NASA satellites have detected large-scale fires on the Kinburn Peninsula

Fires on the Kinburn Peninsula. Data from NASA’s FIRMS satellite fire monitoring system

Forest and steppe fires are continuing on the temporarily occupied Kinburn Peninsula, which covers parts of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. NASA satellites have detected at least five separate fire outbreaks.

This is evidenced by data from NASA’s FIRMS satellite fire monitoring system.

The largest fire is currently being observed on the peninsula within the Skadovsk district of the Kherson region. It is noted that the area of the fire, which has engulfed forest and steppe areas, is approximately 1.60 square kilometres.

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Active fires are also being recorded near the village of Heroiske in the Kherson region and near the settlements of Vasylivka, Pokrovka and Pokrovske in the Mykolaiv region.

It should be recalled that a report by the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) states that the Russian command is likely withdrawing some of its units from the northern and western parts of the Kinburn Spit due to supply difficulties and strikes by Ukrainian forces on the occupiers’ logistics routes.

This was also reported by the «ATESH» partisan movement. They state that units of the Russian Federation’s 337th Regiment are allegedly withdrawing from their positions due to the cessation of supplies of ammunition, fuel and food. The movement also claims that, due to personnel losses, Russian troops are abandoning their positions in the northern and western parts of the spit.

However, Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesperson for the Southern Defence Forces of Ukraine, told «Suspilne» that he could neither confirm nor deny the information circulated by the partisan movement.

Read also the article by NikVesti «We must leave nature in peace. Does the Kinburn Nature Reserve have a chance of recovery?».

What is happening on Kinburn?

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the territory of the Kinburn Spit has been occupied by Russian troops. In fact, the Russians have been shelling the Ochakiv and Kutsurub communities in the Mykolaiv region from there for over a year.

To date, only three settlements in the Mykolaiv region remain occupied, all of which are located on the Kinburn Spit. These are:

• the village of Vasylivka. Before the full-scale war, the population stood at 382;

• the village of Pokrovka. Before the full-scale war, the population was 229;

• the village of Pokrovske. Before the full-scale war, the population was 177 people.

The head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitalii Kim, stated that the liberation of the Kinburn Spit is a matter of time, «and not very long at that». This was also confirmed by the spokesperson for the Southern Defence Forces, Nataliia Humenyuk.

Meanwhile, Russian occupiers continue to shell and mine the protected area of the Kinburn Spit. Wild animals are blown up by mines there almost daily, and there have also been cases of human casualties. This is discussed in the article NikVesti «On the brink of destruction: How the protected Kinburn Spit is suffering from the actions of the occupiers».

Throughout the occupation, forests on the Kinburn Spit have been burning from time to time. The situation is usually exacerbated by the fact that the Russian occupiers have not allowed rescue workers to extinguish the fires, so the blazes can last for weeks. At the same time, as noted by the Regional State Administration, the Mykolaiv region is unable to assist in extinguishing the fires there, as all fire brigades and equipment capable of reaching the area are located in the occupied territories of the Kherson region.

Due to the fires on Kinburn Spit, red-listed orchids and other unique plants and animals are under threat, reported Ombudsman Liudmyla Denisova.

Following the de-occupation of the Kinburn Spit, nature will need time to recover on its own, according to «Biloberezhzhia Sviatoslava». This will take place whilst the demining of the protected area is underway.

In October 2024, Serhii Beliakov, the Gauleiter of the occupied villages of Pokrovka and Vasylivka on the Kinburn Spit , complained about the actions of Russian soldiers who are looting, threatening the local population with violence and reprisals .