“Almost Completely Burned Out”: Over 500 Fires on the Kinburn Spit Since the Beginning of the Year
Kostiantyn Golubtsov
Published: October 01 2025 at 10:34 pmSource: MyUkraineis.org
The territory of the Kinburn Spit, pre-war times In the Mykolaiv region, on the occupied territory of the Kinburn Spit, more than 500 fires have broken out in the first eight months of 2025. The main causes are military actions, as well as heat and strong winds that spread the flames over large areas.
This was reported to MykVisti by Yevhen Kasianov, a researcher at the National Park Biloberezhzhia Sviatoslava.
“We have a sad record. As of September 7, since the beginning of the year, 547 fires have occurred,” said Kasianov.
He also noted that forests and fields on the Kinburn Spit have almost completely burned out.
“As of today, we can say that the territory of Kinburn is almost entirely burned, and most fires are of a recurring nature,” Kasianov clarified.
The researcher believes that some areas of Kinburn could be reforested after de-occupation, but this must be done “very carefully” and not earlier than 5–10 years from now.
“By then, we will already have an understanding of which territories have greater conservation value and where there is a chance to implement reforestation,” he explained.
What Is Happening in Kinburn?
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the territory of the Kinburn Spit has been occupied by Russian troops. From there, Russians have been shelling the Ochakiv and Kutsurub communities of the Mykolaiv region for over a year.
Currently, only three settlements in the Mykolaiv region remain under occupation, all of them located on the Kinburn Spit:
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Vasylivka village – pre-war population: 382 people
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Pokrovka village – pre-war population: 229 people
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Pokrovske village – pre-war population: 177 people
The head of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitalii Kim, stated that the liberation of the Kinburn Spit is only a matter of time, “and not a very long time at that.” This was also confirmed by Natalia Humeniuk, spokesperson for the Defense Forces of the South.
At the same time, Russian occupiers continue to shell and mine the protected area of the Kinburn Peninsula. Almost daily, wild animals are blown up by mines, and there have also been cases of human casualties. This was reported in the MykVisti article “On the Brink of Destruction: How the Protected Kinburn Spit Suffers from the Actions of the Occupiers.”
Throughout the occupation, forests on the Kinburn Spit have repeatedly caught fire. The situation is usually worsened by the fact that Russian occupiers do not allow rescuers to extinguish the fires, so they can last for weeks. Meanwhile, according to the regional administration, the Mykolaiv region cannot assist in extinguishing fires there, since all fire stations and equipment capable of reaching the area are located on the occupied territories of the Kherson region.
According to Ombudsman Lyudmyla Denisova, the fires on Kinburn put endangered orchids, as well as other unique plants and animals, at risk.
After de-occupation, the Kinburn Spit will need time for natural self-restoration, reported the Biloberezhzhia Sviatoslava National Park. This recovery period will take place while demining of the protected territory is underway.
In October 2024, the Russian-installed collaborator in the occupied villages of Pokrovka and Vasylivka, Serhii Belyakov, complained about the actions of Russian troops, who were looting and threatening the local population with violence and reprisals.
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