Once a German Mercedes, now a makeshift shelter under a bridge: a "ghost" bus found in Mykolaiv

Under the Shyroka Balka Bridge in Mykolaiv, an abandoned city articulated passenger bus-“accordion” of the Mercedes brand has been standing unused for at least a year. Readers of the “Novyny-N” news outlet reported the ownerless vehicle, and on May 22, 2026 the outlet’s reporters verified the information on site and confirmed its authenticity.

According to readers, they have seen the bus under the bridge for no less than a year. At first, people say, it was a perfectly decent passenger vehicle, but during its idle time it has essentially been stripped. Now the interior, according to witnesses and reporters, resembles either a makeshift sleeping place or a public toilet.

Reporters from “Novyny-N” found a solid low-floor articulated bus on site. The vehicle’s condition has noticeably deteriorated: its windows are broken, the tires are deflated, and part of the cabin is damaged. At the same time, the exterior suggests the bus was originally in much better technical condition. There are inscriptions in German on the vehicle, which may indicate its origin from Germany. In addition, a red cross is affixed to the windshield. This may indicate either a humanitarian purpose for the bus or that it may have been transferred as humanitarian aid. However, there is currently no official explanation as to who owns the bus and why it ended up under the bridge.

Some of the seats inside have already been removed. Journalists also discovered a spot arranged for sleeping. By their description, the smell inside gives the impression that the bus was regularly used as a toilet as well. It is also noticeable that the vehicle has no license plates. At the same time, markings remain showing it was adapted for transporting passengers with strollers and people with disabilities. The low floor allows such transport to be used by passengers with reduced mobility, which is particularly important for urban transit.

The question of why a serviceable passenger bus ended up abandoned under the Shyroka Balka Bridge remains open. It is also unclear why a vehicle that could theoretically operate on routes or at least be preserved until its status is clarified was effectively left to looting and destruction. This story seems especially strange against the backdrop of constant complaints from Mykolaiv residents about public transport. Residents of the Korablevnyi District have repeatedly complained about the technical condition of minibuses, failure to follow timetables, and transport problems, in particular on route No. 17.

A separate aspect is the safety of the bridge itself. The bus stands directly under the engineering structure, and its effective transformation into an impromptu object of unknown purpose raises at least questions for the responsible services: who should remove the vehicle, who will establish the owner, and whether the risks to the area under the bridge were assessed.

For Mykolaiv, which during the war has constantly spoken about a shortage of transport, international assistance, and the need to renew passenger services, this situation looks at the very least neglectful. If the bus was indeed humanitarian or fit for use, the city should receive a clear answer: who allowed it to stand under the bridge for a year and to turn into a ruin.

Previously we wrote:

• Mykolaiv launched bus No. 49: Shyroka Balka received a direct connection to the old railway station via Pohranychna
• Don’t miss your ride: the schedule for the new bus No. 49 from the Korablevnyi District has been published
• Finally: bus No. 49 to Shyroka Balka is being launched
• Buses set free: the Verkhovna Rada “unfroze” humanitarian transport
• Transport under the microscope: Mykolaiv approved KPIs for “Mykolaivelektrotrans” and “Mykolaivpastrans”