For municipalities living through war, “safety” is not just a term, but a daily struggle. The municipality of Savyntsi in Kharkiv Oblast is currently in the frontline area, which requires the utmost focus and rapid, real-time decision-making. For this reason, participation in the “Critical Infrastructure Resilience” training programme prompted the municipality team to draw up a strategic document that had not previously existed: a comprehensive Safety and Resilience Programme for 2025–2027.
From engineering to civil defence: a fresh perspective on risks
Inha Abramishvili has been a Civil Protection Officer in the municipality for two years. Having a degree in civil engineering, she had a good understanding of the technical aspects of the processes, but specific knowledge was required to address issues arising from emergencies of a wartime, man-made or environmental nature. She recounts how the training and consultations with experts from U-LEAD with Europe helped her to master areas aimed at enhancing the resilience of municipal infrastructure, including vulnerability assessment, threat identification, the definition and development of the necessary system of preventive and response measures and the mapping of hazardous areas.
Currently, the Programme is coordinating its efforts with the Department of Municipal Property, Housing and Utility Services, Urban Improvement and Transport. This department is the one responsible for quickly restoring water, heating and electricity in the municipality whenever there is an accident or shelling. The most important thing is to have a clear plan of action so that residents can get back to normal life as quickly as possible, says Inha Abramishvili:
“Life presents us with new challenges and demands new skills. Today, we are in a position to not only acknowledge the existence of complex circumstances, but also to carefully plan every step in case of any threat. The training helped us to assess the risks and plan our actions so that the municipality would be prepared for any scenario.”
How the resilience-building programme works
The programme is funded from the settlement’s own budget.
Inha Abramishvili explains that the programme includes allocated resources and clearly defined expenditure in the local budget for the coming years, covering not only emergency response but also the scheduled replacement of water mains and sewerage systems, which is essential for a consistent standard of living.
An important aspect of the programme is ensuring the continuous operation of critical infrastructure during energy crises:
“Every critical utility system now has a clear procedure for connecting to the generators. This enables us to supply water and heating to residents without disruptions, even during prolonged power cuts,” says Inha Abramishvili.
Resilience in times of war
Oksana Suprun, Head of Savyntsi Settlement Military Administration, emphasises that this programme was developed as a matter of urgent necessity in response to the full-scale invasion. As the municipality is operating under a legal regime of martial law, its engineering and technical infrastructure is under tremendous strain. Constant power cuts are affecting everything from the water supply to the running of healthcare facilities and schools.
“We operate in conditions that require a special focus on ensuring the well-being of the population. The programme we developed with the expert support provided by U-LEAD proved to be an effective tool that meets the challenges of our time. It sets out measures to prevent and resolve emergencies and to provide uninterrupted essential services to both our residents and the military personnel stationed within Savyntsi municipality. Our main task is to provide high-quality services and create a safe environment despite all external threats,” concludes Oksana Suprun.
