The city authorities of Kharkiv continue to do everything possible for residents to use public transport for free. This was stated by Mayor Ihor Terekhov, emphasizing that Kharkiv residents face extremely difficult circumstances daily due to constant shelling and the destruction of infrastructure.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Support for Residents in Difficult Conditions
Ihor Terekhov stressed that free public transport is an important support for residents, particularly for internally displaced persons who have found themselves in Kharkiv and often lack not only means of subsistence but also documents. According to the mayor, there are over 215,000 displaced persons in the city who have lost their homes and are without financial support. Providing free transport under such conditions is, according to Terekhov, the responsibility of the city authorities.
“Our residents deserve to have free transport because every day they experience incredible things, with explosions every day, destruction every day, injuries, and casualties. And we need to ensure that these people have the opportunity to travel around Kharkiv for free,” he said.
Free Transport: Financial Burden and Prospects
The Mayor of Kharkiv acknowledged that compensating the cost of transport for residents is a serious burden on the budget, but the authorities do not plan to abandon this practice. According to Terekhov, the city currently spends significant funds on electricity and fuel, the costs of which are constantly changing. However, as long as the budget allows, free public transport in Kharkiv will be maintained, and the authorities are ready to do “everything possible” to keep this support accessible for residents.
It is worth noting that free public transport in Kharkiv was introduced in May 2022 after the resumption of its operation amid the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation.