FEATURES AND STRATEGIC ORIENTATION OF RECOVERY MEASURES IN THE IZIUM TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY: KEY DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17721/2413-7154/2026.95.101-125

Keywords:

post-war reconstruction, reconstruction strategy, de-occupied territory, reconstruction of de-occupied territory, planning for territorial development

Abstract

This study examines the characteristics and focus of measures for the recovery of de-occupied territories, as well as the main factors and challenges, specifically using the Izyum territorial community as a case study amid ongoing military aggression. The academic discourse on the postwar recovery of Ukrainian cities and territories is examined through the lens of defining a system of development measures, its components, and its implementation within the territorial development planning system, as well as the introduction of new planning tools and changes in approaches to the application of relevant traditional tools. The study draws on approaches from social geography that view a territorial community as a complex socio-spatial system. An analysis was conducted of scientific approaches to understanding the characteristics of post-war recovery for the study of local development and territorial development planning. The study identifies the key concerns of de-occupied communities in the Kharkiv region regarding destruction, their vision for the future, and the most pressing challenges in the recovery of de-occupied territories. A protracted, large-scale war has led to widespread destruction, prolonged occupation of certain territories, and disrupted the logic and logistics of economic development in individual territorial communities and regions. This report highlights the main features and characteristics of Ukraine’s de-occupied territories, as well as the primary tools for planning and managing their recovery. The recovery of de-occupied territories and the rethinking of territorial communities’ development require the application of modern approaches and tools. A system for planning the recovery of local communities helps prevent imbalances among key components of development, leverage the benefits of spatial development, and reconcile the interests of the key stakeholders involved in the process of recovering de-occupied territories in Ukraine.

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Published

2026-07-14

How to Cite

ZAPOTOTSKYI, S., & ZAIKIN, S. (2026). FEATURES AND STRATEGIC ORIENTATION OF RECOVERY MEASURES IN THE IZIUM TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY: KEY DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES. Ekonomichna Ta Sotsialna Geografiya, 95, 101–125. https://doi.org/10.17721/2413-7154/2026.95.101-125

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