Record-Breaking Import of Bitumen and Ukraine’s Road Repair Outlook in 2025
In 2025, Ukraine is poised to set a record in road infrastructure repair, driven by a significant surge in bitumen imports—the essential material for asphalt pavement. Data from analytical agencies reveals that the first half of this year already experienced a substantial increase in bitumen supplies compared to the same period last year, with growth exceeding 27%. This trend indicates an active phase of road construction and repair projects across the country. The peak of these imports occurred in June, when volumes reached the highest level since October 2023—17,000 tons in a single month. Seasonal factors, along with additional government funding allocated specifically for repairing and maintaining roads in conflict-affected regions, especially in frontline and near-front zones, contributed to this growth. The largest portions of bitumen imports in the first half of 2025 came from Poland—over 10,900 tons—and from Lithuania—about 3,900 tons. A leading supplier was Orlen, accounting for 70% of the total volume—approximately 11,900 tons. Notably, after a hiatus since October 2022, Turkey re-emerged as a supplier of bitumen, reflecting a diversification of import sources. The Ukrainian government plans to allocate around 12.6 billion hryvnias for road repairs in 2025, a figure that is 26% lower than in 2024 but still indicates a strong commitment to infrastructure recovery. This budget figure is dynamic and subject to change throughout the year; for instance, in April, the Cabinet of Ministers redirected part of the reserve funds to other urgent needs, while allocating 5.2 billion hryvnias specifically for restoring damaged roads.