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Ulviyya Poladova

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Mayor of Samar city Council Serhii Reznik stated that the war has fundamentally transformed the concept of urban governance in Ukraine, forcing municipalities to adapt to conditions of constant uncertainty while continuing to pursue long-term development goals, AzerNEWS reports.

Speaking at the panel discussion titled "WUF Academy - Policies, Papers and Bricks: Capacity Building for Crisis Preparedness and Response", the mayor described the severe humanitarian challenges Ukrainian cities continue to endure during blackouts and attacks on critical infrastructure.

"We have learned to combine the strategy of city development with simple operational and community solutions," Reznik said while speaking about the challenges Ukrainian cities face during wartime.

According to him, traditional management approaches are no longer sufficient under extreme conditions. Reznik noted that no manual or theoretical framework can fully prepare a city for the realities of war.

"We have learned from experience that no paper manual, no matter how perfect it is, can predict all scenarios of war," he explained. "Municipal management has turned into the art of rapid response under conditions of absolute uncertainty."

Reznik emphasized that the role of a mayor has dramatically expanded during the crisis. He said that city leaders today must simultaneously serve as logisticians, engineers, social workers, and humanitarian coordinators in order to maintain stability within their communities.

The mayor also described the severe humanitarian challenges Ukrainian cities continue to endure during blackouts and attacks on critical infrastructure. He recalled periods when residents were left without electricity, communication, or heating for up to 16 hours or longer during the winter months.

He explained that the centers are equipped with autonomous heating generators and satellite internet systems, allowing residents to warm themselves, charge electronic devices, and receive emergency assistance.

"It is impossible to safeguard a community of thousands of people using just a few heating points," he noted. "For us, they are only the first line of rescue behind which stands the daily struggle to ensure our basic systems and infrastructure do not stop even for a moment."

He stated that hospitals across the city are now equipped with powerful generators, alternative water supplies, thermal generation systems, and even underground operating rooms located in basement shelters.

"Our Ukrainian experience dictates that countries should always prepare for the worst-case scenario," Reznik added.