Ukraine’s first municipal specialized driving school for veterans with musculoskeletal disorders has opened in Kyiv; the first class currently has 17 students, according to the capital’s mayor, Vitali Klitschko.
“We’ve opened Ukraine’s first municipal specialized driving school in the capital for veterans with disabilities who have musculoskeletal disorders, particularly as a result of limb amputations. This is another important element of the city’s support system for defenders,” he wrote on Telegram on Tuesday.
The mayor noted that the driving school has already passed an inspection of its training facility, and specially equipped vehicles have been provided for practical lessons toward a Category B license.
“They were provided at my request by the Dzhurinsky Family Charitable Foundation. Thank you for your support! I would also like to thank the Ministry of Internal Affairs Service Center for its guidance and assistance in implementing this project,” Klitschko said.
According to him, the first class of 17 veterans has now been formed. Here, participants can learn to drive from scratch, obtain a driver’s license, or—if they had driving experience prior to their injury—undergo retraining to master driving a vehicle with adaptive equipment, including hand controls. Training is conducted by certified instructors. An important principle is “peer-to-peer.” The instructors include veterans who have completed the necessary training, passed the exams, and earned the right to teach others. For those who have difficulty getting to the training location on their own, the Kyiv Military Hub provides a transportation service.
“We will continue to expand the range of training programs. In the future, the courses will be open to all people with disabilities who require specialized training,” Klitschko said.
Klitschko also noted that a comprehensive approach to veterans’ automotive mobility is currently being developed. Specifically, upon completion of the training, the city may help partially subsidize the purchase of a car, partially subsidize its retrofitting to meet the individual’s needs, and assist with retraining and employment.
