Mykolaiv residents complain about crowds of drunk people gathering near the ATB supermarket on Peremohy Square
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- Darina MelnychukCorrespondent
Residents of Mykolaiv are complaining about crowds of drunk people gathering near the ATB supermarket on Peremohy Square. Photo: NikVestiResidents of Mykolaiv are complaining about the constant gatherings of people near the ATB supermarket on Peremohy Square. According to a local resident, groups of people gather there in the evenings, drinking alcohol, behaving noisily and causing disturbances. Recently, a fight broke out near the same supermarket, resulting in the death of an 18-year-old man.
Alla Mavrodii, a local resident, spoke about the issue in a comment to NikVesti.
As a reminder, on 17 August, a brawl took place near the ATB supermarket on Kosmonavtiv Street. According to the police, a report of the incident was received at around 00:35. Eyewitnesses told the police that a dispute had broken out between two unidentified men and an 18-year-old lad.
One of the men struck the young man in the face. He fell to the ground and lost consciousness as a result of the blow. Police officers and paramedics attempted to resuscitate the victim, but he died at the scene. Patrol officers later tracked down the two men near the scene of the incident. Investigators detained a 23-year-old man under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
Flowers at the spot where the 18-year-old man died following a fight. Photo: NikVesti
Flowers at the spot where an 18-year-old boy died following a fight. Photo: NikVestiAccording to Alla Mavrodii, the problem of crowds gathering near the ATB supermarket worsened after 2022. She claims that almost every evening, groups of people gather there, drinking alcohol, behaving noisily and causing disturbances.
«There are three flower beds in front of the ATB. And parties take place there every evening and every day — starting around five or six in the evening and lasting until late at night. At the weekend, people who work decide to hang out there, relax and have a drink. Teenagers also go there. This has been going on for at least three or four years now. But since 2022, it has become a regular occurrence — every evening and every night,» the woman explained.
She also pointed out that there is a children’s playground with trampolines near the supermarket. During the warmer months, she said, some of the people move there. There are residential buildings nearby, so residents complain about the noise at night.
«There’s shouting, arguments and foul language. People can’t sleep. It goes on until the small hours,» said Alla Mavrodii.
The woman claims she has repeatedly contacted the police about the situation near the supermarket. She says there is no regular patrolling there, and after the police arrive, the groups return after a short while.
«People are constantly drinking alcohol there. They simply organise drinking sessions on those flowerbeds: with snacks and alcohol. This happens every night. It’s been going on right under the police’s noses for almost four years now,» the woman explained.
According to Mavrodii, she has tried twice to file a complaint with the police regarding the situation near the supermarket. However, she claims that the situation has not changed following her complaints.
During her first complaint, Mavrodii said, the police officers were sceptical about her report and told her that it would achieve nothing.
«The first time I went to file a complaint, I was told: «What did you expect? Did you come here to sort this out? Take off your rose-tinted glasses. There’ll be no result at all,»» the resident said.
The woman also claims that on one occasion she herself became involved in a confrontation outside a supermarket. According to her, she was attacked by people who were under the influence of alcohol, after which she contacted the police.
«I couldn’t take it any more, so I grabbed my camera and went to film what was happening. But the crowd pounced on me. They were pushing me and swinging at me,» she said.
According to Alla Mavrodii, she then went to the police a second time to file a report about the attack. However, she said that when she went to report the incident, a police officer spoke to her in a harsh manner and, in her view, did not treat her report with the seriousness it deserved.
Mavrodii believes that the situation requires constant attention from the police, rather than merely a response following serious incidents.
«Do I have to be the fifth victim for you to take notice? Not just of me, but of all this crime-prone chaos that’s going on here. There’s no regular patrolling here, no proper response,» she said.
Previously, NikVesti had already reported on problems in this area. In the spring, abandoned defensive fortifications and a derelict high-rise block near the ATB supermarket became shelters for people without a permanent place to live.
According to local residents, the area had been neglected: rubbish had piled up and there was an unpleasant smell. A NikVesti correspondent, visited the site and observed that people without a permanent place of residence had set up living quarters both in the abandoned dugouts on the square and in the unfinished high-rise block at 76/1 Kosmonavtiv Street.
At the time, Hanna Remennikova, head of the Inhulskyi District Administration in Mykolaiv, reported that attempts had already been made to evict the people who had settled in the abandoned dugouts and the derelict building. However, she added that they kept returning to the area.
NikVesti
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Mykolaiv residents complain about crowds of drunk people gathering near the ATB supermarket on Peremohy Square.
Residents of Mykolaiv are complaining about the constant crowds…
This material was produced within the REACH – Media Partnerships for Accountability and Trust project, implemented by International Media Support (IMS) and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The content reflects the views of the authors and not necessarily those of the Danish government. Denmark’s support strengthens civil society and independent media in Ukraine, including in Mykolaiv.
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