New rules for sirens in Mykolaiv have not yet come into effect: the City Council explained why
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- Alona KokhanchukReporter
New rules for air-raid sirens in Mykolaiv have not yet come into effect: the city council explains why. Photo: Mykolaiv City CouncilIn Mykolaiv, authorities cannot independently adjust the duration of air-raid siren signals in line with the Cabinet of Ministers’ new requirements. The State Emergency Service is responsible for configuring the warning system.
This was discussed during a staff meeting at Mykolaiv City Council, according to NikVesti.
During the meeting, Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych asked the Department for Emergency Situations and Civil Protection to explain what measures the city is taking to implement Cabinet of Ministers Resolution №1092 of 4 September 2026 No. 1092 and the amendments thereto introduced by Resolution № 1128 of 15 September.
Under the new requirements, the duration of the air-raid siren must depend on the established threat level. For a red alert, the siren must sound for one minute; for a yellow alert, for 30 seconds. The all-clear signal must be broadcast as a voice announcement without an audible alarm.
Representatives of the department explained that the signal marking the start of an air raid alert is transmitted via the nationwide automated centralised warning system, in coordination with the State Emergency Service and the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
«So, at present, the provisions of Resolution 1092, as amended by Resolution 1128, are not being implemented in the city of Mykolaiv... So, it is not being implemented because the State Emergency Service has not configured these sirens to sound that way, is that correct? Is that right?», the mayor asked.
To which he received an affirmative reply. The Emergency Situations Department explained that reconfiguring the warning system takes time and does not fall directly within the remit of the city authorities.
«We held a working meeting with the leadership of the State Emergency Service of Mykolaiv region to speed up the implementation of changes in accordance with the requirements of the aforementioned resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine,» explained the Emergency Situations Department.
Oleksandr Sienkevych stated that the city authorities would make a further enquiry to the relevant bodies regarding exactly when the new rules on air-raid sirens would come into effect in Mykolaiv.
«I’m constantly being asked, and I’m fed up with having to reply that it’s not us who are doing this. People keep writing: «But you’re not complying with the law»,» said the mayor.
As a reminder, in September 2026, residents of Mykolaiv repeatedly complained about prolonged and loud air-raid sirens. Following changes made by the Cabinet of Ministers to the alert procedure, the duration of the siren for a yellow alert level should be 30 seconds, and for a red alert level, one minute. The all-clear signal must be broadcast via a voice announcement without an audible siren.
Mayor Oleksandr Sienkevych had previously stated that the city authorities do not determine the times at which the alarm is raised or allayed, and cannot independently set the duration of the audible signal. According to him, the warning system in Mykolaiv needs to be technically reconfigured to meet the new requirements.
At the city council meeting, a mandate was also issued to bring the warning signals into line with the new requirements. However, as of early October, residents were still reporting sirens sounding for longer than the stipulated 30 seconds or one minute.
