The night of 5 May 2025, marked yet another wave of intense drone attacks in Mykolaiv city, southern Ukraine. For residents of the city and the surrounding region, such nights are a common occurrence especially in this Ukrainian region. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Mykolaiv city, located approximately 50 km away from the frontline, has experienced constant drone and missile attacks on public and civilian infrastructure as well as civilian houses.
Acted staff and Ivan, beneficiary of medium and light shelter repairs
In Mykolaiv city and the region, the number of attacks has increased in 2026 compared to 2025, albeit they remain less intense than in neighboring regions. As a key logistics hub the region’s energy and railway infrastructure are a primary target. Russian Forces regularly use a combination of drones (UAVs) and missiles to strike the city and region, while Acted is observing an increase of attacks directly affecting the city.
Overall, since the beginning of 2026, Southern Ukraine has experienced both an increase in the intensity of attacks and a rise in the number of civilian casualties, particularly because of multi-wave and night-time strikes on densely populated areas.
These strikes can result in civilian casualties, damage and destruction of both public and civilian infrastructure, and loss of income to cite just a few. To support the population, Acted, in partnership with Estonian Refugee Council and with the support of the European Union, provides light and medium repairs to people whose homes were damaged by a strike.
Ivan and Halyna’s story
Acted staff talking with Halyna
Halyna, 75 years old and her husband Ivan, 80 years old, have been living in Mykolaiv city since 1986. They both receive a pension from the government, they have two daughters who have left Mykolaiv to live in other Ukrainian cities. The maried couple now lives with their cat Dasha and their dog Louisa.
Acted staff talking with Ivan
Halyna and Ivan remember the night of May 5 vividly; they were in their home in Mykolaiv’s city center. Like many other nights, a wave of Shahed drones targeted the city. Unfortunately one of the drones crashed nearby and the debris hit their house. Halyna has limited mobility and uses a walking frame. As they are both elderly, they couldn’t run to safety. The drone debris damaged and obstructed the entrance of the house. The windows shattered and the fence to the street was blocked with debris and pieces of the shattered drone.
I was terrified, we couldn’t go anywhere.
Ivan showing Acted staff the windows that were scattered
Luckily, Mykolaiv’s civil protection and local authorities reacted quickly and removed the Shahed pieces and rubble from their home entrance the next morning. Nonetheless, their home was severely damaged after the aftermath of the drone explosion and shelling.
In the aftermath, a strong sense of solidarity and resilience emerged among residents, with neighbors supporting one another as much as possible. Despite their own difficulties, Halyna and Ivan helped care for their 95-year-old neighbor, Svitlana*, a pensioner living alone whose home had also been heavily damaged.
The damages after the drone attack
A couple of weeks following the incident Acted arrived to register the couple under Acted’s light and medium repairs program. After two months of renovation work, the entrance of the house was completely repaired. Ivan and Halyna could not believe it was real:
We didn’t think we would receive such assistance. It was so easy; Acted staff came and registered our names, IDs and took pictures of the damaged house. We didn’t think it would actually be repaired
The repaired entrance after Acted’s work.
Acted was also able to support their neighbor Svitlana with the reparation of her house.
Despite the ongoing war and the sleepless nights, Halyna and Ivan can continue to live in their home as they have for the past 40 years. Now, Ivan has only one wish for the future: peace and independence for Ukraine.
Ivan holding his dog Lusia.
The Kherson region has recorded one of the highest rates of strikes, particularly since April 2025, whilst the number of attacks using UAVs has increased significantly. This region is also particularly affected by the increase of remote-controlled mine-laying operations using a new type of mines.
Since June 2025, Acted has provided shelter assistance by carrying out light and medium repairs to 58 households in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions in Southern Ukraine with financial support of the European Union and in Partnership with Estonian Refugee Council. 25 house have been fixed and 33 are being repaired. The assistance targets households directly affected by sudden and severe shelling. Beneficiaries can select their preferred form of support, choosing between cash assistance or in-kind support for housing repairs and renovation .
Through this project Acted carried out activities to support Ukrainians during the harsh winter, to carry out medium and light shelter repairs as well as providing cash assistance for the diverse need of Ukrainians affected by the war. Acted plans to support more than 50 000 people across Ukraine.
*Names have been changed to protect the beneficiaries’ identities.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, or the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.