Delays in external assistance lead Kyiv to delay spending: “For now...”

O government will carry out these projects in the future, “but, for the time being, all resources should be directed to critical sectors,” said Koretsky at Telegram, citing defense and social protection as priorities.

The Russian offensive on Ukrainian territory, which lasts four and a half years, shook the country's economy, causing a destruction valued at billions of dollars and opening a huge break in Kyiv's finances.

The Ukrainian Government indicated earlier this month that it would seek another USD 53 billion in foreign aid next year — including from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank — to cover the deficit.

“ The state of public finances remains difficult,” Koretsky said. “Part of the planned international funding has not yet arrived, partly because Ukraine has failed to meet some commitments made with its international partners in time,” he added.

“ We are postponing non-priority expenditure. This includes new buildings, reconstruction works or major repairs that are not of critical importance, as well as improvements in public spaces such as parks, squares, fountains or the renovation of pavements ", indicated.

The Ukrainian Government announced this month that it plans to allocate a record level — two thirds of its budget — to defence next year as the costs of the war against Russia continue to increase.

The newspaper Ekonomichna Pravda reported that the Ministry of Finance postponed expenditure for December to prepare the energy system for winter due to lack of resources.

In recent months, Russian forces have flogged civil infrastructure on which Kyiv relies to obtain income from the export of cereals, in particular ports and ships in Odessa (south), making the country's financial situation even more critical.

Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, with the argument of protecting the pro-Russian separatist minorities in the east and de-nazifying the neighbouring country, independent since 1991 – after the disintegration of the former Soviet Union – and which has been moving away from Moscow's space of influence and approaching Europe and the West.

At diplomatic level, Russia has so far rejected any prolonged ceasefire and demands, in order to put an end to the conflict, that Ukraine give it at least four regions – Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporijia – in addition to the Crimean peninsula, annexed in 2014, and forever renounce membership of NATO (Organisation of the Atlantic-North Treaty, Western Defence Block).