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    12 February, 2025

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    Mykolaiv

  • 12 February , 2025 Wednesday

  • Mykolaiv • -5.4° Clear sky

What Will Reconstruction of Mykolaiv Look Like in 2025?

Миколаїв, архівне фото «NikVesti»Mykolaiv, archive photo NikVesti

The process of rebuilding Mykolaiv began during the Great War. Shelters are being set up in the city, residential buildings and hospitals are being restored, and new school buildings are being built to replace the destroyed ones.

What will the recovery of Mykolaiv look like in 2025? What facilities should we expect to see rebuilt this year? Will international partners help? Read the article NikVesti

Water supply is promised by autumn, but drinking water will not appear in the taps immediately

Mykolaiv residents expect to receive a new water supply system this year. It is promised to be built by autumn 2025. However, this does not guarantee that the city will immediately receive drinking water, as treatment facilities need to be built, Kristina Mikulova, Head of the European Investment Bank's Eastern Europe Regional Centre, explained in a commentary to NikVesti during her visit to the city.

«We need to move in two directions. For example, the water supply system will be completed, but this does not mean that there will be drinking water. We need to look for further solutions in cooperation with the Mykolaiv water utility. I will tell you that the European Investment Bank's processes are complicated because we want the country to have European standards. Infrastructure, equipment, transparency — these are values and standards that are very important to us,» said Kristina Mikulova.

Точка видачі очищеної води у Миколаєві, фото: Миколаївська ОВАA purified water distribution point in Mykolaiv, photo: Mykolaiv Wastewater Treatment Plant

The EIB is planning long-term work to provide Mykolaiv with quality water, she added. This includes the construction of a new water treatment plant, which could take two years.

«This does not mean that you will not have drinking water for two years. But I want to explain that these are two areas (construction of a water supply system and a water treatment plant) where we need to move. I hope that together with all partners we will find a solution, because Mykolaiv residents have been without drinking water for too long,» said Kristina Mikulova.

Голова Регіонального центру Східної Європи Європейського інвестиційного банку Крістіна Мікулова під час спілкування з журналістами у Миколаєві, 20 січня 2025 року, фото: Бойченко Юлія/«NikVesti»Kristina Mikulova, Head of the European Investment Bank's Regional Centre for Eastern Europe, speaking to journalists in Mykolaiv, 20 January 2025, photo: Yuliia Boichenko/NikVesti

Currently, the Mykolaiv Reconstruction Agency is working to modernise the wastewater treatment plant and launch it simultaneously with the new water supply system, Serhii Korenev, deputy mayor of Mykolaiv and head of the city's reconstruction working group, told NikVesti.

«Both the Reconstruction Agency and the European Investment Bank understand that it will be necessary to upgrade the treatment facilities. After all, our treatment facilities are designed to handle water of the second category from the Dnipro River. Therefore, they need to be modernised. The Agency is now working on this as well.

Of course, everyone will make every effort to ensure that this happens either simultaneously or at least within the same timeframe (from the completion of the water supply system, — note),» explained Sergey Korenev.

The mayor's office believes that international partners will increase their support for business

Denmark remains the main international partner of Mykolaiv in 2025. The country plans to move away from «quick projects» and invest €75 million annually in Mykolaiv region, Deputy Mayor Serhii Korenev told NikVesti.

«This year, perhaps, we should talk about Denmark, as it is our strategic partner. They plan to allocate the equivalent of 75 million euros to Mykolaiv region every year and emphasise that they are now moving from quick projects to those that are planned and aimed not just at purchasing equipment or transport, but at things that will change the approach to the management and functioning of the city,» he said.

Прапори України та Данії на 8 Причалі у Миколаєві, фото «NikVesti»Flags of Ukraine and Denmark at Pier 8 in Mykolaiv, photo by NikVesti

According to the deputy mayor, the biggest focus of international partners' attention today is to support small and medium-sized businesses.

«This is quite noticeable in the attention of partners not only from Denmark, but also from the United States, Japan, and Sweden. And I think this will be the focus of attention over the next few years, as we need to build the capacity to independently support the city's operational activities,» explained Serhii Korenev.

7 new shelters in Mykolaiv schools and kindergartens promised by the end of the year

The Department of Housing and Communal Services and the Capital Construction Department of the City Council are currently working on the reconstruction in Mykolaiv. They are preparing projects for the restoration of schools, kindergartens and hospitals, repairing shelters, and working on the restoration of residential buildings.

The Capital Construction Department calls the security component a priority for its work in 2025. The plan is to build seven new shelters in schools and kindergartens, and overhaul three more in hospitals, Oleksii Savchuk, director of the department, told NikVesti.

«About 10 of them are new shelters in educational institutions and one in a sports school. Three more are major repairs in city hospitals: №1, №3 and the Emergency Medical Care Hospital (EMC). Project documentation is currently being developed there, and this year we will announce the procurement of construction works,» explained Oleksii Savchuk.

Укриття в одній з миколаївських шкіл, фото: «NikVesti»Shelter in a school in Mykolaiv, photo: NikVesti

Along with the shelters, 17 fire alarm systems are also going to be installed in schools and hospitals, although there is no money for this yet.

«To date, we have funded the design work so far. The money has not yet been allocated for the actual work. We will either reallocate our existing funds or request additional funding from the budget. We also aim to attract a subvention from the state budget — if we succeed, it will be very good,» said Oleksii Savchuk.

We have already signed an agreement. When will the reconstruction of Arkas Gymnasium start?

One of the facilities to be restored this year is the 133-year-old historic building of the Mykola Arkas Lyceum (First Ukrainian Mykola Arkas Gymnasium). Its restoration is funded by the Danish government, and the work is overseen by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

In early 2025, the City Council's Capital Construction Department, UNOPS, and the contractor signed a trilateral agreement. However, it was still necessary to obtain permission from the State Inspectorate of Architecture and Urban Planning to start work, which was impossible without signing the agreement, explained Oleksii Savchuk.

«On 16 January, we signed the trilateral agreement. This makes it possible to obtain a permit for construction work in the future. There was a delay because UNOPS had never worked under a trilateral agreement before and therefore needed a long approval from Copenhagen. We are now in the process of obtaining the permit,» explained Oleksii Savchuk.

будівля ліцею імені Миколи Аркаса, січень 2025 року, фото «NikVesti»The building of the Mykola Arkas Lyceum, January 2025, photo by NikVesti

Currently, a construction fence has already been installed around the Arkas Lyceum and preparatory emergency work has begun. In total, the school will be built in three stages:

Emergency works: dismantling the building's emergency structures.

Stabilisation works: major repairs to the roof and walls; restoration of the facade, but without restoring ornaments and other finishing elements; preparation for the construction of a shelter.

Resumption of the educational process: renovation of the lyceum premises and arrangement of the shelter. The development of project documentation for interior works is still underway.

будівля ліцею імені Миколи Аркаса, січень 2025 року, фото «NikVesti»Mykola Arkas Lyceum building, January 2025, photo by NikVesti
будівля ліцею імені Миколи Аркаса, січень 2025 року, фото «NikVesti»The building of the Mykola Arkas Lyceum, January 2025, photo by NikVesti

The Capital Construction Department expects to receive a permit from the State Architectural Inspectorate to start construction work in February, and complete the first stage by the end of 2025.

«We will get the permit in February, I am sure of it. As for the work, we hope that by the end of the year this second stage — stabilisation works — will be completed,» said Oleksii Savchuk.

The contractor was not in time: the Lyceum №51 construction project needs three more months

This year, the Capital Construction Department expects to receive a project for the construction of a new lyceum №51 to replace the destroyed one. The contractor was supposed to develop it by December 2024, but did not have time, Oleksii Savchuk told NikVesti. The contract for the development of the project was signed with the contractor in March 2024 for 6.3 million hryvnias.

«The designer failed to fully fulfil its obligations under the contract. He developed only the first stage of the project documentation. So now the contractor says that it will be at the end of March, not earlier. Every day counts, he knows that,»he added.

Зруйнована будівля ліцею №55 у Миколаєві, архівне фото «NikVesti»The destroyed building of Lyceum №51 in Mykolaiv, archive photo NikVesti

In general, Oleksii Savchuk explained, the development of the school construction project is being carried out in two stages:

  • general calculations and location of buildings;
  • detailed description of the project, works and budget.

And after the project is developed, the construction of the educational institution will be carried out by the Infrastructure Restoration and Development Service in Mykolaiv Oblast. In the future, these works should be funded by the state.

Скриншот ескізного проєкту майбутньої будівлі ліцеюScreenshot of the preliminary design of the future lyceum building

No plans to rebuild destroyed buildings at the expense of the budget

At the same time, this year's budget of Mykolaiv has no funds for the reconstruction of destroyed residential buildings, said Dmytro Bezdolnyi, director of the Department of Housing and Communal Services.

«There are no plans to rebuild the houses that were destroyed by Russian shelling. Unfortunately, with the withdrawal of personal income tax, we don't have enough money to repair them, let alone build new ones. In addition, people are essentially receiving certificates for which they can buy other housing. So I don't see a critical problem here — many people have already taken advantage of this opportunity and have new homes,» said Bezdolnyi.

His deputy, Ihor Nabatov, added that the city authorities provide legal assistance to residents of destroyed houses in cases where reconstruction is impossible.

«A striking example is the house at 54 Krylova Street. Initially, the technical report allowed the issuance of certificates only for residents of the top three floors. However, after an additional report, the opportunity to apply for certificates appeared for residents of the entire seventh floor,» he stressed.

At the same time, the city will complete the restoration of high-rise buildings, which began in previous years. For example, the residential building at 67 Yantarna Street, where last year the contractor restored the most accidentally damaged structural elements of the building — those that posed a threat to life and the threat of collapse of the damaged entrance, explained Artem Sapozhnyk, Deputy Director.

«In 2025, we plan to fully restore it, as required, according to the design and estimate documentation. This process is ongoing. We recently met with the contractor and carried out the relevant work. That is, the contractor does not stop, and we plan to complete it, I think, somewhere by the end of May this year,» he explained.

At the same time, says Bezdolnyi, the Housing and Communal Services Department will try to attract donors to rebuild the damaged houses.

«We do not rely on our budget alone, but we are also constantly working to find donor assistance and do the work themselves. That is, so that they are responsible for their own funds, so that there are no insinuations,» he said.

Наслідки обстрілу Миколаєва 21 січня, фото «NikVesti»The aftermath of the shelling of Mykolaiv on 21 January, photo by NikVesti

The European Union is going to help Mykolaiv with the restoration of destroyed residential buildings and the construction of new social housing, Kristina Mikulova, head of the EIB's Regional Centre for Eastern Europe, told NikVesti.

«Housing is also a big priority for the next year. This can be the repair (of destroyed houses, — note), or the construction of social life. You may already know that the Ministry of Development will have a pilot programme for social housing. We also expect the government to decide as soon as possible that we start working. This is also a priority of the European Union and the European Commission,» said Kristina Mikulova.

Посол Франції та представниця ЄІБ спілкуються з журналістами у Миколаєві, 20 січня 2025 року, фото: Бойченко Юлія/«NikVesti»The French Ambassador and the EIB representative talk to journalists in Mykolaiv, 20 January 2025: Yuliia Boichenko/NikVesti

Later, the French Ambassador to Ukraine, Gael Veyer, also emphasised this in a commentary to NikVesti.

«In November 2022, my deputy visited here and also assessed the need for work on the restoration of housing, the restoration of buildings that were damaged by the bombing. I know that considerable efforts had already been made. Now we all have a common task — to strengthen them even more to continue this work,» said Gael Weser.

This year, the main event of the reconstruction in Mykolaiv is to be the construction of a new water supply system, which the townspeople have been waiting for for three years. The date remains the same: autumn 2025. By that time, local and state authorities promise to do everything possible to ensure that drinking water is available in the taps of Mykolaiv residents on time.

The city will continue to equip shelters and implement individual projects to rebuild schools, but due to a lack of funds in the city budget, the restoration of destroyed residential buildings will be suspended.

Yuliia Boichenko, NikVesti

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