In second quarter of 2019, Ukraine’s aircraft and shipbuilding industries faced a severe crisis. To recover, they need well-directed efforts of the government. This was stated by OPPOSITION PLATFORM — FOR LIFE MP Serhiy Lovochkin in a commentary on economic results of the first half of the year.

“It’s been almost five years now since three aircraft building plants of Ukraine have halted their series assembly of airplanes. They ran out of Russia-made parts and no longer receive them. If replaced by Ukrainian or Western parts, the An-148 and An-158 will require complete recertification, and that means significant investments and several years of painstaking work. As a result, Ukraine didn’t bring a single aircraft to Paris-Le Bourget show this year for the first time, having presented only aircraft mockups. This is no longer a crisis, it’s total failure,” Lovochkin said.

The politician says shipbuilding sector is in similar state. While in previous years three giant shipyards in Mykolaiv annually launched 30–35 civil and military vessels of medium and large class, now they are idle or engaged in ship repair or at the best survive thanks to non-repeated orders.

“Not a single penny has been allocated for the program on construction of modern corvettes for the Ukrainian Navy, which was allegedly resumed a year and a half ago. The first ship in this series has been standing on the construction site of the plant unfinished for nine years,” he added.

“Ukraine has lost its knowledge-intensive industries in which we used to be a global leader. To restore the potential of the state we need at least several years of wise state policy. In 2019, after the administration is replaced, Ukraine will probably see its last chance to do so. And we cannot miss out on it,” Lovochkin said.