Page 24 - UKRRptOct23

corporation was not invited to the recent Defense Industry Forum in Kyiv, while Ukrainian Ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Svarych, said that Poland was among the first to receive an invitation
Ukraine receives first set of refurbished Leopard tanks from Poland. The first package of Leopard 2 tanks has been to Ukraine after being repaired in Poland from battlefield damage, the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) announced on Twitter on Oct. 2.
Czech delegates discussed with the Ukrainian side the ongoing joint projects, which are at various stages of implementation during the Defence Industries Forum in Kyiv on September 29, and the possibility of starting cooperation on new projects, according to the press service of the Czech Defence Ministry. More than 200 defence companies took part in the Defense Industries Forum, which was held for the first time in Kyiv on September 29, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
2.8 Polls & Sociology
More Ukrainians are willing to stay abroad, causing a 7% GDP drop. The situation with Ukrainian refugees is not improving. According to the Center for Economic Strategy, a more active state policy for the return of citizens is needed. Between 1.3 million and 3.3 million Ukrainians may remain abroad. This is 0.4-0.6 million more people than in the calculations from December 2022. As a result, the Ukrainian economy could lose from 2.7% to 6.9% of GDP annually. The number of Ukrainians who remain abroad is 5.6-6.7 million people, which is 0.3-0.5 million, or 5%, more than at the end of 2022. This has taken place because of attacks on the power system, increased missile attacks in May, and the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP. Currently, 63% of refugees plan to return to Ukraine, but this share is falling. "The longer the war lasts, the more Ukrainians adapt to life abroad. In addition, some Ukrainians (6.8%) believe that the prospects for their children are better abroad," the study says.
Half of young Ukrainians living in Poland ( 47%) intend to return to Ukraine after the end of the war, 19% plan on returning soon and 11% after a while, while 15% of the young people do not plan to go back at all, according to a survey conducted by the Rating sociological group and Info Sapiens has been published by the International Republican Institute, Ukrainska Pravda reported on September 29.
At the same time the sociologists established that 89% of young people surveyed aged 16-35 who live in Ukraine are hopeful about its future, while 81% of young people of the same age who have moved to Poland think the same thing.
Almost all (96%) of teenagers aged 13-15 who live in Ukraine and 87% of those who live in Poland believe Ukraine has a bright future. The young people living in Ukraine and Poland who took part in the survey, both are practically equally convinced Ukraine will win the war – 98% and 97% respectively.
Eight out of ten (79%) of young people in Ukraine would like to be involved in activities aimed at rebuilding the country, while only 19% would not. 83% of people aged 16-35 who live in Poland would also like to take part in Ukraine’s recovery.
Two thirds (65%) of young people aged 16-35 living in Ukraine would not like to move to another place. The main reasons why young people do not want to
24 UKRAINE Country Report October 2023 www.intellinews.com