20 billion on the Podilsko-Voskresensky bridge in Kyiv: the reaction of the deputy and society to the “corruption madness”
In the conditions of war, when every hryvnia must be directed to support the army, help the injured citizens and restore the destroyed territories, society is extremely critical of any non-transparent and useless spending of budget funds. In this context, large infrastructural projects, which not only do not solve urgent needs, but also become symbols of extravagance and corruption, receive special attention. The Podilsko-Voskresensky Bridge, opened in Kyiv on December 1, 2024, became one of the most striking examples of this phenomenon.
General costs and their justification
Deputy of the Kyiv City Council Andriy Vitrenko told that this bridge, the construction of which began more than 30 years ago, ended up costing the state more than 20 billion hryvnias, making it the most expensive bridge in the world. However, instead of being proud of the successfully completed project, the society reacted to its opening with disappointment and indignation. However, despite the huge costs, the bridge does not meet the stated goals, and its functionality is questioned.
The total cost of the Podilsko-Voskresensky bridge project exceeded half a billion dollars, which is an extremely high indicator compared to similar objects in other countries. For example, in China or Europe, bridges of similar length and complexity are much cheaper. According to Kyiv City Council member Andrii Vitrenka, such a high price is explained by systemic corruption violations at every stage of construction. He emphasizes that the estimate was repeatedly revised upwards due to overestimation of the cost of materials and works.
“The bridge, which was supposed to solve Kyiv’s transport problems, turned into a symbol of irresponsibility. Corruption scandals and overestimation of the cost of materials only complicated the situation. In general, more than 20 billion hryvnias were spent on the implementation of the project, but the bridge never became the solution that the people of Kyiv had hoped for.” Vitrenko noted.
In 2017, the cost of the project was about 4.3 billion hryvnias, but by the end of 2024, this figure has more than doubled. This became the basis for inspections by the prosecutor’s office, which opened several criminal cases related to abuse of office and official negligence.
Long construction and chronic problems
The Podilsko-Voskresensky bridge was built intermittently for more than three decades. All this time, the project was accompanied by numerous technical and organizational difficulties. The constant change of contractors, underfunding at the initial stages, and later budget overspending made its construction the longest in the history of Ukrainian infrastructure.
In addition, each new stage of construction revealed new problems. Vitrenko emphasizes that the quality control of works often left much to be desired. Additional funds had to be spent on eliminating defects and finalizing already completed areas. All this significantly increased the total cost of the project and contributed to the emergence of new corruption schemes.
Public reaction and investigation
In society, the opening of the Podilsk-Voskresensky Bridge caused mixed emotions. On the one hand, the completion of the construction of such a large-scale facility is really an event. On the other hand, the high cost, long implementation time and limited functionality have caused criticism and outrage. The bridge has already become the object of several investigations.
The Podilsko-Voskresensky bridge was supposed to become an important transport artery connecting Podil with the Left Bank. However, its functionality raises serious doubts – despite the fact that it does not have a full access to Rybalsky Island, the bridge connects Podil only with summer cottages of the Rusaniv Gardens, which will certainly please summer residents. “This is real corruption madness!”, – comment on the event in social networks.
At the time of opening, traffic on the bridge is allowed only for public transport and cars. This significantly limits its potential as a transport highway. In addition, technical issues related to traffic safety remain unresolved. According to experts, in order to fully integrate the bridge into the transportation system of Kyiv, a number of additional works must be performed.
We will remind you that on December 20, 2024, the Kyiv Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit with the Commercial Court with a demand to cancel the contract for the construction of the Podilsko-Voskresensky bridge due to a significant increase in the cost of the project. A criminal case was also initiated regarding official negligence, which caused losses in the amount of more than 3.5 million hryvnias. The deputy director of the utility company, which was responsible for the construction, was charged with suspicion.
