McDonald’s Reopens in Mykolaiv After Water Supply Issues Resolved

McDonald’s reopened its Mykolaiv restaurant on March 27 after a prolonged shutdown caused by water disruptions following Russia’s 2023 destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant.

The restaurant located on Pavlo Skoropadskyi Street resumed operations after audits confirmed that local water quality meets the company’s safety standards.

The reopening marks a delayed step in McDonald’s broader effort to restore operations across Ukraine, where restaurants in Odesa resumed service in 2023 while Mykolaiv remained offline due to infrastructure damage.

“After the destruction of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, the city faced a water crisis, and we couldn’t resume operations until conditions met our safety and quality standards,” Yuliia Badritdinova, CEO of McDonald’s Ukraine, Czech Republic and Slovakia, was quoted as saying in McDonald’s press release.

“After the construction of a new water pipeline and stable audit results, we can finally return to Mykolaiv,” Badritdinova added. “This is not just reopening a restaurant – it is the return of business, jobs, and a sense of normality for the city.”

Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) on the night of June 5-6, 2023. The destruction of the dam caused a massive environmental and humanitarian disaster, flooding dozens of settlements in the Kherson region, particularly on the left bank, and causing significant damage.

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The reopened restaurant employs over 100 people, offering official employment from age 16, along with flexible schedules and training opportunities.

McDonald’s operations in Mykolaiv

The dining area will operate daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., while the drive-thru opens at 5 a.m. and closes at 11:30 p.m. Customers can also use mobile ordering via McDonald’s mobile application.

The restaurant is equipped with a generator to ensure operations during potential power outages – a standard adaptation for businesses operating amid ongoing risks to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

For the first two weeks, the restaurant will operate with a limited menu and without breakfast options. Delivery services are expected to resume approximately two weeks after reopening.

During air raid alerts, operations will be suspended to allow staff and customers to move to shelters. Employees will continue to receive full pay during such interruptions.

The Mykolaiv location becomes the 125th McDonald’s currently operating in Ukraine, signaling a gradual recovery of international business activity despite ongoing wartime challenges.

According to company data, McDonald’s paid Hr.3.5 billion ($79.8 million) in taxes in Ukraine in 2025, making it one of the country’s largest taxpayers.