How can the Turku region of Finland contribute to rebuilding Ukraine?

Antti Schönberg
CEO
Finland-Ukraine Business Initiative
Finland

Maria Mogylnyk
Strategy and Business Consultant
Finland

In the early hours of October 8th, a few trucks were crossing from Russia into the occupied Crimea via the Crimean Bridge – Vladimir Putin’s pride and glory. When the air was starting to fill with the smell of an early dawn, a powerful explosion shook the bridge and several spans fell into the sea. This explosion triggered a whirlwind of hatred in Kremlin, which subsequently erupted in a barrage of missiles and drones aimed at Ukraine’s critical civilian infrastructure accompanied by loud applause and cheering from the Russian propaganda.

It has been mind-blowing to observe the propaganda narrative shifting from helping oppressed civilians in the so called “Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples’ Republics” in Eastern Ukraine in February to systematic daily acts of terror and destruction of infrastructure across the entire country since the bridge was damaged. It seems that the Russian government no longer views it necessary to hide behind a mask of virtue.

During the first days of this war, we here in Finland couldn’t help but recollect the 1930ies Soviet fake news about the Soviet Air Forces merely “dropping bread to the starving masses of Helsinki” whilst in reality they were caring out brutal air raids. In 2022, we watched how the history made a circle as Russian propaganda talked about helping ‘oppressed civilians’, this time in Ukraine.

Even though most Russian missiles and drones are taken out by Ukrainian air defence forces, many do reach their targets and destroy infrastructure across the country. By the end of October energy infrastructure in almost all regions has been damaged. This, according to Vladimir Zelenskiy, constitutes c. 40% of all UA energy infrastructure. Amongst the key damaged sites there are hydro power stations in Zaporizhja, Nova Kakhovka and on the Dnister river, Zaporizhskaya nuclear power plant which has been under Russian occupation since March, several crucial water pipelines of the Dniprovodokanal, infrastructure in Kyiv that left 350 thousand flats without electricity and c. 40% of the capital population without water, numerous powerplants. According to the estimate of Kyiv School of Economics, as of 8 June 2022 total direct damage to infrastructure is estimated at USD103.9bn. One can only imagine what an updated number looks like if we take into account recent targeted infrastructure bombings.

No region is safe, there is no guarantee that tomorrow there will be any running water, electricity, or stable internet connection. Lives of many people have already been severely disrupted, and many more are living in uncertainty and constant danger. However, despite all the horrors of war, the Ukrainians have already started to rebuild the country. As quick makeshift repairs are being carried out daily, we can already hear initial talks about how the infrastructure can be reconstructed and how fast this can be done after the war ends. However, it should be noted that most of Ukraine’s infrastructure was built in the USSR times using technology that was available back then. The post-war reconstruction will most certainly be carried out by Western companies and needs to be performed applying modern, cutting-edge technologies and best practices from Europe and other developed countries.

As winter sets in, the Russian army focuses its attacks on two key parts of the infrastructure – energy and water. It goes without saying that living without electricity is very difficult but surviving without water is nearly impossible. Let’s look at Kherson, a city recently liberated by the Ukrainian army which was home to around 300 thousand people before the war. Nowadays, less than a third of Kherson’s original population remains in the city. Residents report that there is no gas, electricity, and water. The occupants destroyed large parts of the infrastructure when they were retreating. People draw water directly from the river Dnipro to use it for cooking, washing, etc.

Another example of significant damage to the water infrastructure is the destruction of the Dnipro-Mykolaiv water supply system which used to provide water to more than 1 million people in the Mykolaiv region. It was damaged in April and continuously shelled during the stand-off between the Ukrainian and the Russian armies. Specialists examined 36 km of water pipes and found major damage in four places as well as at the pumping station. When the Russian army carried out these inhumane acts back in April, there was hardly any water supply in the city for over a month. Intermittent supply of service water was later established from another river – the Southern Bug – and drinking water is being delivered via storage tanks. When activists checked the quality of the tap water, it turned out that the concentration of hazardous substances exceeded the norms by at least 8-10 times.

It is difficult to predict when and how this war will end but we can already start thinking about how to rebuild infrastructure using European technologies and best practices. For example, Turku Region Water Treatment Ltd is well equipped to provide insights regarding how to organise a high-quality water treatment in Ukraine (both domestic and wastewater) in an ecological and energy efficient way. Let’s have a look into how this process is currently organised in Turku in a bit more detail.

Turku economic region has c. 300,000 inhabitants. Its industrial consumption is estimated at c. 65,000 m3 of water daily. River water is purified via a natural filtration process via pumping it through sand and gravel ground to get artificially produced high-quality ground water. Turku has already achieved outstanding results in terms of water quality, e.g. in removing phosphorus. Energy efficiency is also impressive since the process generates more than 10 times as much energy as it consumes. Sludge from the process is used to produce biogas that is subsequently used for heating, generating electricity and transport fuel.

Turku region’s approach to water treatment has been recognised as one of the best in the world. This is exactly the kind of solution Ukraine will need after the war not just to rebuild infrastructure but to lay a solid foundation for a democratic society. After all, water is the basis of life and, naturally, a high-quality water system that is also energy efficient is an attribute of a healthy society.

The Turku region of Finland, its businesses and industry have a lot to offer in terms of rebuilding Ukraine after the war. Several major initial steps in this direction have already been taken. Since February, Turku has been supporting Ukrainian refugees arriving in the city as well as cooperating closely with the Embassy of Ukraine in Helsinki. As a result of this cooperation, the Mayor of Turku Minna Arve and the Mayor of Kharkiv Ihor Terekhov signed a twin city agreement in August. The agreement outlines general directions of cooperation, areas of support and knowledge sharing. As you are reading this article, business leaders and the city representatives of Turku are formulating initiatives, carrying out scope analysis and resource planning.

This war will end. And when it is over, a long and resource-heavy reconstruction process will begin. The Turku region of Finland has already started conversations with its Ukrainian counterparties and will further deepen this work in order to be well prepared when the timing is right.

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