Ruslan Shostak, President of TERWIN Corporation, Founder and Co-Owner of EVA, VARUS

26.02.2026

Here is the translation of the analytical text into English, preserving its authoritative, business-strategic, and patriotic tone:

1. Energy Autonomy as the New Norm

Ukrainian companies have rebuilt their operational models in the shortest possible time, minimizing their reliance on the centralized power grid while simultaneously reinforcing their own infrastructure.

According to various estimates, around 60–70% of large and medium-sized enterprises—and up to 80% of companies in the retail, HoReCa (Hospitality), and logistics segments—have installed autonomous power sources: generators, cogeneration units, solar power plants, and battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Some businesses went even further, investing in gas turbines, rooftop solar installations for warehouses and shopping centers, energy-efficient lighting, and digital energy management systems.

Why It Matters

The level of operational energy independence achieved in Ukraine under active military aggression is virtually unprecedented. Business did not merely survive blackouts—it fundamentally shifted its resilience model.

This transformation has:

• Deprived the aggressor of one of its key leverage tools;

• Accelerated the modernization of the country's infrastructure by years;

• Provided a powerful impetus to green energy;

• Weakened the monopoly positions of oligarchic structures in the energy market;

• Enhanced Ukraine's integration potential into the EU, where the green transition remains a strategic priority.

Energy autonomy has transitioned from a temporary makeshift measure into a new corporate governance norm.

2. The Birth of a New Industry

Prior to 2022, Ukraine’s defense sector relied heavily on the legacy of the Soviet military-industrial complex and the export of outdated equipment. A fully functioning, modern, private defense ecosystem barely existed.

Today, the landscape is fundamentally different.

Ukrainian companies have emerged as leading players in the production of weaponry, drones, communication systems, electronic warfare (EW), ammunition, and specialized software. Concurrently, adjacent sectors are thriving: military logistics, IT solutions, medical technologies, rehabilitation, and prosthetics.

A new, high-tech industry has taken shape, characterized by dozens of private manufacturers, robust R&D teams, and serious export potential. The international recognition of Ukrainian solutions is clearly validated by the growing interest of Western corporations looking to partner with and co-invest in Ukrainian defense-tech projects.

Why It Matters

Ukraine has not only secured critically important technologies for itself but has also established itself as a global hub for practical military engineering.

Amidst a full-scale war, the country has turned into the world's largest real-world combat testing ground for advanced military technology. This has generated unique expertise—in managing a million-strong army, integrating technologies directly onto the battlefield, digitalizing command networks, and innovating in medicine and logistics.

Ukraine has evolved from an arms importer into a manufacturer of innovative defense solutions. In many respects, we have ceased to be "students" of NATO and have instead become a source of practical, hands-on knowledge for many nations. This builds a long-term competitive advantage that will endure post-war—in production, R&D, and the export of military and defense-related goods and services.

3. Economic Growth and Management Adaptation

Ukraine faced three critical economic shocks simultaneously:

• A severe deficit of human capital,

• Energy constraints and blackouts,

• Lost markets and fractured logistics routes.

For any economy, even one of these factors constitutes a major blow. Ukraine hit all three at once.

Yet, following the GDP collapse of 2022, the economy demonstrated a resilient recovery growth of around 5% in 2023, followed by an additional 3–4% in 2024–2025 according to various estimates. This occurred despite constant security risks, ruined infrastructure, and the migration of millions of people.

This is an economic miracle that deserves deep study by global experts.

Why It Matters

Growth during wartime is not just a macroeconomic statistic. It is a direct indicator of business agility.

Companies have:

• Drastically optimized and cut costs;

• Diversified their logistics pipelines;

• Accelerated digital transformation;

• Transitioned to hybrid and remote working models;

• Aggressively scaled their export operations.

For many enterprises, the war served as a "harsh accelerator" or a powerful catalyst—forcing an abrupt transition toward a global mindset and international expansion.

4. Accelerated Internationalization

Wartime realities have rewritten business logic. Companies stopped relying solely on domestic demand and began systematically breaking into international markets.

Ukrainian business has mastered how to compete not just nationally, but within fiercely competitive global environments. This spans across the agro-sector and IT, as well as heavy industry, logistics, and defense technologies.

Conclusion

Ukrainian business did not merely adapt to the war—it grew qualitatively stronger.

It has become more autonomous, more tech-driven, more export-oriented, and managerially mature. Energy independence, the evolution of defense tech, and export growth are not temporary spikes; they are structural transformations.

Now, the pivotal task for both the state and the business community is to institutionalize this resilience and scale it within a peacetime economy. We must not slow down. This wartime experience of rapid adaptation must be converted into a systemic, long-term competitive advantage.

The Bottom Line:

A strong economy reinforces defense capabilities, a strong military protects sovereignty, and sovereignty creates the framework for the country’s long-term development.

This is Ukraine's definitive formula for success. There is no other way.