They unscrewed the light bulbs and caused damage to property. The Сity Сouncil explained the dilapidated state of the shelter in the centre of Mykolaiv
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- Alona KokhanchukReporter
Residents of Mykolaiv have complained about a bus shelter with no lighting. Illustrative photo: NikVestiResidents of Mykolaiv have complained about a dilapidated shelter on Tsentralnyi Avenue, which has no lighting or seating. The city council explained that the lights in the shelter had been damaged and stolen by unknown individuals, who had also vandalised some of the property.
This was reported by Mykolaiv City Council in response to an enquiry from NikVesti.
In July, in the Facebook group «Contact Centre» run by the Mykolaiv City Council, residents complained about the condition of shelter №52477 at 69 Tsentralnyi Avenue. According to Iryna Deoletska, there is no lighting or benches inside the shelter, and the telephone number listed on the information board has not been working for around four months.
«One of the few open shelters in the city is in a state of disrepair. I don’t know who is responsible for these shelters, but someone needs to check their condition, as no one answers the telephone number listed on the notice board. It’s been out of service for four months now. People can’t use the shelter because there’s no light and nothing to sit on. I’m asking for your help in ensuring the shelter is brought up to standard,» wrote the resident.
The condition of the shelter on Tsentralnyi Avenue. Screenshot from a video
The condition of the shelter on Tsentralnyi Avenue. Screenshot from a video
The condition of the shelter on Tsentralnyi Avenue. Screenshot from a videoThe shelter is managed by the municipal enterprise «Zakhyst». Mykolaiv City Council reported that routine repairs to the premises were carried out in 2023. At that time, for 128,1 thousand hryvnias, the walls and ceiling of the shelter were cleaned and painted, the plasterwork was repaired, and the floor was cleaned, levelled and painted. The doors were also refurbished and painted.
In 2025, the ventilation system in the shelter was also repaired. The cost of this work amounted to 180,900 hryvnias.
The technical condition of the shelter was last inspected by representatives of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service in the Mykolaiv region on 27 April 2026. During the inspection, it was noted that the necessary fire-fighting equipment and evacuation plans were missing. The entrance to the shelter is not properly adapted for people with disabilities and those with reduced mobility. There are also no spare sets of keys for the doors and no special thermometer for measuring the air temperature.
Furthermore, according to the city council, the lighting in the shelter has been damaged and partially stolen.
«When the shelter was first set up, it was equipped with electric lighting. However, as a result of unlawful actions by unidentified individuals, three main light fittings, two emergency light fittings, two fire alarms were stolen, the door to the toilet facilities was damaged, a water pipe and a tap were broken, and electrical wires were torn out,» the letter states.
The municipal utility «Zakhyst» has reported the theft to the police.
At the same time, the utility company has promised to restore the lighting and install benches.
«At present, the company’s staff are carrying out restoration work to repair the power supply system and lighting at the protective structure. No funding has been allocated this year for repair work or for the refurbishment of the protective structure. However, the municipal enterprise «Zakhyst» plans to install folding benches using its own resources. The estimated completion date for this work is 31 October 2026,» the city council stated.
Response from Mykolaiv City Council to a query from NikVesti
Response from the Mykolaiv City Council to a request from NikVestiIt should be recalled that the Mayor of Mykolaiv, Oleksandr Sienkevych, ordered a check on unimpeded access to civil defence facilities after residents complained that shelters were locked during air raid alerts.
It was also reported that 840 mobile shelters will be installed in frontline communities across Ukraine. The total cost of the project has been estimated at 1.4 billion hryvnias. This issue was discussed during congressional hearings at the Office of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities under the President of Ukraine.
Read also: «Why do Mykolaiv residents not use shelters: a survey by NikVesti».
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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