The company donated the first 11 buses in April 2022; in December 2022 the City Council supported donating 10 more buses. The buses were filled with 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid the previous two times, just like this time.
Deputy Chairman of Riga City Council Edvards Ratnieks said: "Right now the buses have set off and will reach Ukraine most likely on November 30, to then go further to Chernihiv. Drivers will change at the border. Drivers of “Rīgas Satiksme” will finish their work, while Chernihiv drivers will take over. This is the third time, currently, 31 [buses] have been donated – 21 buses have been given to the city of Kyiv, and now the time is for the city of Chernihiv, because Chernihiv is Latvia's aid region, and it is worse off than Kyiv."
Ratnieks also pointed out that there are currently no buses left to donate. However, Rīga will continue to help Ukraine in other ways.
“For now, it looks like Rīgas Satiksme and Rīga City Council have exhausted their opportunities in terms of bus [donation]. But if one or two is still there, then it will be an isolated case. But most likely the donations of the buses are over with this one, “ Ratnieks noted.
Buses already donated previously are currently being used in road traffic in Kyiv.
Along with buses, the first mobile stomatology office produced in Latvia, presented to Ukraine by the Ganta Foundation, also went to Ukraine. The van with the mobile dental office was developed in cooperation with the Latvian Dental Association, thanks to material donations from Latvian businesses. The van is equipped with one stationary and one universal workplace for dentists. The van's setup allows for dental procedures as well as primary surgical assistance for more severe facial injuries.
