Large Ukrainian businesses that have suffered massive losses due to Russian shelling should be granted access to the government’s “5-7-9%” program to aid in their recovery. This was stated by Galina Herega, co-owner of “Epicenter,” during a meeting between business representatives and members of the parliamentary committee on financial policy.
According to her, large businesses today also need affordable credit, as foreign-currency loans create an excessive financial burden.
“Give us preferential loans; give us the opportunity to use the ‘5-7-9’ program for recovery,” Gerega urged.
Logistics pose a separate challenge. Due to Russian attacks, the company has lost significant warehouse and retail space, and following the strikes on its operations, it has become increasingly difficult to rent the necessary facilities.
According to Gerega, in 2025, “Epicenter” lost its logistics capacity for the first time since the start of the full-scale war: a warehouse with an area of 18,000 square meters, where goods worth nearly 3 billion hryvnias were stored, was destroyed.
In total, since the start of the full-scale war, Russian attacks have destroyed 417,000 square meters of the company’s retail space, with another approximately 500,000 square meters damaged.
Today, approximately 38,000 people work at Epicenter, 4,600 of whom serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, approximately 8,000 employees have left the company over the years of full-scale war.
The company is also calling on the government to consider allowing businesses to lease state-owned properties.
Ukrainian businesses continue to operate, pay taxes, and preserve jobs. But in the wake of large-scale attacks, the recovery effort requires not only companies’ own resources but also systematic government support.
Photo: from open sources