Ukraine is experiencing an intense heat wave, with temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius. The situation is exacerbated by frequent power outages, lasting 15 to 18 hours a day, rendering air conditioners useless. These power shortages, the result of significant damage to Ukraine’s power infrastructure caused by Russian military actions in March and April 2024, are profoundly impacting the daily lives of Ukrainians daily lives and business operations.

Amid full-scale Russian military aggression, Ukrainian businesses have showcased remarkable resilience, buoyed by enduring optimism even as uncertainty clouds the horizon. This sentiment emerges from the monthly surveys conducted by the Institute of Economic Research and Political Consultations (IER), providing valuable insights into the ever-changing landscape of business activity in times of war.

taxation

Imagine you are running a business. You have a small business or a trade, and you are doing just enough to maintain the same standard of living across challenging times. Then suddenly, without any increase in your income compared to the prices around you, the state tells you that you are already earning enough to pay more in taxes.

Medium-sized private enterprises play an important role in the economy and social development. Medium-sized enterprises operating in domestic and foreign markets are a kind of “backbone” of the economy. Compared to small and large enterprises, medium-sized businesses have higher viability, better access to external financing, and “economies of scale” benefits. 

Pál Szinyei Merse: The Balloon // public domain

A full-scale war became an existential challenge for the Ukrainian industry. Manufacturing enterprises have been forced to actively cut expenditures for innovation, shifting the focus from development to survival. At the same time, businesses see opportunities to restore innovative activity with the help of industry support programs, fiscal incentives, and other measures at the state level.

Millions of people and thousands of businesses in Ukraine remain without electricity every day due to damage to infrastructure damage caused by Russian shelling. For two months in a row, the Russian Federation has been launching rocket attacks on the civilian infrastructure of Ukraine every week. The target of this damage was the network of substations and transformers that provide electricity transmission from generating plants.