we don’t support people now, they will leave — and then who will be the reconstruction for?”
Bicycle parking in the courtyard of the residential complex "Molodist". Photo: Yuriy Ferendovych
Serhiy Kanyura: "The issue of autonomy is extremely important. At the end of last year, Irpin was fully equipped with generators for all critical infrastructure facilities. These are 37 boiler houses of our municipal enterprise (it serves not only Irpin, but also Gostomel), as well as all large pumping stations and the water utility.
Later, we realized that we needed to act on a larger scale. Thanks to international philanthropists, we received a one-megawatt cogeneration plant — it can provide alternative power to both the boiler room and a number of key city facilities. We connected the largest lyceum, a large school, an outpatient clinic, a hospital, a children's hospital, the city council, and the tax office to this system. That is, even in the event of a complete blackout, they will work.
As for medicine, we had a certain advantage here even before the invasion. Our hospitals and clinics from the very beginning had autonomous pellet boiler rooms, rather than centralized heat supply. This allows us to turn on the heating earlier in those institutions where it is most critical: for example, in a hospital or maternity ward.
No school or kindergarten will be put into operation without a shelter. Therefore, in parallel with construction or reconstruction, we are equipping modern shelters. The state and the region allocate funding, international partners are actively helping. For example, together with UNICEF, we have equipped 12 shelters with high-quality repairs.
The war changed not only the appearance of the city, but also the rules of the game. New legislation and military experience dictate mandatory requirements: barrier-free, shelter, modern security standards
In addition, we have modernized several basement storage facilities in old residential buildings, and parking lots of new buildings are also being used as shelters. This is especially relevant in the last six months, when the intensity of attacks on the capital and suburbs has increased again.
Therefore, I can say that today shelter is almost priority No. 1. And most importantly: all children studying in Irpin have full access to protected conditions for the educational process."
Volodymyr Karplyuk: "All the norms that the state introduced, based on wartime realities, benefited consumers. Even before the war, reforms aimed at protecting clients in the development sector began. One of the important areas was the introduction of sales through property rights, so that the future object was immediately registered in the state register. This gave people additional guarantees.
In parallel, other building codes were introduced - regarding accessibility, public spaces, the number of parking spaces. Previously, we mostly used Soviet standards, which had long ceased to meet the requirements of comfort. The war brought a new understanding: it is impossible to ignore safety standards in design. Shelters have become a mandatory element. All our projects developed after 2022 already take this reality into account. We realize that any community can be under threat, and therefore shelter is an integral part of every new facility.
The state has also gone through several stages: first it was about dual-purpose premises, now — about full-fledged shelters. Our future facilities have already been designed and partially built taking into account these requirements.
We have always allocated significant resources so that the social infrastructure of the city develops and becomes the pride of Irpin. We bought a small plot of land on the former Pushkinska Street (now Vasyl Stus Street, at the intersection with Olena Teliga Street) and want to create a Stus Square there. This is important for us, because Stus symbolizes a generation of people who in the 1960s showed incredible character, defending the right to speak and create in the Ukrainian language. We believe that we must perpetuate their legacy and show future generations how great the role of these people was in the history of Ukraine.
The central square of Irpin. Photo: Yuriy Ferendovych
Irpin in general has a special significance for Ukrainian literature. The Writers' House is located here, there is a Writers' Park, the concept of which was developed by my partner Volodymyr Spivak. Almost all famous Ukrainian writers have come to Irpin. Many classics have poems about this city. Recently, Serhiy Zhadan performed there: he read his poems in the open air and recalled how, back in his student years, he spent time on the territory of the Writers' House together with other authors. This is an incredible place, everyone has been here: Rylsky, Gonchar, Malyshko, and Lina Kostenko. It is difficult to name a Ukrainian classic who did not work in Irpin.
The adoption of Law No. 9549, which changed the approach to land allocation, was a certain respite for communities. No one is canceling spatial plans, but their development was postponed, and this gave cities the opportunity in wartime to concentrate resources on urgent needs: the restoration of housing and critical infrastructure.
Angela Makeeva: "If we talk about the spatial plan of the community, it was even better for us that it was postponed. Not because it is not needed: on the contrary, it must be there. But now, when the issue of reconstruction is at stake, spending crazy money on this plan is unacceptable.
So that you understand: just developing a spatial plan for our community costs about 100 million hryvnias. And for this money, a huge amount of housing can be rebuilt. Imagine the scale of this — and this applies not only to Irpin, but also to other affected communities. Especially where hostilities have been going on for four years, and people literally have nowhere to live.
"That's why we're grateful that they gave us time. This allows us to now direct resources to rebuilding critical infrastructure and housing. And we'll still get to the spatial plan — step by step, in working order. Because it's needed, and we're already working on it, we're just doing it without rushing and taking into account real possibilities."
Volodymyr Karplyuk: “In 2018, the Irpin City Council adopted an updated general plan, and it is still in effect. But now we have 2025, and there are already presidential initiatives and support from the Verkhovna Rada for the development of spatial plans. These are documents of a broader scale that take into account more factors of community life. The Irpin City Council also decided on the need for such a spatial plan. I am convinced that in the near future architects, together with the city authorities and deputies, will begin this work. We are interested in this, and we would be happy to join in and offer our ideas.”
Creative Spirit Square is a reconstructed area adjacent to the Central Square of Irpin, which was severely damaged during the occupation, but was completely restored. Photo: Yuriy Ferendovych
Persistent challenges: from housing shortage to urban fatigue
Today, Irpin faces no less difficult tasks than immediately after the de-occupation. The housing issue remains painful: thousands of people still live in modular towns or are waiting for their own homes to be restored. The number of residents of modular towns is constantly changing: someone received a housing certificate, bought a house and left, and new people come from areas where active hostilities are ongoing. The city has rebuilt a significant part of its infrastructure, but for many residents this is more of a statistic than a real solution to their problem. Added to this is the burden from a new wave of displaced people who choose Irpin to live, so the pressure on schools, kindergartens, roads and communal services is only increasing.
Serhiy Kanyura: "The biggest challenge is to bring people back home. This is our dream and at the same time the most difficult task. Unfortunately, this process cannot happen quickly.
From the outside, it seems that the city is actively being restored: kindergartens, schools are operating, all basic services are provided, more than 70% of damaged housing has been restored. But for a specific person whose house is completely destroyed, this does not matter. They are only interested in their own housing. If a person cannot return to the house where they have lived all their life, then the scale of the general restoration for them fades into the background. Today we have about 25 high-rise buildings in which living is impossible. Another about 20 houses had to be completely dismantled.
"Yes, there is a state recovery program, under which people can get new housing to replace the destroyed one in any region of Ukraine. But many residents want to live exactly where they are. Because of this, approximately 7,5 thousand residents of the community still cannot return to Irpin, because their homes have been destroyed."
After the first months of euphoria from the return and the feeling of unity that prevailed in the city, a stage of fatigue inevitably came. Some of the ambitious architectural ideas and concepts that were voiced in 2022 still remain in the form of presentations and visualizations. Resources are enough primarily for basic things: water, heat, schools, kindergartens. But cultural and sports facilities, large-scale urban solutions are still waiting for their turn. This is exactly what Volodymyr Karplyuk speaks frankly about.
Volodymyr Karplyuk: “Some projects have been implemented, but not always in the form in which the architects saw them. Some were developed according to European standards — taking into account environmental friendliness, green energy. Because of this, their budget in some places doubled or even increased by two and a half times. In conditions of limited resources, this is not always possible. Therefore, some ideas were implemented in a simplified format, and some have not yet been implemented.
The city has rebuilt much of its infrastructure, but for many residents it is more of a statistic than a real solution to their problems. Added to this is the burden of a new wave of displaced people.
And this is logical: first of all, we restored critical infrastructure - water supply systems, educational facilities. After all, for people to return, there must be kindergartens and schools. However, we have not yet restored the sports school, the culture center, the stadium. There are apartment buildings that have also not waited their turn. Hundreds of families are still homeless, and this is a big problem.
Irpin has always been an attractive city, it accepts a large number of displaced persons. This creates a serious burden on kindergartens, schools, and roads. The state must take this into account: if a thousand new children have appeared here, a new school is needed. It is almost impossible to do this only from the city budget. The same applies to roads: thousands of cars arrive with the displaced persons, and a transport strategy is needed so that the city can withstand this burden.
We really need the support of the state in solving social issues that are directly related to the fact that Irpin is accepting a large number of new residents. We understand that today the state has its own priorities - these are weapons, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the provision of our soldiers. And we are fully aware of this. But at the same time, we expect that after the end of the war, the state will also pay attention to communities like ours. After all, a large number of displaced people want to live in Irpin, and the city needs additional support to provide them with proper conditions.
Valeriy Serkov, the head of Ecosoft, says bluntly: his company's potential could be used in the restoration of Irpin much more widely. Partly, this is a matter of procedures and competition. At the same time, he reminds: Ecosoft has unique experience in the field of water purification and is already implementing large-scale infrastructure projects throughout Ukraine. And although the company was actively involved in supporting the community immediately after the de-occupation, over time the feeling of consolidation began to disappear.
Irpin River Family Recreation Park. Photo: Yuriy Ferendovich
Valery Serkov: “We are most effective primarily as experts in the field of water purification. We are currently building four water canals in Ukraine. One of them is in Pervomaisk, in the Mykolaiv region. This is the first water canal in Ukraine based on reverse osmosis filtration technology. For a small city that is half the size of Irpin, this is a huge step forward: a project for 7 thousand cubic meters per day. For comparison: the largest water canal in Irpin has a capacity of 15 thousand cubic meters. We are also restoring the Gostomel water canal and implementing other infrastructure projects. It’s not all about weapons, but about basic things: water, infrastructure, housing. We know exactly what we need there. When we returned, the unity was very clearly visible. The city helped us, we helped the city — who could do what they could. We are located in an industrial microdistrict, there have always been many enterprises here. Whether you like it or not, you have to interact and support each other.
I remember well several panel discussions organized by the city authorities. There we met entrepreneurs who were also doing something for the recovery. And I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. Because it turned out that we were not alone. Even near our building I saw representatives of “Leroy Merlin”, “Epicenter” — people who were not from Irpin, but also helped with their own money. Then the atmosphere was really very consolidated. In the last six months or a year, the feeling of community has become a little blurred.
Irpin's experience as a model
Can this experience become universal for other Ukrainian communities that are on the verge of similar challenges? Speakers involved in the process are confident: yes, if we take as a basis not passive expectation, but proactive dialogue and readiness for non-standard solutions.
Angela Makeeva emphasizes the uniqueness of the situation: "The very situation of reconstruction during the war is already a systemic crisis. This is all new, no one in the world has had a precedent for this before. We are actually the first country to rebuild in parallel with the war. I hope that we will be an example for other cities. Over these three years, I have personally received over 100 international delegations - presidents, prime ministers, ministers. At first, everyone said: we will help, but after the war. And when they came for the second or third time and saw how Irpin was being rebuilt already now, they were surprised: "But there was nothing here! What if it comes again?" I answered simply: well, then we will rebuild again. The main thing is that people stay alive.
I would give other cities and communities a simple piece of advice: don't be afraid. The first thing to do is to develop as many projects as possible and upload them to the DREAM platform: investment, reconstruction, social. And then go out into the world, talk to sister cities, businesses, and foundations. Don't ask for "give us," but show that we are strong and independent, and invite them to come to Ukraine with their businesses. If they see that we are ready to work even during the war, they begin to believe: it means that there will definitely be a future here.
"That's why the main thing is to prepare projects now. Make presentations, visualizations, videos. Because international partners always say: 'Show me, give me numbers, give me an estimate.' And if all this is on the DREAM platform, then the funds are found much faster."
If you remain silent about your own problems, help will not come by itself. The principle is simple: you need to make yourself known, show the scale of the destruction, and speak directly about the support you need.
Residential complex "Irpinski Lypky": before and after restoration. Photo source: official website of the Irpin City Council (imr.gov.ua)
Serhiy Kanyura: "The model is roughly as follows: there is a damaged facility - we develop a project for major repairs or new construction and present it to the community. Residents provide their suggestions, sometimes objections, and after that the facility is submitted for funding. That is, decisions are made not in offices, but in dialogue.
The practice of public hearings and presentations is mandatory. The Irpin community is truly active: people clearly express their position, defend their interests. This makes the recovery process more transparent and closer to the needs of residents.
The biggest catalyst was that everyone learned about Irpin in 2022. Our city stopped the Russian aggressor on the way to the capital and became an outpost of Ukraine. Thanks to this, the world's attention was focused on Irpin.
This has been a huge help. From the smallest delegations from Africa to the US Secretary of State, everyone has visited the city and seen the scale of the destruction. We have consciously positioned ourselves not as a “city of pain” but as a “city of fighters”. And this has really given us additional opportunities.”
Volodymyr Karplyuk: “We are trying to set an example with rapid recovery and we are ready to share our experience. Why? Because after the war ends, there will be a large number of cities that will need large-scale recovery. And we have been using a number of mechanisms, starting in 2022, to launch rapid recovery. We have attracted international funds through public initiatives. The state has really helped a lot during this period, and for that we are especially grateful. But, in addition, we have launched our own initiatives and worked with international organizations outside the state budget. This is precisely why we managed to quickly start recovery. This experience can and should be transferred to other communities. If anyone is interested, we are ready to share it.” If anyone is interested, we are ready to share it. Our successful experience is already being applied by Borodyanka, which today, under the leadership of Iryna Zakharchenko and with the support of the regional and central authorities, is showing a strong pace of reconstruction.”
Valery Serkov: "New neighborhoods, kindergartens, schools, parks are a signal of development. Many displaced people come to Irpin with their families, and some of them can afford new housing. This means new people, new businesses, more taxes, more dynamics for the city. This is, without a doubt, a positive thing.
Despite all the risks, I know that when I turn to the city, they will help me. And this is very important. We had no problems with land, permits, or communication with the authorities. On the contrary: when you come, they listen and really help. In the world, business is used to waiting for bureaucratic resistance, but here it is a different experience: support and quick solutions.
We have always called ourselves a socially active company, but, to be honest, I really understood what that meant during the war. It’s not just about installing a water purification system on the street or distributing water for free — it’s primarily about people. For us, the key is infrastructure that improves the quality of life. And also, the understanding that it’s not veterans who have to adapt to society, but society to veterans. There will be a lot of them, and the city must be inclusive.”
Volodymyr Pravyk Park in Irpen. Photo: Yuriy Ferendovych
Returning to Lewis Carroll's metaphor, is it possible to say that Irpin is not simply running at full speed to stay in place? Probably so. Retrospect shows that the first steps were correct, because they laid the foundation for resilience. Is it speeding up twice as much, turning the crisis into an opportunity for an urban evolutionary leap? It is always possible to go faster, but the war reminds us: real progress lies in the balance between speed and humanity. What prevents it from "running" even faster are not only external threats, but also internal barriers, such as bureaucracy or lack of coordination, which Irpin is learning to overcome.
In the following materials of the special project "After the crisis: how key satellites of Kyiv are changing", we will expand the range of voices - from architects and volunteers to the military and urban planners. The next text is a detailed analytical material "New urban ethics. How the suburbs of Kyiv are rethinking the urban environment", where we will consider how the rapid development of Irpin, Bucha and other Kyiv satellites raises questions about the ethics of coexistence: from park care to tools of "soft" upbringing through talks and public events.
