Director of USAID Democracy and Governance Office Ann Hopper handed over woodchippers to communities across Ukraine to help prepare wood to be used as fuel forheating during the winter months. Mayors from five communities in Chernihiv and Poltava received the equipment.

As a part of its efforts to prepare Ukraine’s communities for winter, the USAID Governance and Local Accountability (HOVERLA) Activity delivered 136 woodchippers and three sets of additional knives to 93 communities across Lviv, Poltava, Volyn, Odesa, Rivne, Zakarpattia, Zhytomyr, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv Oblasts. This equipment is critical for communities as they ready themselves for the next heating season in the face of Russia’s continued attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

The Director of USAID’s Democracy and Governance Office Ann Hopper:

“This support is not just an investment in the safety and security of Ukrainian citizens, but also an investment in Ukraine’s strong local governments, enabling locally elected officials to be able to deliver the services their communities need, and building trust between community members and the people who lead them – despite the challenges of Russia’s war.”

This equipment will enable communities to process wood and wood debris from buildings destroyed by Russia’s attacks to create fuel, resulting in the redirection of funds previously used for the purchase of fuel biomass.

“These woodchippers will play an essential role in preparing wood for heating during the winter months, ensuring that communities have a reliable source of fuel while Russia's missile strikes continue to target energy infrastructure. Additionally, the equipment will aid in landscaping efforts, contributing to the beautification and maintenance of public spaces,” emphasized Deputy Chief of Party of USAID HOVERLA Activity Marjan Jukic.

Many communities rely on wood, including from local forests to heat schools, hospitals, and administrative buildings, as well as some power plants that provide heating to residential buildings. This form of heating is even more critical following Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

Bobrovytsia acting mayor Gennadiy Ivanyuk:

“Thanks to this support, we will be able to use wood for heating more efficiently. Our community has 30 educational institutions, 20 emergency medical care points, and two hospitals, with 30 percent of these facilities equipped with solid fuel boilers that use wood for heating in winter. The woodchippers will ensure heating for over 25,000 residents and 2,500 internally displaced persons in our community throughout the winter, despite Russian attacks.”

Myrhorod mayor Serhiy Solomakha:

"I want to thank USAID and the American taxpayers for their continued support during this incredibly difficult time. In our community, we have boilers that run on wood, so the woodchipper will help us get through the upcoming winter."