The city of Bonn can support the city of Kherson with three more urgently needed vehicles. The federal city has maintained a solidarity partnership with the southern Ukrainian city since February 2023. As a frontline city, Kherson is severely affected by the war and frequently exposed to shelling. The ambulance and the command vehicle of the Bonn fire department as well as a tipper truck with crane, which was organized by the city of Bonn as an additional vehicle through the project "Improving civil protection in municipal partnerships with Ukraine" of the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, are now on their way to Ukraine.
Stefan Wagner, Head of the Office for International Affairs and Global Sustainability, which is also responsible for the solidarity partnership, and Heiko Basten from the Bonn Fire Brigade's vehicle and workshop management team handed over the vehicle keys and documents to Tamara Vuković, Head of the Bonn branch of the Blue-Yellow Cross Association, on Thursday, May 2, 2024. As a reliable partner of the City of Bonn, the Blue-Yellow Cross Association is responsible for transferring the vehicles to Ukraine. "Only with the help of the association's expertise and unrestricted energy is it possible to maintain the continuous support of our partners. Even when external conditions change, such as new import and customs regulations, the Blue-Yellow-Cross Association is committed to supporting us," says Stefan Wagner. In January 2024, members of the association had already transferred a flatbed truck to Kherson, which the city of Bonn had received through the Federal Ministry for Development and Economic Cooperation for its solidarity partnership.
Already seven vehicles from the Bonn fire department for Kherson
"As a German-Ukrainian association, we are happy and proud to support the city of Bonn in the logistics of the donated car as part of the solidarity partnership with Kherson. The vehicle will not only facilitate the work of the truly heroic municipal employees, but will be a symbol of ongoing support for the residents of the frontline city," says Tamara Vuković, head of the Bonn branch of the Blue-Yellow Cross.
Both the tipper truck with crane and the two fire department vehicles are urgently needed in the frontline city of Kherson, which has been badly affected by the war. Daily bombardments of the city lead to an increasing need for medical care as well as the necessity to clear and repair the resulting damage in the city. "The two fire engines have served the city of Bonn well over the years and are in good condition. We are delighted that they will now be put to further use in Ukraine for the benefit of the people there,'' says Jochen Stein, Head of the Bonn Fire Brigade. The Bonn fire department has now provided seven vehicles for the Ukraine. In addition, the partners from Kherson received two vehicles from the Bonnorange waste management company in 2023.
Solidarity partnership and civil aid
Overall, the commitment of civil society is helping to breathe life into the existing solidarity partnership with Kherson. In addition to the vehicle donation, the Central Warehouse for Donations in Kind Bonn (ZeSaBo) is currently collecting donations in kind to support vulnerable population groups in Kherson. An initial portion of the donations is already being delivered to Ukraine in the vehicles provided. However, the Blue-Yellow Cross and ZeSaBo donation campaign is still ongoing. Information on the goods needed can be found here (opens in a new tab).
There is also the donation partnership "Bonn helps Kherson", which the city of Bonn has launched with the aid organization Help - Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe. All information at www.bonn-hilft-cherson.de. Since the beginning of the donation partnership, more than 174,000 euros have already been collected, which are mainly used for medical support in the city of Kherson. Most recently, medicines were delivered and two hospitals were equipped with endoscopic equipment and an oxygen concentrator. Maintaining medical care in Kherson is of great importance, as not only the city itself has been severely affected by the war, but also the entire oblast (administrative district). As a result, wounded people from the entire region receive medical treatment in Kherson if they cannot be transported to other regions.