In Mykolaiv, councillors are asking the Cabinet of Ministers to allow businesses to continue operating without shelters during air raid alerts

The Mykolaiv City Council building. Photo: «NikVesti»

Councillors on the Mykolaiv City Council have appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers and the Verkhovna Rada to review the new rules governing business operations during air raid alerts. In particular, they are proposing that business owners who are unable to set up shelters be allowed to continue operating after 4 December 2026. This is the date on which the transitional period provided for in the government’s resolution comes to an end.

This is stated in an appeal supported by members of the Mykolaiv City Council at their session on 6 November, according to NikVesti.

Fedir Panchenko, a member of the Mykolaiv City Council and the initiator of this draft resolution, noted that Mykolaiv’s business owners will be unable to meet the conditions of the Cabinet of Ministers’ resolution, meaning that most will be forced to close their businesses.

«On the business front. We have all seen the reaction. Clearly, this decision (set out in the Cabinet of Ministers’ resolution, — note) was not very well thought out. For Mykolaiv, this will likely lead to the closure of 90 per cent of businesses, as our entrepreneurs will, unfortunately, be unable to meet the conditions of this resolution. Therefore, there is a proposal to appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers,» he said.

Speech by Councillor Fedir Panchenko at the city council session, screenshot from the live stream

Councillors unanimously supported the appeal to the Cabinet of Ministers. 33 councillors voted in favour.

What will change for business owners from 4 December

In September, the Cabinet of Ministers adopted Resolution №1092, which established new rules for businesses during air raid alerts. In particular, it provides for two levels of danger: yellow — in the event of a drone attack threat; red — in the event of a missile, missile-drone or mass drone attack.

At the yellow level, shops, cafés, pharmacies and other establishments may continue to operate provided they have shelters for staff and visitors. However, businesses are not required to build a separate shelter: they may set up a safe space within the building itself, provided the premises meet the established requirements.

For businesses without shelters, the government has provided for a three-month transition period. Until 4 December, they may continue to operate subject to agreement with their staff.

However, after this date, businesses must comply with the new safety requirements in order to continue operating during a yellow alert.

This could pose a problem for small shops, pharmacies, cafés and other establishments operating, for example, on the ground floors of residential buildings. In such premises, it is not always technically feasible to set up a shelter or a safe space.

That is why members of the Mykolaiv City Council are proposing to lift the restrictions until 4 December for businesses that are unable to meet these requirements. Instead, they wish to allow such establishments to determine their own operating arrangements during air raid alerts, based on a decision by the manager and the staff, for the duration of martial law.

The motion also proposes revising the requirements regarding mandatory technical inspections of premises and the installation of information signs measuring 100 by 60 centimetres, which inform visitors of the presence or absence of a shelter.

The authors of the document believe that the new rules could lead to the closure of some businesses, job losses and a reduction in tax revenue for the city budget.

Text of the appeal by councillors of the Mykolaiv City Council

Text of the appeal by members of the Mykolaiv City Council

Text of the appeal by members of the Mykolaiv City Council

What else they are proposing to change

As well as the rules governing business operations, the councillors raised the issue of the duration of air-raid sirens and how they are announced in Mykolaiv.

The statement notes that the new government requirements are not in line with the current regulations governing the operation of public warning systems. In particular, one resolution provides for shorter audible signals depending on the threat level, whilst another sets the duration of the «Attention All» warning signal at between three and five minutes.

The councillors are therefore asking the government to harmonise these requirements and to provide state funding for the modernisation of the sirens so that their duration and volume can be adjusted.

Another proposal is to issue air raid alerts for Mykolaiv separately from the rest of the Mykolaiv district. The authors of the appeal explain that currently the siren may sound in the regional centre even when the danger concerns only remote communities within the district.

To this end, they propose instructing the Ministry of the Interior and the State Emergency Service to develop an appropriate technical solution.

Meanwhile, the government is already considering the possibility of easing requirements on businesses. As reported by the Ministry of Economy on 29 October, discussions are underway regarding the extension of the transition period and the introduction of more flexible rules for small businesses.

According to a report by RBC-Ukraine on 5 November, the draft government amendments also envisage granting additional time to businesses that have already begun fitting out shelters. However, as of the publication of this article, these changes have not yet come into force, and the deadline of 4 December set by the resolution remains in effect.

It should be recalled that following the Cabinet of Ministers’ adoption of Resolution No. 1092, which sets out new rules for business operations during air raid alerts, entrepreneurs had numerous questions. The main one concerned the fitting out of shelters. Business representatives in Mykolaiv organised a meeting, which was joined online by participants from various cities. Business owners emphasised that businesses, which are currently struggling to survive, must be involved in the drafting of such resolutions.