The key facts

  • Zelensky instructed the government to prepare a program of free rides on Kyiv's ground transport in case of metro disruptions or problems with the bridges across the Dnipro
  • Klitschko: fully replacing the metro would require about 1,020 buses, Kyivpastrans can provide only 25, and at least 50 more drivers are needed
  • The mayor recalled the government's debt to the city budget for free rides for benefit-eligible passengers — more than 8 billion hryvnias annually, with the debt accumulating for 11 years

Conflict over Kyiv's transport reserve

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's proposal to provide free rides on the capital's ground public transport in the event of metro disruptions or problems with the bridges across the Dnipro. This is reported by Gazeta.Ru. Zelensky instructed the government to prepare such a program and form a bus reserve the day before the mayor's statement.

The mayor's objections: buses, drivers and money

Klitschko said on his Telegram channel that the central authorities have 'dealt with' Kyiv's resilience plan, 'successfully blocking it for six months,' and have now 'turned to public transport.' According to him, implementing the initiative requires more than just increasing the number of buses — it has already grown due to disruptions in electric transport. The mayor wondered where to find new drivers for the routes, ironically asking whether the police would 'round them up' the way they did with electricians.

The figures cited by the city hall

According to Klitschko, Kyivpastrans can allocate an additional 25 buses, but this requires at least 50 drivers, who would also need to complete route training. Ground transport, in his assessment, cannot fully replace the metro: the city would need about 1,020 buses, which is 'hardly possible.' The mayor also recalled that the government owes the city budget a subsidy for free rides for benefit-eligible passengers — according to him, the debt has been accumulating for 11 years, and annually transporting more than a million citizens entitled to free rides costs the city over 8 billion hryvnias.

Context

Earlier, Klitschko had already reported an extremely difficult situation with electricity, heating and water in Kyiv. The mayor's statement came amid ongoing disruptions to the capital's electric transport. The publication does not report any reaction from the government or the presidential administration to Klitschko's criticism.