Saturday15 February 2025
ukr-mafia.com

Shattered windows and roof holes: the bus station in Voznesensk remains operational despite a court order prohibiting its use (photos).

The bus station can be considered the calling card of any city — it is where visitors arrive, and transit passengers see it from the bus windows, shaping their first impression of the city. Beyond its ideological significance, there are practical aspects to consider: the station must be convenient for both passengers and drivers. There should be a comfortable area to wait for a bus, grab a bite to eat, and access restrooms. From the drivers' perspective, the requirements are also straightforward — easy access to the platforms, smooth, pothole-free roads, and designated areas for passenger boarding.
Несмотря на судебный запрет, автовокзал в Вознесенске функционирует, хотя окна выбиты, а крыша повреждена (фото).
Выбитые окна и дыры в крыше: автовокзал в Вознесенске продолжает работать, несмотря на запрет суда (фото)

The bus station can be considered the calling card of any city — it's where visitors arrive, it's seen from the windows of buses by transit passengers, and it shapes the first impression of the city. Beyond its ideological significance, there is also a practical aspect: the station must be convenient for both passengers and drivers. There should be a comfortable place to wait for your bus, grab a snack, or use the restroom. From the drivers' perspective, the requirements are also straightforward — easy access to platforms, smooth, pothole-free roads, and designated areas for passenger pick-up.

Unfortunately, in one of the largest cities in the Mykolaiv region, which serves as a significant transport hub where nearly all scheduled buses pass through, the bus station resembles a barn more than a transit point. We are talking about Voznesensk — where passengers are forced to wait for their buses outside, sometimes wading through water up to their ankles, while drivers navigate potholes, bumps, and puddles to reach pick-up spots.

This situation was brought to the attention of "Novosti-N" by readers who reached out to the editorial office. Not only residents of Voznesensk but also those from Mykolaiv, who had to stop at this bus station on their way to Kyiv, expressed their concerns.

- This place has no windows or doors, is shabby and dirty; it can't even be called a bus station for people, it's scary to keep animals there! - reported Elena, a resident of Mykolaiv, who visited the Voznesensk bus station just before the New Year.

The reporters from "Novosti-N" initially attributed such dramatic descriptions to the emotionality of the complainant — how could a bus station in one of the largest cities in the region be without windows or doors? Our surprise was immense when we arrived in Voznesensk and found the bus station building not only without windows but also partially without a roof!

This is precisely why the building is not in use — rain drips from the ceiling, and the wind blows through the hall due to the broken windows. The entrance to what was once the waiting area is blocked by a row of broken chairs, making it impossible to enter. And there’s really no need to — it’s empty, you could roll a ball through it!

According to the signs, there used to be ticket counters, restrooms, a café, and even a hairdresser here. Now, all of that is closed.

Now, instead of a café, there’s a small one-meter by one-meter booth with a vendor inside, and in front of it, a folding metal counter facing the street, displaying rolls, water, and snacks.

There is also a ticket counter, but not inside the building; it’s more of a “take-out” setup: there’s a window in the wall with a sign saying “ticket office,” and right on the platform, there’s an employee acting as cashier, dispatcher, and supply manager. She immediately inquired how she could assist us as soon as we approached the entrance to the station. When we asked why there were no windows and only a partially intact roof, she simply sighed and replied, “There was a shelling.”

Everything would be fine, but those “shellings,” as local residents informed “Novosti-N,” occurred back in the early days of the full-scale invasion in the spring of 2022. Since then, the bus station has remained in ruins — the owners haven’t even attempted to cover the holes in the roofs and window openings.

As a result, passengers are forced to wait for their buses outside — fortunately, there’s at least an awning near the platform where they can seek shelter from the rain.

However, there are no such awnings on the station grounds, so passengers have to walk through puddles, nearly ankle-deep in water, while lifting their heavy suitcases to keep them dry.

Puddles are virtually everywhere, as there are holes in the asphalt all around. This isn’t just an issue stemming from “shellings” — simply put, no one has repaired the surface for many years.

It’s a pity for the new international buses, whose drivers, when approaching the platforms, have to maneuver between bumps, with their wheels often sinking halfway into the holes. In truth, these beautiful and clean buses look out of place at this station, as they starkly contrast with the overall dismal surroundings.

It’s worth mentioning that the station does have a restroom, and it’s new! Local residents shared that it was built to replace the old emergency street toilet, which was demolished by order of the mayor to avoid embarrassing the city in front of visitors and to compel the station owners to create decent conditions for passengers. It worked — a restroom was built. It’s still a separate structure, but at least it’s relatively clean.

Another local attraction is a ginger cat. It greets and sees off passengers, purring and loudly meowing, demanding food and attention. Essentially, the cat is the best thing at this bus station.

And finally — the cherry on top. It turns out that, following a lawsuit from the State Emergency Service, in March 2023, the Mykolaiv District Administrative Court ruled to completely halt the operation of the Voznesensk bus station. The reason — violations of fire safety regulations and civil protection laws that pose a threat to the life and health of people. This decision was not appealed in the appellate court and is currently in effect. Nonetheless, the station continues to accept buses and sell tickets, charging for its “services” to both carriers and passengers, including a station fee added to ticket prices. In other words, the station owners continue to profit while forcing passengers to freeze outside and endangering their lives and health.