Kyiv, Jan 4 (IANS): Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has outlined ten priorities of his government's agenda this year, the cabinet's press service reported.
The development of the defence and security sector will remain Ukraine's key task, Shmyhal said, noting that special attention will be given to the long-range component and the missile program.
This year, Ukraine aims to produce at least 30,000 long-range drones, along with about 3,000 cruise missiles and drone missiles, he said.
Highlighting financial sustainability as another top government priority, Shmyhal said Ukraine will work to secure financial aid from its partners.
In particular, Kyiv is counting on receiving $50 billion backed by frozen Russian assets from the European Union (EU) and the Group of Seven (G7), as well as additional aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Energy will also be a key sector for the government's work, with the restoration and protection of energy facilities being the main tasks, he noted.
Besides, Ukraine will continue to develop distributed generation and build infrastructure to import more electricity from Europe, the Prime Minister added.
As other priorities, Shmyhal listed social support, veterans' policy, education and medicine, recovery, adaptive economy and business support, digitalisation, and Ukraine's European path, Xinhua news agency reported.
Meanwhile, the Russia-Ukraine War is still raging. The conflict began in February 2014 with the covert invasion of the Ukrainian autonomous republic of Crimea by disguised Russian troops. The conflict expanded in April 2014 when Russian and local proxy forces seized territory in Ukraine’s Donbas region. Over the next seven years, more than 14,000 people were killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine.
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Although Russian forces made significant gains in the first days of combat, Ukrainian defenders rebuffed attempts to seize Kyiv and other major cities and soon launched counterattacks at Russian positions.