Celebrate or hide: Despite the ban, fireworks were launched in Lviv, Odesa, and Nikopol.

A video has surfaced online showing an amateur fireworks display in Odesa. It's currently unclear where exactly it took place, as there is a ban on pyrotechnics, prompting those responsible to flee quickly. According to local social media, a firework was also launched in the residential area of Sykhiv in Lviv. The police will be investigating who was behind it. Additionally, videos of fireworks from Nikopol have appeared on social media. The impact on locals, who are almost daily targeted by enemy drones, is hard to imagine.

The police have warned that pyrotechnics, fireworks, and firecrackers are prohibited in Ukraine during the state of martial law. The ban on fireworks is also in effect on New Year's Eve. The rationale behind the prohibition, enacted in November 2023, is that pyrotechnic products create noise and light effects, posing a risk to the psychological well-being of the population, as they resemble the sounds of explosions and may frighten people and animals—especially given the frequent air raid alerts and the potential for missile strikes. For illegal sale and handling of pyrotechnic products, administrative and criminal liability is stipulated, along with fines of up to 34,000 hryvnias.

Last New Year's Eve in Ukraine, there were also instances of fireworks being launched. Some violators were identified by the police. For instance, in Cherkasy, a man who was born in Russia launched fireworks. He claimed to the police that he was unaware of the ban on fireworks. In Kharkiv, fireworks were similarly launched using a remote control.