Uber, Ukraine Partner To Offer Free Rides To Medical Workers During 'Terrible War'

Uber will offer free rides to medical workers in Ukraine starting this month to help alleviate the burdens Ukrainian people face amid Russia's "terrible war," the ride-sharing giant said.

In a joint initiative with the Ukrainian Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Kyiv-based charity Soloma Cats, the ride-sharing giant has pledged to provide nearly 35,000 promo codes for free rides every month to 100 medical institutions in areas where the service is available, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

Uber will finance up to 8 million Ukrainian hryvnias ($217,920) worth of trips monthly until the initiative ends in November, according to the outlet.

"Since the very beginning of this terrible war, Uber has stood with Ukraine and supported the Ukrainian community by initiating many social projects in partnership with NGOs, volunteer centers and companies. Today, we are very happy to support the medical people who need this assistance so much during this time. Uber supports and will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary," Marcin Moczyróg, the company's general manager for Central and Eastern Europe, said Tuesday.

This latest partnership between Uber and the MoH "will provide our heroic medics, who are tirelessly saving the lives of Ukrainians in these trying times, with convenient transportation solutions," added Mariia Karchevych, the deputy minister for digital development, digital transformations and digitalization of Ukraine's Ministry of Health.

The ministry also hopes the project "will encourage other responsible Ukrainian and international businesses to provide critical support to the healthcare industry," Karchevych said.

Volunteers of Soloma Cats will reportedly take part in the initiative by helping hospital staff use Uber's promo codes in the ride-sharing service's app.

"Every day, our medics demonstrate extraordinary heroism, saving people's lives around the clock to the sound of sirens, and sometimes under shelling... Many of them also have to spend their precious time getting to the hospital and back home, waiting for public transport, or catching rides for hours. So we are so happy this initiative will help our doctors improve the conditions of their daily commutes," Andrii Yerofieiev, the co-founder and executive director of Soloma Cats, said.

Uber launched another initiative Monday with the Ukrainian healthcare start-up Liki24.com to provide people in Ukraine with discounted medicine.

During the early phases of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Uber pledged to provide free rides and humanitarian aid, among other things, to support Ukrainian communities.