Ukraine’s wartime businesses turn to foreign markets

Sponsored Ukraine’s wartime businesses turn to foreign markets March 25, 2026 5:41 pm • 5 min read Prefer on Google D by Diana Delyurman As fighting intensified in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in 2023, Anton Savchenko moved his small skateboard factory from Pavlohrad to nearby Dnipro. It was the second time he had to relocate the business to keep it running. But the move solved only part of the problem. Soon, another threat emerged, putting the future of the business itself in doubt. In a country at war, demand for skateboards had all but disappeared. Rather than shutting down, he began looking abroad. Today, he ships his boards to skaters in the United States and across Europe, far from the air raid sirens near his workshop. Near Kyiv, entrepreneur Anna Rudenko has made a similar pivot to foreign markets. She designs and produces functional toys and decor for children's rooms. What began as a small wartime workshop has grown into a business that ships products to customers in Australia and the United Kingdom. Become a member – go ad‑free Both are among the Ukrainian entrepreneurs supported by Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation, an international organization that develops models of economic resilience for small and medium-sized companies and helps them grow and reach new markets. Their stories are far from unique. Since the start of the full-scale war, many Ukrainian businesses have had to rethink where and how they sell their products. Small and medium-sized enterprises are often described as the backbone of Ukraine's economy, yet just 18% of Ukrainian SMEs export their products — the lowest share in Europe. For many companies, breaking into international markets remains difficult. “The war has shown that small and medium-sized businesses can adapt quickly,” says Mariana Kaganiak, an expert in international economic relations and lead for economic recovery at Helvetas. “But many entrepreneurs lack the resources, knowledge, or staff needed to work with foreign marke...