The latest analysis from the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) on the cost of direct damage to Ukraine's buildings and infrastructure since the beginning of the Russian military invasion of the country puts the estimate at $127 billion.

The report shows the largest share (39.7%) of the surveyable damage comes from residential structures, totaling 135,800 and equal to about $50.5 billion. As is usually the case in a total war scenario, transportation infrastructure was another big target. That category took up another 27.7% of the damage, with roadways ($26.6 billion) and railroad tracks ($4.3 billion) making up the majority of the $35.3 billion total. 

Other civilian infrastructure, like education and healthcare, have been targets as well, suffering totals of $6.95 billion and $1.6 billion worth of damage, respectively. That includes some 978 healthcare facilities and a total of 1,270 schools, the deliberate destruction of which is generally considered a war crime under the Geneva Convention. 

Vladimir Putin’s campaign of military terror has also profoundly affected Ukraine’s ability to recover economically from conflict. A total of $9.9 billion worth of damages has been incurred on businesses in the country, with $6.9 billion caused to agricultural concerns and another $2.4 billion done to retail outlets across the country.

What comes next for Ukraine will be one of the most dramatic rebuilding efforts since the end of World War II in Europe 77 years ago.

The World Bank estimated in June that Ukraine will need around $349 billion worth of aid after the war, and that figure is likely to surpass the $500 billion threshold before a cessation of hostilities is seen. Already there are efforts underway to reconstruct parts of the country that are, at least for now, away from the heaviest fighting in the eastern and south, and architects like Norman Foster are (for better or worse) throwing their names into the mix as the potential authors of wholesale changes to the country's built environment which are likely to be enacted along very different lines of resiliency and civilian safety.