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?

A jetty on the banks of the Namyv, where people from Mykolaiv go swimming, June 2026, photo by NikVesti

On 10 June, a tragedy occurred in Mykolaiv: a 17-year-old boy jumped from the jetty into the water and did not resurface. His friend tried to rescue him on his own, but to no avail. The teenager’s body was later found by divers — approximately 30 metres from the shore.

This incident has highlighted a problem that has existed in Mykolaiv for several years. Technically, the city’s beaches are not open, swimming is prohibited, and there are no designated public bathing areas. In reality, however, the banks of the Inhul and Southern Bug rivers remain among the main recreational areas for city residents during the summer.

In the Namyv neighbourhood, near the Varvarivskyi Bridge, at «Strilka», «Chaika» and other stretches of the riverbank, people walk, sunbathe, bring their children, buy drinks, socialise in groups and go for a dip. On hot days, these places look just like ordinary city beaches. The only difference is that, legally speaking, there are no beaches there.

Mykolaiv residents relaxing by the river in the Korabelny district, June 2026, photo by NikVesti

Officially — a ban. In reality — a spontaneous beach season

Swimming in Mykolaiv’s water bodies has been banned since June 2022 — for the duration of martial law. This applies not only to swimming, but also to the operation of beaches, public recreational areas by the water, and the use of watercraft and water attractions.

In response to an information request from NikVesti, Deputy Mayor Serhii Korenev stated that in 2026, no public recreational areas had been designated at water bodies in Mykolaiv.

The Mykolaiv authorities say that swimming is not permitted on the city’s beaches, June 2026, response to a request from NikVesti

This means that there is not a single officially designated beach area in the city. Consequently, the standard measures that should precede the opening of the beach season were not carried out: designating swimming areas, developing infrastructure, setting up lifeguard stations, inspecting the seabed and ensuring safe conditions for people near the water.

The city council attributes this to military risks. In particular, they state that under martial law, it is impossible to guarantee the absence of explosive ordnance in the water.

Formally, this position is understandable. But the problem is that the ban has not stopped people. It has merely pushed waterside recreation into a grey area: residents still come to the coast, but now without an official beach, lifeguards, a first-aid post or a clear emergency response system.

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Signs are no substitute for safety

Spending time by the water in Mykolaiv in the summer of 2026, photo by NikVesti

After the outbreak of full-scale war, warning signs began to be erected along the coast. By a decision of the city commission on technical and environmental safety and emergency situations dated 27 April 2026, district administrations and property managers were instructed to put up information boards bearing the words «Swimming prohibited» and «Warning! Explosive objects!».

But the signs do not solve the problem. They set out the authorities’ position, but do not change people’s behaviour. This is particularly evident in the Namyv, which has remained the main summer holiday destination in Mykolaiv for many years.

There are catering establishments, promenades, children’s playgrounds, benches and sports facilities here. People regard this area as the city’s beach, even though it is not officially designated as such. That is precisely why a simple ban proves insufficient: the city cannot pretend that there are no people near the water when they are there every day.

Namyv still functions as a beach, even though it is not officially one

People are relaxing and swimming on the beach at Namiv in Mykolaiv, June 2026, photo by NikVesti

Namyv is the most telling example of this contradiction. Formally, it is not an official beach. But in reality, this is where residents from various parts of the city head in the summer; families with children, teenagers, young people and older people all gather here.

There is no officially designated swimming area in this area. There is no guarantee that the seabed has been surveyed and is safe. There is no fully-fledged lifeguard station of the sort required at an official beach. There is no clear system in place to enable a rapid response to accidents.

The tragedy involving the 17-year-old boy showed just how dangerous this uncertainty can be. This is particularly true when it comes to teenagers, jumping off piers, the absence of lifeguards nearby, and attempts by friends to help someone in the water on their own.

This is what the changing room at Namyv Beach in Mykolaiv looks like, June 2026, photo by NikVesti

Why Mykolaiv is not Odesa

For some residents, the situation seems baffling: in Odesa, during the war, certain sections of the beaches along the coast are being opened following safety checks, whereas in Mykolaiv, they are not. There, they designate swimming areas, set up lifeguard stations, and establish evacuation rules and routes to shelters.

In Mykolaiv, there are currently no such areas along the rivers. The city council explains this by saying that they cannot guarantee the safety of the waterways due to the risk of explosive ordnance, as well as general restrictions under martial law.

However, this difference poses an unpleasant but necessary question for the city: if it is impossible to open completely safe beaches, what should be done about the existing informal recreational spots? After all, they do not disappear simply because they are not called beaches.

What is an official beach and why does it matter

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

Many people regard any stretch of shoreline as a beach. But an official beach is not just sand, water and people with towels.

It is an area designated by the local authorities that must meet safety requirements. In particular, the seabed must be surveyed, a lifeguard post organised, basic infrastructure put in place, water and sand quality monitored, and facilities provided for visitors.

An unregulated beach guarantees none of this. People are, in effect, entering the water at their own risk. But when there are hundreds of such people, it is no longer just a matter of personal responsibility. It is a matter of urban safety policy.

Following the tragedy, the authorities began discussing new approaches

The issue of water safety was discussed during a staff meeting chaired by the mayor, Oleksandr Sienkevych, on 15 June. It was effectively acknowledged there that ‘no entry’ signs alone do not work. People go into the water anyway, and as temperatures rise, the number of holidaymakers will only increase.

Among the ideas discussed was an appeal to the National Police to step up monitoring in areas where large numbers of children and young people gather near bodies of water. A proposal was also put forward to designate small areas in each district that could be monitored and where controlled swimming might potentially be organised.

Essentially, this is an attempt to find a compromise between a formal ban and the reality on the ground. The current situation is as follows: the city has not officially opened the beaches, but neither does it have an effective mechanism that would actually stop people from swimming or minimise the risks.

Responsibility cannot be placed solely on the public

Of course, everyone must understand the risks. You must not jump off piers, go into the water after drinking alcohol, swim alone, ignore warning signs or leave children unattended. During an air raid alert, you must leave the coast and seek shelter.

But to limit ourselves to this advice is to oversimplify the problem. Because if dozens or hundreds of people gather in the very same areas every day, the city cannot respond with signs alone.

An honest answer is needed: either the local authority genuinely enforces the ban, or it looks for ways to create at least minimally controlled safe zones where conditions allow. Otherwise, Mykolaiv will continue to find itself in a situation where there are no official beaches, yet the beach season effectively continues.

The tragedy at Namyv beach area served as a reminder: unauthorised recreation by the water is not merely a breach of the ban. It is a risk that could result in death at any moment. And the response to this risk must be more than just another sign on the shore.

This article was written by Oleksandra Shymanska and Kateryna Sereda