The bridge wasn't maintained — someone will have to pay: a Mykolaiv resident won more than 446,000 in court after a traffic accident

Central District Court of the city of Mykolaiv ruled to recover from the Service for the Restoration and Development of Infrastructure in Mykolaiv Oblast over 446 thousand hryvnias in favor of a 41-year-old local resident whose car was damaged in a traffic accident on the Inhul Bridge. The court press service reported this on 27 May 2026.

The case was heard by Judge Lyudmyla Sholokh. The plaintiff sought compensation for material and moral damages which, according to him, he suffered due to inadequate maintenance of the bridge.

The accident occurred in December 2024 on the Inhul Bridge. The man explained in court that while driving a metal structure flew out from under the rear wheels of the truck driving ahead. It struck the front part of his car, after which the vehicle spun and was thrown across two lanes of traffic. According to the plaintiff, the accident happened in the evening when the bridge lighting was not working. He also insisted that the balance holder did not ensure safe traffic at the location of the open joint of the connected spans, and it was this obstacle that caused the accident. A representative of the Service for the Restoration and Development of Infrastructure in Mykolaiv Oblast objected to the claim. Among the arguments was that the Service had signed a contract with a contractor for repairs, including this section, so, in the defendant’s view, the contractor should be liable for the damages.

However, the court did not agree. After examining the case materials it concluded that the Service for the Restoration and Development of Infrastructure in Mykolaiv Oblast is the proper defendant. In addition, there was no confirmation in the case that the contractor at that time was carrying out repair works on this particular section of the bridge. The court found that the Service did not ensure safe road traffic conditions and allowed the presence of an obstacle on the Inhul Bridge which led to the accident. The defendant did not provide evidence to refute these conclusions.

As a result, the court ruled to recover from the Service for the Restoration and Development of Infrastructure in Mykolaiv Oblast in favor of the plaintiff 426 118 hryvnias in material damages and 20 000 hryvnias in moral damages. The total amount recovered is 446 118 hryvnias.

This case is important not only for one driver. It shows that the dangerous condition of bridges and roads in Mykolaiv can have a concrete price for the budget. And also – that responsibility for inadequate maintenance of infrastructure cannot simply be shifted to a contractor if the balance holder has not proven that it was performing works on the damaged section. For city residents this decision sounds particularly acute: the Inhul Bridge is one of the key transport hubs of Mykolaiv, and any dangerous element on it can create a risk not only to property but also to the lives of drivers and passengers.

Reminder: earlier we wrote:

• Pivdennobuzkyi and Inhul bridges in Mykolaiv transferred to state ownership
• The Cabinet of Ministers begins construction of a bypass road and repair of bridges in Mykolaiv
• Tender for 435 million: Mykolaiv Region Restoration Service refused to name the price of asphalt in the tender
• Accident in Mykolaiv: a truck dragged a car several meters in front of it
• A female deputy accused the mayor of Mykolaiv of a fatal traffic accident