From the frontline of green change in Ukraine

Early in the morning, as the sun lights the edges of the city, Olha Bondar steps into her trolleybus at the depot in Khmelnytskyi. She greets her colleagues with a smile and a quick coffee before preparing the vehicle for the day’s route.

“Driving a trolleybus is more than a job,” she explains. “It’s a lifeline, a symbol of resilience in a city reshaped by war.”

Just months before Russia’s invasion, Olha lived in Mariupol with her family. The war tore everything apart – home, friends, stability. In Khmelnytskyi, she found a new beginning. “I worked at Azovstal back in Mariupol. After we relocated, I heard that Electrotrans was offering training for future drivers. I truly enjoy this job – great team, daily interaction and a decent salary.”

“This city keeps moving,” she says. “And so do we.”

At the same time, not far from the crowded city centre, Galyna Oliynyk oversees the new leachate treatment facility at Khmelnytskyi’s landfill. Every day she monitors the complex filtration systems, ensuring that the leachate – the toxic liquid formed when rainwater filters through waste – doesn’t seep into the soil or groundwater and threaten the environment and public health.

Galyna, a chemical engineer by training, took on the role in January 2025, fully aware of the challenges. But in wartime, the mission became even more meaningful. “Especially now, when the war touches everything, protecting our city’s land and water feels more urgent than ever,” she says.

A city facing hardship, but becoming greener

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Khmelnytskyi has welcomed thousands of internally displaced people, stretching the city’s resources and infrastructure. But despite immense pressure, the city has embraced green development, supported by the EBRD and donors under the EBRD’s Green Cities programme.

Two initiatives in particular show the city’s commitment to sustainable urban life: the energyefficient trolleybuses, supported by the European Union, the EBRD Crisis Response Special Fund and the EBRD Ukraine Stabilisation and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account*; and the construction of the new leachate treatment facility under a solid waste management project that was supported by the European Union and Sweden. Together, these projects are bringing cleaner air, safer water and affordable, reliable public transport.

Olha’s new trolleybus is completely different from the ageing vehicles that used to cruise around the city. It is quiet and air-conditioned, and equipped with a low floor, wifi and security cameras, making it a comfortable and safe space for all passengers, including the elderly, people with disabilities, and parents with young children.

The trolleybus project has expanded Khmelnytskyi’s public transport network with 10 new energyefficient trolleybuses, improving mobility for tens of thousands of residents. In a city under pressure, these projects bring stability to everyday life.

From pollution to protection

Before the new treatment plant opened, Khmelnytskyi’s landfill site had limited capacity to properly manage leachate. While measures were in place, the risk of leakage into surrounding land and water sources remained a concern. With the new facility, this threat has been mitigated.

Built as part of the city’s Solid Waste Modernisation Action Plan under the Green Cities programme, the plant uses advanced mechanical and biological filtration systems to treat over 1,000 cubic metres of leachate each month. The facility includes balancing tanks, reverse osmosis equipment and sludge dewatering units, all of which are designed to protect the environment.

The imprint of war and hopes for a greener future

The war leaves its mark. For Olha, whose husband serves in the armed forces and whose family fled their home, every day carries the weight of loss and resilience. For Galyna, maintaining environmental protections feels like a form of resistance, safeguarding the city’s future amid destruction.

Looking ahead, both women hope to see Khmelnytskyi continue its green transition, with more recycling centres, expanded trolleybus routes and a population that is more environmentally aware. These projects do more than improve infrastructure – they provide a lifeline, create jobs and give the city its pride. As Olha puts it: “We can’t stop the war, but we can make sure our city keeps going. That means a lot.”

* The EBRD Ukraine Stabilisation and Sustainable Growth Multi-Donor Account is supported by Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the European Union.