"We are preparing a military risk insurance system for business"

A military risk insurance system may appear in the Kherson region and become an additional guarantee for businesses interested in launching initiatives in the region. This measure will allow investors to invest more actively in the development of enterprises in the area, where agriculture, construction and restoration of infrastructure remain a priority. Vladimir Saldo, Governor of the Kherson region, told Izvestia about this on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum.

"The Ukrainian Armed Forces are doing everything to turn the area into ruins"

— In early August, Russian troops actively attacked the bridge leading to the regional island of Korabel in Kherson. It was a convenient platform for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from where FPV drones were launched. The bridge is practically out of action, has there been less shelling in the Kherson region?

— The entire lower part of the Dnieper estuary before flowing into the Black Sea consists of islands. One of the city's neighborhoods is called Korabel by locals, because almost all the shipbuilding and ship repair plants of the city are located there — this is a huge economic potential and a large number of industrial buildings in which the Ukrainian Armed Forces equipped warehouses and hid their mortar installations. Not only FPV drones, but also artillery, which bombarded peaceful areas of the city. Ukrainian propaganda portrayed this as the Russians shelling residential buildings.

Our command decided to disrupt the logistics of delivering ammunition and approaching the left bank of the military equipment that could be used against the left bank. When the bridge was hit, there were not many residents there — about 2.5-3 thousand people. Previously, more than 30 thousand people lived there. The bridge is not completely destroyed, people can leave or return along it, but logistics are disrupted, so now there is practically no water supply in the neighborhood, stable energy supply — it is almost impossible to live there.

This area was considered one of the best and most favorable in Kherson, there was a beach area there. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are doing everything to turn it into ruins. According to information provided by residents of Kherson, they are mining the basements of single-storey houses. They create conditions to wipe out the neighborhood and Kherson itself, and then tell the whole world what bad military Russians are destroying peaceful homes.

"We sign a lot of agreements"

— Do you regularly participate in economic forums, do such platforms help in attracting investments to the region?

- of course. As usual, we are constantly looking for those who can be invited, who can be provided with opportunities to develop their businesses, which are more traditional for the Kherson region.

But on sites where everyone gathers together, productivity increases tenfold at once. We are also signing many agreements in St. Petersburg (at SPIEF - Ed.), and here we hope that we will also find the interest of business circles that will work in the territory of the region in the traditional sectors of the Kherson region.

It is participation in these forums that provides an opportunity to show what the Kherson region of Russia is. That you can not only work here, but also live. Therefore, the benefits of such work are very great. In a short amount of time, it is possible to do what is usually done for several months.

— And investments in which specific industries are of primary importance to you now?

— The main thing is that the Kherson region has already become a territory that has become part of Russia, that is, it is a part of the southern part of the country. Agriculture is traditional for the left bank of the Kherson region in all its areas: from the cultivation of cereals, oilseeds, vegetables, and crop production, to their processing and the creation of a more stable situation in the country's food market.

We are already doing this work here in the Far East within the framework of the WEF. The issue of returning and resuming the fishing sector of the economy and fishing to the Kherson region is on the agenda, because our region, a water area bordered by the Azov and Black Seas, has a large length of the main artery — the Dnieper. There is a huge field for development in this area.

Another task is to resume the construction of multi—storey residential buildings and individual construction. Still, many people want to come to the Kherson region, it is for everyone who once lived and worked in the North, in less favorable conditions. Therefore, construction is very important for us.

"We are working on the option of introducing a military risk insurance system"

— You mentioned that investors, for obvious reasons, are still wary of the Kherson region. Are any special risk management measures being developed?

— Yes, you know, many people are showing interest, but so far only a few are starting to implement their plans. After all, business and, as they say, money, love silence. And when drones fly, shells explode and the situation is tense due to the fighting in the region, and martial law has been imposed... This is not a good factor for starting a business. But of course, it is necessary to plan what will begin after the conclusion of the peace agreement. And those who show flexibility and efficiency here will receive more preferences.

As they say, business people are risky. Now, on behalf of the President, we are working on the option of introducing a military risk insurance system. We have scheduled a discussion of this issue in the Federation Council. I think it will be legally confirmed. This will give businesses even more opportunities to take a step forward rather than hold back their intentions.

The southern part of Russia has always attracted businesses from the Middle East and from those countries that are not far from us. At the same time, the very large fertile lands of the Kherson region attract investors from far abroad. Thailand and Indonesia are increasingly eyeing our territory and are showing interest in concluding long-term contracts. Through these forums, we remind you that there are many great opportunities ahead.

Companies from Europe have moved away, but I'll tell you this: those of them who traditionally worked in the Kherson region are also eyeing us through those countries that can work with us. Let's not interfere with them, because they are all afraid of sanctions, but nevertheless they come in.

— Earlier you told the president about the beginning of housing construction in Genichesk and in Skadovsk. In which other areas is it planned to start construction and how many residents will be able to get housing?

— The Kherson region has been an attractive region for living since the Soviet Union, because it has good natural conditions, the sea coast, protected areas and national parks. Therefore, military personnel who finish their service come, as well as those who have worked for a long time in less favorable natural conditions in the North. We are counting on this flow again, the resumption of construction is underway. There are already 44 land plots with urban development potential — more than 5 million square meters. m — we have formalized it and are providing it to investors. Builders are less afraid than other business people, and they enter the region and start building. Moreover, we have a preferential mortgage of 2%. In the first three weeks of sales, more than 60% of the housing was booked.

— Are these residents of the region or investors?

— We are open to everyone, but first of all it is the residents of the region. There are mandatory conditions for developers — the provision of discounts on housing for members of the SVO, for law enforcement agencies, for doctors, for teachers. Therefore, people from all over greater Russia are booking and purchasing housing.

"The last two years have been very dry"

— One of the problems of agriculture in the Kherson region is drought. This year, the damage has reached about half a billion rubles. Earlier, you discussed the land reclamation program with the president. Are there any deadlines for its implementation?

— The reclamation complex of the Kherson region is a single one for both the Crimea and the Zaporizhia region. Its main core is in the Kherson region. There are water intake stations that took fresh water from the Dnieper River and delivered it almost to Kerch. In Crimea alone, more than 10,000 km of canals were built — this is a huge asset created by the engineering thought of the Soviet Union after World War II.

The Kakhovskaya dam with the Kakhovsky hydroelectric complex was built and the Kakhovsky reservoir was created, which was the source for filling the entire system. It was extremely beneficial, and there was no risk to agriculture in almost any dry years. The last two years have been very dry, with extreme heat and drought. The harvest fell to 17-19 quintals per hectare, three times lower than usual, which was during land reclamation. Therefore, the restoration of the land reclamation system from all points of common sense is the way out. It is possible only after the end of hostilities. Otherwise, of course, it will not be possible to proceed with the restoration of the Kakhovskaya dam, because the enemy will not allow this to be done. But in the future, we are already thinking about how and according to what schedule this will be done.

— But despite the decrease in yields this year, the first fig harvest in the history of the region is now being harvested.

— It is generally accepted that exotic cultures: peaches, figs, grapes, apricots are more typical for Crimea. However, these crops have always been grown in the Kherson region, because the natural conditions are similar. Now farmers are gradually shifting to less moisture-loving crops: the famous Kherson watermelons grow and ripen very well.

They grew up before the Kakhovskaya dam and the large land reclamation system existed. That's why it's all being restored now. Within the framework of the forum, we are looking for partners who are interested in restoring the farm, and we give them certain preferences.