Sienkevych on the state of cemeteries in Mykolaiv following the days of remembrance: «People are turning graves into rubbish dumps»
- Darina Melnychuk
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12:30, 13 May, 2026
The Mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Senkevych, has expressed outrage at the state of the city’s cemeteries following the All Souls’ Day commemorations. File photo: NikVestiMykolaiv Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych commented on the state of the city’s cemeteries following the days of remembrance. He was outraged that some residents were leaving rubbish on neighbouring graves.
He spoke about this during a staff meeting on 11 May, according to NikVesti.
According to Serhii Vaseleha, head of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaiv Funeral Service», special bins have been installed in the cemeteries where people can dispose of rubbish.
«After the memorial days, did you clear the cemeteries of the rubbish people had left there?» asked Oleksandr Sienkevych.
«We cleaned it up and took it away,» replied Serhii Vaseleha.
«Some people here are simply shocking in their cynicism. I was sent photos where people are creating rubbish dumps on other people’s graves. They just dump it: they’ve torn up some grass at home and thrown it onto a neighbouring grave. That’s just such cynicism and a lack of manners. It’s not widespread, but there are isolated cases,» added Oleksandr Sienkevych.
«We have installed bins in every cemetery where people can dispose of rubbish. But they don’t do it,» noted the head of the municipal enterprise.
Yurii Smetana, director of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaivelektrotrans», and Serhii Veseleha, director of the municipal enterprise «Mykolaiv Funeral Service», during a staff meeting. Photo: NikVestiAs for the road surface at the city’s cemeteries, critical sections are planned to be repaired by the funeral service and the «ELU Avtodorig», Deputy Mayor Yurii Andriienko reported.
In addition, a columbarium has been commissioned at the Central City Cemetery. According to Serhii Veseleha, the niches have been made larger so that families can place not one but two urns there.
«I can already see that several niches have been taken. This is a modern and progressive approach, rather than occupying the ground forever,» said Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych.
It should be noted that the new columbarium is located along the central pedestrian walkway, approximately 100 metres from the main entrance to the cemetery, which locals call Mishkovske. There are 156 niches here for placing urns.
The construction of the city’s first columbarium at Mishkovske Cemetery, which was due to be completed by the end of 2024, was delayed due to the mobilisation of workers. The deadline was then pushed back to mid-2025.
At the Central City Cemetery, known to Mykolaiv residents as Mishkovske, there are no burial plots available in the honour section. It is proposed to expand the cemetery grounds by relocating the fence.
In addition, the Land Resources Department has drafted a resolution for the Mykolaiv City Council to allocate a plot of land for the permanent use of the cemetery. This concerns the area near the Starovodopiiske Cemetery on Kazarskyi Street.