Ukraine War: Lack of glass impeding efforts to repopulate

Just like every other area in Ukraine, the village of Shevchenkove wants its people back. But first, it needs glass for broken windows. A critical shortage of the material is impeding efforts to rebuild and repopulate areas damaged in Russian shelling.

From the early days of the war until November, the village and its surrounding hamlets in the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson were on the frontline. The mayor, Oleg Pylypenko, was taken prisoner and released later as part of a swap.

Several of the local people terrorised by hourly bombings fled. Then the Russian forces withdrew. While the danger remained widespread, scores of residents were motivated to return. While the region currently shelters some 11,000 people, it is still 5,000 down from peacetime.

Ukraine War’s Impact On Price Of Construction Materials

There are 2,200 residents today in Shevchenkove, compared to the pre-war population of 3,200. The village’s largest buildings could accommodate those returning for a good number of days, but they no longer have windows.

Even if they did, it would probably not be long before they were smashed again. A glass frame can break because of explosion scores of miles away. An incalculable number has already been smashed in Russian shelling and, when refitted, they will largely be smashed again.

A range of conditions have left Ukraine struggling to rebuild and repopulate damaged areas, including an alarming spike in the price of construction materials worldwide as a result of the increased energy costs caused by the invasion.

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Harry Blakiston Houston Believes He Has The Answer

There is the deadly Turkish earthquake from February that continues to swallow up glass supplies. But Ukraine was also particularly ill-equipped to deal with a sudden shortage. In recent years, the country had become almost entirely dependent on Russia and Belarus for the product.

There is some hope as minor progress has been made on the construction of a new sheet glass factory in the Kyiv region. But what to do in the meantime? Harry Blakiston Houston believes he has the answer: a window that costs just $15 – $16 a square metre.

The windows can be built in 15 minutes, using polyethylene, PVC piping, pipe insulation and duct tape. They are durable, provide good insulation, allow light to get through and most importantly, do not shatter when a bomb drops. When no longer required, all the parts can be recycled too.