Mykolaiv region’s new coat of arms: the majority of local authorities have backed the design featuring Saint Nicholas

A screenshot from the live stream of the meeting of the Committee on Science and Education, Innovation, Youth, Family and Sport, Culture and Spirituality on 2 April

Most local authorities in the Mykolaiv region have backed the design for the region’s new coat of arms featuring Saint Nicholas. Meanwhile, two local authorities do not support any of the designs at all.

This became known during the meeting of the regional council’s committee on science and education, innovation, youth, family and sport, culture and spirituality on 2 April, reports NikVesti.

As a reminder, three options for the new coat of arms of Mykolaiv region are under consideration: the first option features Saint Nicholas, a Cossack cross and waves; the second option features ancient heritage and Olbia; and the third option features an amphora, an anchor and a deer.

The first option — Saint Nicholas, a Cossack cross and waves

The third option features an amphora, an anchor and a deer

The third option — an amphora, an anchor and a deer

As noted by the commission’s chair, Yevhen Horburov, work on updating the symbols was carried out with the participation of a specially created working group and a heraldic council.

He also reported that all local authorities had been sent the options for the new coat of arms.

«Letters signed by the chairman of the regional council were sent to all 52 communities in the Mykolaiv region. Forty-six communities voted for the coat of arms featuring Saint Nicholas. They gave it a favourable assessment. Two communities did not support any of the coat of arms options. A further four communities supported the coat of arms featuring a reindeer,» said the commission chairman.

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According to Yevhen Horburov, the final decision on the new coat of arms is to be made by the Heraldic Council during a meeting scheduled for 10 April. After that, the matter will be submitted for consideration by the deputies of the Mykolaiv Regional Council at a session.

It should be noted that the chairman of the Commission on Heraldry, First Deputy Chairman of the Regional Council Denys Andrieiev, was recently involved in an incident during a hunting trip in the Voznesensk district of the Mykolaiv region. According to reports on Telegram channels, Denis Andrieiev, the deputy chairman of the Mykolaiv Regional Council, was injured as a result of careless handling of a firearm; he was celebrating his birthday the following day, 21 December.

The police investigated reports of an alleged gunshot wound but found no evidence to support this. A few days before the incident, the regional council granted four companies permission to use hunting grounds in the Voznesensk district for a period of 25 years.

According to Denys Andrieiev, on 20 December 2025, he injured his thigh after falling on a dam near a pond; friends provided first aid, and he was discharged from hospital the following day.

Will Mykolaiv change its coat of arms and reschedule City Day celebrations?

In September 2024, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych proposed changing the design of Mykolaiv’s coat of arms.

The mayor explained at the time that the galley with oars depicted on the coat of arms is a symbol of slave ideology, which needs to be changed during Ukraine’s struggle for freedom: «The thing is, it depicts a galley with oars. No sails. I think you all understand what such a galley means, who toiled on it to the point of death. We are not slave rowers, we are not slaves. We have absolutely no need for such symbols in our city’s identity!»

To replace the coat of arms, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych has announced a competition with a prize fund of 200,000 hryvnias for the best proposed sketch.

In addition, the mayor of Mykolaiv is proposing to change the date of the City Day celebrations. This holiday is usually celebrated on the second Saturday in September, but there is now discussion of celebrating it on 22 May — St Nicholas’ Day.