Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, has found itself among the ten worst-performing cities in the global Liveability Index published by the analytical agency The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). In the final list of 173 metropolises, the Ukrainian capital took 166th place, surpassed only by cities located in active combat zones or deep crisis.

Reasons for the sharp drop in the ranking

Experts at EIU note that Kyiv has held positions in the lower part of the list for several years in a row. The main factor influencing the decline in ratings has been the ongoing hostilities. Analysts highlight three key reasons for the deterioration of indicators:

  • A general decline in the level of safety for residents;
  • Large-scale destruction of urban infrastructure;
  • Limited access for the population to basic services and social benefits.

For comparison: at the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion, comfort indicators in Kyiv were significantly higher. By the end of 2021, the capital held 117th place in this authoritative ranking. Over three years of war, the city has lost more than 50 positions.

Global context: leaders and laggards

In general, the global index evaluates metropolises based on five main criteria, including stability, healthcare, culture, education, and the environment. For the second year in a row, Copenhagen has been recognized as the most comfortable city in the world. The top five leaders also included Vienna, Melbourne, Sydney, and Zurich. Safe conditions, high-quality healthcare, and a developed urban environment ensured high scores for these metropolises.

The lowest, last line of the ranking, was retained by the Syrian Damascus, which, like Kyiv, suffers from the consequences of a prolonged military conflict.

New escalation: strikes on Kyiv

The results of the ranking became known against the backdrop of a new wave of escalation. During the night, the Russian Federation launched a combined strike on Ukraine, using ballistic missiles and attack drones. The greatest damage was sustained by Kyiv and the Kyiv region, in particular the city of Vyshneve.

In the capital, the Podilskyi and Darnytskyi districts suffered the most. Meanwhile, in Vyshneve, the evacuation of local residents continues due to the threat of secondary detonation. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha reported that an entire family was killed as a result of the night ballistic missile attack on Kyiv.