An excavator belches out fumes as it clears earth and rubble from between the train and bus stations.

This incident happened in the Ukrainian town of Trostianets to make way for a reimagined transport centre badly damaged in fighting with Russian forces almost two years ago.

Trostianets is one of six settlements being rebuilt with state funds in a pilot programme to develop the skills and experience needed for a far broader reconstruction drive later.

Mayor Yuriy Bova said time was running out to breathe life back into the town, which involves the risk of losing millions of Ukrainians who could help redevelop the country to permanent exile in Europe.

“We’re fighting for every person’s return, for every child needs to return and build their future here,” said Yuriy Bova in the town, barely 30km (20 miles) from Russia.

“To walk around and see this every day, that will morally traumatise a person. We need to restore everything, starting with cafes, libraries, factories, schools, hospitals,” said Mr Bova of the ruined northeastern town.

The officials in Kyiv have also signalled the urgency of rebuilding Ukraine, an effort that will require hundreds of billions of dollars.

It will also involve more than quick fixes to critical sites such as hospitals, power stations and railways.

The war, however, shows no signs of abating. Short on cash, Ukraine is defending against new Russian attacks after its counteroffensive failed to yield significant gains.

Moscow has also resumed a campaign of mass air strikes on population centres far beyond the front line.

The mayor of Okhtyrka, Pavlo Kuzmenko, said a town only 20km down the road from Trostianets bore the scars of heavy Russian bombing at the start of the war.

He also said resurrecting town squares was a luxury Ukraine could not afford right now.

The officials in Okhtyrka were slow to finish clearing the rubble on the main boulevard that was once the city hall.

They have also not fixed the gutted department store across the street.

Most schools, however, have been repaired with new windows, roofing or bomb shelters, thanks in large part to international donors.

Mr Kuzmenko, who publicly criticised the plans for Trostianets last year and lamented the lack of resources, said the focus should be on patching up homes and critical infrastructure only.

Then, any other available funds should go to the military, said Mr Kuzmenko.

“There is plenty to rebuild. Squares and all their decorations can be done after the war,” said Mr Kuzmenko.

Okhtyrka resident Antonina Dmytrychenko, aged 65, said she agreed with her mayor.

The different views in the neighbouring towns reflect a broader debate about wartime spending playing out across Ukraine.

Most visibly, a growing grassroots protest movement is demanding that discretionary projects, such as sprucing up streets and public spaces, be shelved in favour of the military.

(Reuters/NAN)