Sienkevych’s deputy stated that swimming on the beaches in Mykolaiv is prohibited because the Russians might strike there with an «Iskander»

There are officially no open beaches in Mykolaiv, but the reality is different, June 2026, photo by NikVesti

Mykolaiv City Council explained that it does not designate safe swimming areas in the city due to the threat of Russian strikes using Iskander ballistic missiles and Geran drones. The city council also believes that crowds gathering on beaches during an air raid alert could pose additional risks due to the lack of nearby mobile shelters.

This is stated in the response from the Executive Committee of Mykolaiv City Council to an information request from the «Novyny-N» website.

The document, signed by Deputy Mayor Yurii Andriienko, notes that between May and June of this year alone, the use of Geran-type jet-powered UAVs and Iskander ballistic missiles was recorded within Mykolaiv.

Separately, the deputy mayor drew attention to the fact that munitions or their fragments may fall almost immediately after an air-raid alert is sounded.

Response to an enquiry regarding the possibility of opening beaches in Mykolaiv, photo: Novyny-N

Response to an enquiry regarding the possibility of opening beaches in Mykolaiv, photo: Novyny-N

«Of particular concern is the fact that strikes by munitions or the fall of their debris are recorded within 5–10 minutes of the Air Raid signal being sounded, both at night and during the day,» said Yurii Andrienko.

The city council reminded the public that during an air raid alert, people must proceed to the nearest shelter. At the same time, as noted in the response, a large number of people may be on the beaches at any one time.

«Due to the lack of primary (mobile) shelters, the presence of large numbers of people on beaches during an air raid alert may pose additional risks to life,» the response states.

The jetty on the Namiv shore, where Mykolaiv residents go swimming, June 2026, photo by NikVesti

The city council also noted that, due to the unstable security situation and the inability to guarantee on a daily basis that there are no explosive devices in the water, it is currently impossible to identify safe swimming areas within Mykolaiv.

Read also the article by NikVesti: There are no official beaches in Mykolaiv, but there are hundreds of people by the water. What’s wrong with summer holidays in the city

Formally, swimming in the city’s water bodies has been banned since 2022. In its response, the city council refers to Executive Committee Decision No. 348 of 2 June 2022, «On the prohibition of public recreational areas on the city’s water bodies».

The city council also noted that this year, no public recreational areas had been designated at the city’s water bodies.

«This year, no public recreational areas have been designated on the city’s water bodies, and swimming is prohibited,» the response states.

At the same time, as stated in the document, the executive bodies of the city council are required to take additional measures to ensure the safety and health of the public at water bodies. In particular, this involves inspecting coastal areas, erecting warning signs and carrying out public awareness campaigns on preventing emergencies, fatalities and injuries in the water.

People are relaxing and swimming on Namyv Beach in Mykolaiv, photo by NikVesti

At the same time, Mykolaiv’s coastal areas continue to be used by residents as popular leisure spots on hot days. Previously, NikVesti reported that, despite the official ban, people are relaxing and swimming at Namyv, near the Varvarivskyi Bridge, at «Strilka», «Chaika» and other sections of the coastline. NikVesti correspondents visited several such locations and found that the banks of the Southern Bug and Ingul rivers are effectively functioning as informal beaches

At the time, the city council explained that, due to the ban, Mykolaiv had not carried out the measures that usually precede the opening of the beach season: designating swimming areas, preparing the sites, setting up lifeguard posts and other arrangements for organised water recreation.

The issue of water safety has once again come to the fore following the tragedy at Namyv. On 10 June, a 17-year-old boy drowned there after jumping from the jetty into the water and failing to resurface. His body was later found by divers approximately 30 metres from the shore. A second tragic incident on the water in Mykolaiv, in which an 18-year-old boy lost his life, occurred on 29 June.

This is not the first time that Mykolaiv’s city authorities have cited safety concerns as the reason for refusing to organise public spaces or mass events. At the end of 2025, Yuriy Lyubarov, head of the culture department, stated that the city would once again not be erecting the main New Year’s tree on Soborna Square, as large public gatherings in the city centre are inappropriate during wartime. At the same time, NikVesti reported at the time that, despite this stance, concerts, festivals and other public events were regularly taking place in Mykolaiv, notably at *8 Prychal, the DOF, the «Yunist» concert hall and Victory Park. As a reminder, on 8 June, the third season of summer concerts opened at *8 Prychal in Mykolaiv.