Urbanization and industrialization of space in Ukraine: Realities, changes and forecasts for the future

Abstract

The purpose - characterize the processes and changes in the urban and industrial sphere of Ukraine, evaluate new realities and justify their future forecast in spatial manifestation. Research results. The article includes the concepts: urbanization, industrialization, spatial organization and development; nature and assessment of processes, phenomena and trends in urbanization and industrialization, spatial transformations in cities and regions; forecasting urban-industrial changes and their spatial manifestation. The research was conducted on the comparison of processes, phenomena and changes in the cities and regions of Ukraine. The authors try to combine rational and irrational components, to systematically assess the impact of the processes and phenomena of urbanization, industrialization and entrepreneurship on the spatial organization and development of cities and regions of Ukraine. The state and challenges in the relationship “urbanization - industrialization (entrepreneurship)” were investigated using the five-dimensional urban planning space model substantiated by one of the authors. Ukrainian cities combine industrial, trade, transport and administrative functions. There are also highly specialized centres: industrial, transport, resort, religious, military. Cities growth is mainly due to the expansion of the service economy. Most jobs are created in this area. Migration flows lead to changes in the composition of the urban population with a characteristic predominance of women and people of post-working age. Some Ukrainian cities have a “motley” social structure. This causes a change in population settlement within the city itself. “Values”, “needs” and “activities” of man and society should be central in state development and spatial organization concept. Having a multi- level character, cities have the following properties: reproduction; cyclicality; motivations; individualization, can be real and virtual; variable or permanent; depend on the means and conditions of implementation. Communities have become the most important level of spatial planning in Ukraine today — they make decisions about activities, construction and events on their territory. This will ensure the development of the state, its regions and cities along an effective trajectory. The author's proposals can be used in the General State Planning Scheme and the Regional Planning Scheme. Conclusions. Reconstruction in Ukraine after the war must begin with critical infrastructure: electrical networks, roads, railway connections, gas supply, water pipelines, communication systems; schools and hospitals, provision of temporary housing who have lost it. It is important to focus on creating jobs and generating income, supporting and developing entrepreneurship, spatial and urban policy, and strengthening the energy sector. At the same time, traditional values should not be lost. Relocated enterprises will return to their “historical homeland” after the war and the stabilization of the situation we are talking about resource- and personnel-dependent, as well as areas with high added (intellectual) value. Exceptions will be made by enterprises relocated abroad.