In Kherson, they refused protective frames for buses: what is the reason

In Kherson, they stopped the experiment with metal frames and nets that were supposed to protect city buses from Russian drones. The structure obstructed movement under stationary anti-drone nets, and the unusual appearance of the bus caught the attention of Russian UAV operators. This was reported by the publication Vhory.

Why Kherson refused protective frames for buses

Utility workers installed a metal frame covered with a net on one of the buses. It was anticipated that such a design would reduce the risk of a direct hit from a Russian drone on the transport.

During testing, a practical problem arose: the retrofitted bus could not pass under anti-drone structures that were already installed over certain roads in Kherson. Due to its increased dimensions, the transport could not operate normally on the route.

The Director of the Kherson City Public Transport Service, Vadym Melnyk, stated that the bus also became a more noticeable target for Russian military forces.

«Even when the bus was in test mode, it was already attacked by a drone. Fortunately, it missed. We realized that this option was not promising,» Melnyk noted.

After the first tests, the utility company decided not to equip other buses with such frames. There are currently no reports on the search for alternative protective options for public transport.

How many buses and trolleybuses were damaged in Kherson

Russian attacks continuously diminish the capabilities of public transport. In just the past month, ten buses and 21 trolleybuses have been damaged in Kherson.

Before the full-scale invasion, there were 24 bus routes and seven trolleybus routes operating in the city. Now, utility workers can only maintain service on 16 bus routes and four trolleybus routes.

Transport operations are complicated by infrastructure damage, power outages, and repeated attacks. Due to safety concerns, routes have to be shortened, and transport movement is delayed or completely halted.

Russian drones intensify attacks on transport in frontline cities

The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that Russian units have been ordered to more actively attack civilian infrastructure and automobiles in frontline and border regions.

For Kherson, this means an increased risk for drivers, passengers, and repair crews. At the same time, the tested frame did not solve the problem, as it complicated bus movement and made it more noticeable.

Recall that on July 9, a Russian drone attacked a passenger car in Kherson, resulting in the deaths of two people.