Serhiy Tokarev, a founding partner of Roosh, expressed optimism about the future of Ukraine in light of the end of the war. In a commentary for the Ukrainian media, he emphasized that Ukraine has a unique potential that goes beyond the capabilities of most countries.
“Over the last hundred years, no country in the world has had the potential that Ukraine will have after victory,” Tokarev said. In his opinion, in the post-crisis period, the country will be able to take advantage of the accumulated experience of tens of thousands of qualified IT specialists, whose skills and knowledge will become a key resource for development.
However, Tokarev also outlined several challenges that the Ukrainian IT industry will face. He highlighted the problems associated with attracting investment in the context of hostilities. Foreign investors, he said, are seeking to move key project teams to safer regions. This is caused by an increase in risks associated not only with the performance but also with the general well-being of companies, emphasized in conditions of military conflict.
The Ukrainian IT industry faces uncertainty in light of current events, but some encouraging trends are already visible. Serhiy Tokarev, looking into the future, highlights interesting points that can determine the development of the industry.
In the summer in Kyiv, when the threat of attack was minimal, many returned to Ukraine. This flow of returns continues today. Serhiy Tokarev notes that even in conditions of military conflict, people continue to return, which indicates strength and faith in the future of the country.
Of particular interest is the return of those who emigrated in the 1990s and early 2000s. Tokarev believes that after the war ends, these Ukrainians may be key players in economic recovery. Moreover, many of them are already actively helping the country financially and with resources, demonstrating a desire to contribute to the future of Ukraine.
However, there is also a second side to the coin. According to Serhiy Tokarev, after the victory, lifting the ban on crossing the border for men may cause an outflow of specialists outside Ukraine. First of all, this will affect IT specialists who have opened offices in other countries. Some tech companies have already moved their core teams overseas and may be considering relocating their offices entirely given the changed situation.
As the end of hostilities in Ukraine approaches, Serhiy Tokarev believes that a new trend will emerge – increasing active cooperation and support from world leaders in the IT market. In light of the latest updates, companies such as Google, Microsoft and Facebook have already expressed their readiness to provide technological and financial support to Ukraine in the post-crisis period.
“When the war is over, many global IT players will be interested in cooperation and assistance to Ukraine,” Tokarev emphasizes. Such a striking example is the initiative of Apple, which expressed its readiness to participate in restoring infrastructure and providing educational programs for Ukrainian IT specialists.
According to Serhiy Tokarev, this influence of global IT giants will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of technology companies in the country.
Already, there is an increase in investment in Ukrainian startups from foreign venture funds. In addition, it is expected to strengthen cooperation between the IT sector and the state in the context of the introduction of military technologies and artificial intelligence to improve the security and efficiency of military operations.