Under attack, Kharkiv is already building a peaceful future

But amidst the destruction, Ukraine’s second-largest city is doing something that might have seemed nearly impossible during wartime: preparing for a better future.

“We need to rebuild despite the war,” said Ihor Terekhov, the city’s mayor, “because if there is no reconstruction there will only be ruins, and those who left will not return.”

Kharkiv, once an industrial, scientific, educational and cultural center near Ukraine’s northeastern border, has been one of the cities hardest hit since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.

According to Mr Terekhov, around 13,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including around 10,000 residential buildings. About 160,000 people lost their homes. “Every day there are shootings, and it’s terrible,” he said. “Just keeping alive is tiring.”

Amid daily attacks, urban planners, architects, engineers and international organizations worked with Ukrainian officials to imagine what the city would look like after the war.

Waiting is not an option

The essence of this effort is UN4UkraineCities an initiative led by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which supports the revitalization and modernization of Kharkiv and the southern city of Mykolaiv. The project aims to not only respond to emergency needs, but also help cities rebuild in a smarter, greener and more resilient way.

To many outsiders, long-term urban planning while the war was underway may have seemed premature. But for those working in the field, waiting is not an option.

“The country is still under attack, and emergency work is still urgently needed,” said Thâmara Fortes, the project’s architect and program manager. “But recovery and reconstruction must occur in parallel.”

The idea, he explained, is that current emergency repairs also support future development. “If you build something now without thinking long term, in ten years it may no longer benefit the city,” he said.

“So, we help cities to not only think about the emergency, but also how those interventions can be implemented in the future.”

New master plan

That future is being shaped through Kharkiv’s new master plan that focuses on sustainable infrastructure, affordable housing, innovative public spaces and economic renewal. The project combines strategic planning with pilot projects that test ideas in real environments.

One of the most ambitious efforts focuses on North Saltivka, a residential area that suffered extensive damage.

What was initially an architectural competition has now entered the technical implementation stage. Five residential blocks and a kindergarten are being redesigned with energy-saving insulation, modular extensions and structural strengthening.

The goal is practical: to create detailed technical documentation that city governments can immediately present to donors, investors or development banks when funding becomes available.

“We went from concept to implementation,” Ms. Fortes. “Not only analyzing and assessing but also giving the city something they can really build on.”

A bold initiative

The broader vision for Kharkiv includes five key pilot initiatives that combine conservation, sustainability and innovation.

One project focuses on restoring the war-damaged historical center while adapting the old interior for modern civic and cultural use. Another goal is to transform industrial riverbanks into environmentally friendly public corridors along the city’s 25-kilometer riverfront system.

Science and technology districts close to major universities are intended to help retain young talent and diversify the economy, and coal-dependent industrial areas are being reimagined as green manufacturing centers powered by renewable energy.

These efforts also go beyond infrastructure. UNECE and Ukrainian partners are working to reform housing policy at the national level, including legislation on social rental housing and housing stock management.

‘Always under threat’

Meanwhile, local officials continue to face the brutal realities of war. “It’s impossible to get used to this,” said Mr. Terekhov quietly. “People are constantly under threat.”

Still, he believes now is the right time to think about how to restore the city and imagine its future. “Society lives today with the hope that we will rebuild everything.”

That hope is especially important in a city renowned for its architectural heritage. Kharkiv’s museums, libraries and historic houses all suffered damage. Terekhov recalled attacks on the famous Korolenko State Scientific Library and historical buildings near the city’s art museum.

“This is a pearl of Ukraine,” he said. “Some buildings could not be restored to their original condition because they were hit by several ballistic missiles. But we are trying to preserve this architecture.”

Reconstruction efforts themselves have evolved as the war has progressed. According to Ms. Fortes, one of the main learnings is flexibility. “Sometimes there’s no electricity. Sometimes there’s no internet. Sometimes people are in underground shelters,” he said. “So, we learned that this project needs to continue to adapt to urban realities.”

‘Cities need to prepare’

Ukraine is forcing architects and planners to rethink the design of urban spaces. A new housing project in Kharkiv now includes a dual-purpose underground area that can serve as everyday public infrastructure in peacetime and serve as a shelter during an attack.

“In times of peace, this place can be a parking lot. In times of war, this place can be a place of refuge,” explained Ms. Fortes. The same thinking applies to kindergartens and schools, some of which are designed with underground learning spaces.

Fortes said the approach partly takes lessons from Finland, where many cities have long integrated civil defense infrastructure into daily urban life. Underground facilities used for sports, parking or recreation during normal times can quickly become emergency shelters if needed.

He believes such ideas will become increasingly relevant outside Ukraine as cities around the world face not only war, but also climate disasters and other crises that require greater urban resilience. “This crisis is happening at the local level – on the streets, in your homes,” he said. “Cities need to prepare.”

A new vision emerges

In Kharkiv, preparedness is now more than just shelter and emergency repairs. This means preserving communities, protecting identities, and creating reasons for people to stay – or return someday.

“Our cities will no longer be the same as they were before the war,” Terekhov said. “We need a new vision.”

This interview was conducted on the sidelines of 2026 World Urban Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan, held between May 17 and 22.