E-scooters from Californian micromobility company Bird are helping businesses reopen in war-torn Kyiv.

It is difficult for cars to navigate damaged city streets in the Ukrainian capital as they are strewn with anti-tank obstacles. That’s where shared scooters come in.

As some businesses begin to reopen in Kyiv nearly two months after the Russian invasion failed to take the city, micro-electric mobility is demonstrating a utility and versatility few would ever have imagined necessary.

The local government has asked Scroll, Bird’s platform partner in Ukraine and Georgia, to deploy a fleet of shared e-scooters free of charge to help residents of Kyiv return to work and local businesses. Because of their electric propulsion and easy manoeuvrability, scooters have proven to be a helpful transportation asset in a capital city still reeling from the effects and disruptions of war. 

Scooters have been provided to facilitate commutes, food deliveries and more in an effort to support Kyiv residents and speed up local recovery efforts.

“Our first commitment is to the people of Kyiv, helping them return to work to bolster the local economy and defend and rebuild Ukraine,” said Giorgi Tughushi, CEO of Scroll. “We will continue to work closely with the government in Kyiv, along with our dear local colleagues in Ukraine, to ensure Scroll scooters remain available to support national recovery efforts.”

Since 2020, Scroll has been operating in eastern Europe, providing micro-electric transportation services in cities including Tbilisi, Batumi and Kyiv.

• Bird has signed a three-year e-scooter deal with the city of Reno in Nevada just a week after a similar deal in Indio, California. Throughout spring, an initial fleet of 250 Bird Three scooters will be deployed throughout Reno with geofenced riding areas indicated in the Bird app.

“Bird is honoured to partner with the city of Reno to launch our eco-friendly scooter programme for residents and visitors,” said Brian Buccella, senior vice president at Bird. “We are committed to working with the community to increase transportation access to all residents as well as helping the city meet their sustainability goals.”