Kim: People think we’re drowning in mud — but we’ve got bars and karaoke running

Vitaliy Kim says Mykolaiv lives a full life, bars and strip clubs are open, archive photo NikVesti

The head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitalii Kim, said that despite its proximity to the frontline, the region is living a full life, and the population is even higher than before the full-scale invasion.

The head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration said this in an interview with «Novyny.LIVE».

Answering a journalist's question, the official said that after 2022-2023, when the region was under constant shelling, much infrastructure and housing was restored in Mykolaiv region, and the construction of a water supply system was being completed.

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At the same time, he said that investors and people who are far from Mykolaiv believe that «we live here knee-deep in mud, everything is ruined and there is nothing».

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«No, there are bars, karaoke, strip bars, everything works. People are relaxing without breaking the curfew,» said Vitalii Kim.

According to him, before the full-scale invasion, there were about 1.1 million people in the region, and 470,000 in Mykolaiv. Then it was less than half, down to 600,000, and in the city there were less than 180,000 in 2022 because they left.

«Now we have almost the same number, 1.1 million in the region and 445,000 in the city. But at the same time, we have about 150 thousand IDPs: 100,000 in the region, and 50,000 somewhere in the city, mostly from Kherson. That is why we have even a little more people,» said Vitalii Kim.

He also added that scooter rental service was restored in Mykolaiv last year, which, in his opinion, is indicative of the situation in the region.

«We have all the fountains in the city working, and I joked there that when electric scooter rental returns to a city or region, the city lives a full life. In our city, scooter rental returned in 2024. We are living a full life and trying to move on to economic projects so that business can recover, pay taxes, and work independently, not just with the help of the state and foreign donors,» said Vitalii Kim.

Earlier it was reported that 179 companies in Mykolaiv region joined the White Business Club.