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War and Recovery in Ukraine

Paper Session

Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM (CST)

New Orleans Marriott, Preservation Hall Studio 2
Hosted By: Association for Comparative Economic Studies
  • Chair: Roger Myerson, University of Chicago

Tracking War in Real Time

Andriy Tsapin
,
National Bank of Ukraine
Oleksandr Faryna
,
National Bank of Ukraine

Abstract

This study reviews the datasets and approaches used by the National Bank of Ukraine to examine the short-time aftermaths of the war between russia and Ukraine. Specifically, we test unconventional data sources such as Google Trends and night-time light intensity supplemented by flash surveys in banking to assess the damages to Ukraine. In contrast to past wars or local conflicts, technological progress makes it possible for us to trace the intensity of attacks and caused injuries to the economy during this devastating russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Detecting such detrimental events in real-time allows estimating of regional aftershocks regarding economic output and labor force migration. We also explore the ways Ukrainian regions restore their economic activity after the exogenous shock. This research has considerable policy implications and highlights potential avenues for the future reconstruction of Ukraine.

War, Collateral Damage, and Firm Outcomes

John S. Earle
,
George Mason University and IZA Institute of Labor Economics
Scott Gehlbach
,
University of Chicago
Mariia Panga
,
George Mason University
Solomiya Shpak
,
Kyiv School of Economics and National Bank of Ukraine

Abstract

One cost of war is the disruption of financial relationships that firms rely upon to grow and survive. In this paper, we build upon our previous work studying these relationships using monthly loan-borrower data combined with firm-level financial statements in Ukraine. Our analysis first examines the extent to which bank lending has declined by month in 2022. Using location information combined with data on conflict and damage enables us to disentangle direct and indirect effects of the war. We then turn to an analysis of the employment dynamics and survival of the firms affected by the financial disruptions. The results will have implications for the degree to which post-war reconstruction efforts will need to look beyond the specific regions where conflict has been most intense.

Impacts of 2022 Russian Military Invasion on Food Supplies from Ukraine

Oleg Nivievskyi
,
Kyiv School of Economics

Abstract

The unfolding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is expected to have a far-reaching crack-down effect on global food security and Ukraine’s economic growth. Over the last 30 years Ukraine has emerged into an increasingly important global supplier of grains and vegetable oil, with a capacity to continue closing its productivity gap and delivering even more food to the global market. This trend has been terminated by an unprovoked Russia’s full-scale military invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The price of the continued war is already immense for Ukraine, including for its agriculture. Total estimated agricultural war damages and losses for Ukraine reached already US$ 40.9 billion, almost a quarter of the sector has been destroyed and destructions are only mounting; farmers experience a glaring shortage of liquidity and capital for current harvesting and planting works; this year harvest projections are 30-50% lower than the last one and further agricultural outlook look even worse. In the current tight global market conditions and outlook, the capacity to replace the expected missing exports from Ukraine in the world are very limited. In other worlds but by no means exaggerated, every ton of grains from Ukraine will count this and next season!

A Blueprint for the Reconstruction of Ukraine

Yuriy Gorodnichenko
,
University of California-Berkeley

Abstract

The scale of destruction in Ukraine is already staggering. This publication builds on prior experiences with reconstruction following both wars and natural disasters to outline some principles for the future reconstruction of Ukraine. Efforts should include putting the country on the path to EU accession; establishing a stand-alone EU-authorised agency with autonomy to coordinate and manage aid and reconstruction programmes; recognising that Ukraine must own its reconstruction; encouraging inflows of foreign capital and technology transfers; a focus on grants rather than loans; and rebuilding around the principle of a zero-carbon future.

Discussant(s)
Iikka Korhonen
,
Bank of Finland
Oleksiy Kryvtsov
,
Bank of Canada
Sergiy Zorya
,
World Bank
Roger Myerson
,
University of Chicago
JEL Classifications
  • O1 - Economic Development
  • R1 - General Regional Economics