Problems of functioning of transport infrastructure and logistics of Ukraine in wartime conditions

Abstract

The article argues that the developed transport infrastructure is quite essential for the maintenance of dynamic, balanced, and efficient functioning of all economic sectors in Ukrainian regions and the socio-economic development of the country as a whole. It emphasizes that as of the beginning of the war, Ukraine had a well-developed and powerful transport infrastructure that included railway, marine, river, road, air, and pipeline transport. The authors point out that the damage and destruction of transport infrastructure in Ukraine is currently a substantial problem for the shipment and delivery of humanitarian aid to the northern regions of Ukraine. The article aims to research the transport infrastructure losses in Ukrainian regions caused by hostilities and determine the perspectives of recovery and diversification of the transport logistics routes. It provides the analysis of the pre-war transport infrastructure condition in Ukraine, which shows that the development of public automobile routes in the country fails to meet the motorization needs and paces. The level of pre-war transport infrastructure development in Ukraine is compared to those of developed countries. The functioning problems of transport infrastructure and logistics centers caused by the Russian military aggression are analyzed, including the main transport infrastructure losses in Ukrainian regions from hostilities. The article argues that it is not sufficient to assess the efficiency of the transport network spatial distribution only based on the density of transport networks. European methodology based on the parameters displaying the person-centered approach to the assessment of the transport infrastructure efficiency and opportunities for its improvement should be applied to assess transport productivity. The approach provides that the productivity of transport networks is assessed by the parameters of their accessibility and proximity to the population. The article emphasizes the features of the pre-war regulatory and program frameworks for the processes of transport infrastructure modernization. A range of regulatory innovations developed by the Government to improve logistics and transportation in current realities is analyzed. The major obstacles to efficient transport logistics are outlined. The main constraints are determined, and favorable factors of the transport infrastructure development in Ukraine are identified. The article addresses the issues of transport routes and cargo traffic diversification. The main attention is focused on the perspectives of the transport infrastructure recovery and the search for new logistics routes for goods promotion.