Odesa region receives first batch of inclusive school buses for local communities
17/07/2026
Communities in the Odesa region have received 26 new school buses equipped to transport children with special educational needs. This is the first batch of vehicles purchased centrally by the regional military administration with state budget funds, co-financed by communities under the Ukraine Facility programme.
According to Rubryka, Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, reported on Facebook that the region received 26 new vehicles purchased centrally by the regional military administration.
The new buses will provide regular transportation for schoolchildren, including those living in remote settlements, and ensure equal access to education.
During the procurement process, officials paid particular attention to inclusiveness. Each of the 26 buses has special devices and technical equipment that allow it to transport children with special educational needs. This should provide them with safe, comfortable, and accessible conditions for travel to educational institutions.
Photo source: Facebook / Oleh Kiper
According to the report, the new transport went to communities in the Bolhrad, Berezivka, Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi, Izmail, Odesa, Podilsk, and Rozdilna districts, as well as to the cities of Odesa, Artsyz, Bolhrad, Ananiv, Tatarbunary, Kiliia, Rozdilna, and Reni.
The head of the regional military administration said this delivery is the first batch of school buses purchased under the centralised programme. The state budget financed the purchase on a co-financing basis with territorial communities. Officials implemented the procurement under the Ukraine Facility programme, which provides European Union support for Ukraine.
According to Kiper, the project became possible thanks to the joint work of state authorities, local self-government bodies, and international partners.
“This became possible thanks to the consistent state policy of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi, the support of the Government of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and the assistance of our European partners. For the Odesa region, this is much more than a renewal of the vehicle fleet. It is an investment in children’s safety, support for communities, the development of inclusive education and equal access to quality knowledge,” he stressed.
Photo source: Facebook / Oleh Kiper
The head of the regional military administration emphasised that renewing the school bus fleet has not only practical importance for organizing student transportation, but also helps create a modern and accessible educational environment. The use of specialised transport will allow:
Communities to improve transport logistics
Children’s trips to become safer and more comfortable
Proper conditions to be ensured for schoolchildren with special educational needs
Background
Ukraine Facility is a long-term financial support programme for Ukraine launched by the European Union for 2024–2027. Its goal is to provide stable financial assistance to the state, support economic recovery and modernization, and help implement key reforms on the path to European integration. The total funding for the programme is 50 billion euros.
It should be noted that the Government adopted a resolution on distributing a subvention from the state budget to local budgets for the purchase of school buses in 2026. The total amount of funding is 2 billion hryvnias. Communities will use these funds to purchase more than 540 buses.
