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Bridge near Vyshhorod, north of Kyiv, reopens to traffic following its destruction during the invasion in 2022
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UK Export Finance (UKEF) provides £26.3m loan guarantee for the Ukrainian Government, directly involving British companies in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
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Underlines UK’s commitment to rebuilding Ukraine under the 100-Year Partnership.
A vital bridge in the Kyiv region that was destroyed following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 reopened today following a UK-backed reconstruction project.
Vyshhorod Bridge is of particular importance to civilians and businesses in the region. It provides a vital transport link for thousands of residents living in a remote area into Ukraine’s capital, and allows Heavy Goods Vehicles to more easily travel towards Kyiv.
The UK allocated a £26.3 million loan guarantee via UKEF, enabling the Ukrainian government to secure financing for the project privately from Citibank. The initiative also enabled UK manufacturers to contribute essential materials and expertise. British companies are supplying steel components, critical materials and design services to the project’s main contractors.
Charlotte Surun, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy, said:
The reconstruction of the Vyshhorod Bridge is proof of the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership in action. Steel made in the UK is rebuilding vital Ukrainian infrastructure, making a real impact on the lives of people here.
Now local residents can cross the river and travel into Kyiv more easily and businesses have a more efficient route for transporting goods around the region.
The UK has supported Ukraine since day one of the invasion and we will continue backing projects that help Ukraine rebuild and recover.
The bridge was destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in February 2022 to disrupt the advance of Russian troops towards Kyiv – a fate shared by many bridges and roads around Kyiv at that time. Until now, local residents had to use a temporary crossing which could not handle heavy traffic across the river.
Following the Russian army’s withdrawal, Vyshhorod Bridge became one of the six bridges in the Kyiv region being reconstructed under a pilot project supported by the British government.
Scottish company Cairnhill played a key role in the construction of Vyshhorod Bridge, supplying approximately 400 tonnes of steel for core structures from its facility in Coatbridge, Lanarkshire.
Vyshhorod Bridge is the fourth bridge completed under the project, while the reconstruction of two more is still underway.
