In one Ukrainian city traffic will be stopped every day: what's known about the new initiative in Odesa

In one Ukrainian city traffic will be stopped every day: what's known about the new initiative in Odesa
A new initiative has been launched in Odessa, under which traffic will be halted daily at intersections throughout the city. The system calls for traffic lights to turn red at exactly 9:00 a.m., creating a citywide minute of silence in memory of those who died in the Russian-Ukrainian war.

A test run took place on November 26 at one of the city’s key intersections—the intersection of Lesya Ukrainka Street and Shevchenko Avenue, near the regional state administration building.

Why is traffic halted in Odessa at exactly 9:00 a.m.?

According to “Novosti.LIVE,” the main goal of the initiative is to unite the people of Odesa and remind them of the importance of each person’s personal participation in honoring the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

Oleg Kiper, chairman of the Odessa Regional State Administration, emphasized that the minute of silence is neither an obligation nor a formal gesture, but rather a conscious need of society to honor the memory of the fallen:

“Neither a traffic light nor a campaign will force people to honor the memory of the fallen. It must come from within. We are merely setting an example of how important it is to pause at 9:00 a.m. and remember those who gave their lives for our country,” Kipper noted.

How the system works: the police and traffic lights are set to a special mode

To implement the initiative, experts collaborated with the police to ensure the safety of the new system.

Traffic lights were set to a special mode that automatically switches to a red light at exactly 9:00 a.m.

As of today, this system is already in operation at eight intersections throughout the city. Plans are in place to expand the number of locations where traffic will be halted for one minute.

The 2022 initiative has only now gained support

The idea of bringing the city to a standstill for a minute of silence is not new. It was first proposed back in 2022, but it was not implemented at that time.

Today, following numerous initiatives by activists and civic organizations, Odessa has begun to foster a culture of daily remembrance for the fallen.

The Role of the Public: How Odessans Highlighted the Importance of Remembrance

Angelina Lyubchak, head of the organization “Families of Angels of Light,” noted that a culture of remembrance is still taking shape in Ukraine’s major cities, while Odessa remained passive on this issue for a long time.

In the spring, activists took to the streets with posters, trying to draw the attention of city officials and residents to the need for a minute of silence.

According to Lyubchak, the appearance of red lights at all intersections at 9:00 a.m. is an important step that helps the city realize the scale of the sacrifices made by Ukrainian soldiers:

“People don’t understand that a single minute represents hundreds of names of those who gave their lives for our present. Young people are trying to reach out to society and remind everyone: these defenders gave us a chance to live. Honoring them is a daily duty, and it’s worth pausing at least once a day,” she said.