Mykolaiv stood in the way of the Russian army heading towards Odesa.

The Ukrainian army stopped them before reaching the city.

Still, it was within the range of Russian artillery, especially the suburbs from the side of Kherson.

This part of the city was most intensively shelled, collecting the bloody toll.

In May, a counteroffensive was launched, pushing the Russians away from the city and, in the following months, moving them further towards Kherson.