Transforming Approaches to a Comprehensive Analysis of the State and Prospects for Sustainable Reconstruction of Ukraine’s Infrastructure

This paper aims to develop and demonstrate a practical, policy-oriented framework for prioritizing and managing the sustainable recovery of critical infrastructure in a country affected by large-scale armed conflict. The relevance of the study lies in the urgent need to reconcile rapid reconstruction with long-term resilience, climate considerations and fiscal sustainability while ensuring equitable social outcomes. The main research objectives are to define a transparent set of composite performance indicators, to design a replicable procedure for collecting and processing heterogeneous damage and functional data, and to propose operational decision rules for sequencing interventions under constrained budgets and time horizons. The methodology combines spatial analysis and asset-level mapping with quantitative normalization of indicator values, multi-criteria weighting that blends stakeholder preferences with system stability criteria, and an iterative ranking algorithm that produces prioritized intervention portfolios. Data processing and sensitivity analysis are used to assess robustness of ranks under alternative weight scenarios and uncertainty in damage estimates. Results demonstrate that the proposed approach yields clear, actionable priority lists that balance urgency, economic impact and social inclusion; it identifies categories of assets that benefit most from deep reconstruction versus those better suited for phased rehabilitation; and it quantifies trade-offs between rapid restoration of service flows and investments that reduce future vulnerability. The framework also reveals how modest shifts in weighting towards social or climate objectives alter priorities and resource allocation. The practical value of the article is threefold: first, it offers public authorities a step-by-step tool for transparent prioritization and for articulating investment cases attractive to diverse financiers; second, it provides operational guidance for integrating digital monitoring tools into reconstruction workflows; and third, it supports design of policy measures that reduce investment risks, enhance accountability and promote inclusive, low-carbon outcomes. The proposed framework is deliberately modular to facilitate adaptation to different administrative scales and data availability scenarios and to support both emergency response and medium-term recovery planning.