Putin's promises for Ukraine fall flat amidst harsh realities

In June 2023, Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, declared ambitions for improving living standards in regions of Ukraine that are currently under Russian occupation, specifically mentioning targets for 2030. This claim comes amidst the ongoing and brutal full-scale invasion that began in February 2022, during which Russia has occupied several Ukrainian regions, including Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, Donetsk, and Luhansk. Ukrainian officials and activists have openly criticized these assertions, calling them unrealistic and highlighting the significant obstacles created by the occupation itself for any proposed developments in these areas. The context of Putin's pledge is deeply intertwined with the realities faced by the regions in question. For instance, in Kherson, following a counteroffensive by Ukraine that recovered the city, concerns about infrastructure and basic living conditions prevail. Local lawmakers like Serhiy Rybalko emphasize the severe challenges ahead, citing the destruction wrought by war, including the catastrophic damage to the Kakhovka dam in 2023. This disaster has since resulted in a lack of irrigation, leaving vast areas at risk of becoming desertified. Coupled with worsening economic conditions, such as farmers being unable to afford land leases, the prospects for recovery and growth in the Kherson region appear bleak. Additionally, the criticisms extend to other regions and cities under Russian control, like Mariupol, which suffered severe destruction during the siege in 2022. Reports from Petro Andryushchenko, a former adviser in Mariupol, illustrate the ongoing challenges with inadequate housing, health services, and the local economy. He notes that though facilities may be equipped with modern technology, there are significant staff shortages hampering operational capacity, compounding the issues within these communities. Moreover, the overarching narrative of corruption and inefficiency within the Russian administration exacerbates the difficulties in these regions. Observers like Andriy Orlov point out a trend toward supporting larger state enterprises at the expense of smaller local businesses, undermining the potential for a thriving economic environment which has historically characterized these areas. Current efforts and promises from Russia may be more about political optics than practical realities, especially considering that many of the improvements publicized have primarily occurred in other regions like Crimea rather than the war-torn areas newly under occupation. As Ukrainian residents, particularly the youth, continue to flee these regions, the promise of improved living standards seems increasingly distant and hollow.