Southern Ukraine

Southern Ukraine (Ukrainian: Південна Україна) is the region next to Crimea on the Black Sea coast of Ukraine.

45°53′49″N 30°55′59″E

Map of Southern Ukraine

• 46.19391730.3411111 Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi (Білгород-Дністровський) – The site of the beautiful seaside castle of Akkerman that was much contested throughout history.
• 46.17694434.7988892 Henichesk – A port city with two beaches
• 45.34177828.8345563 Izmail (Ізмаї́л)
• 46.642532.6254 Kherson (Херсо́н)
• 46.97531.9955 Mykolaiv (Микола́їв)
• 46.61861131.5391676 Ochakiv (Очаків)
• 46.4774730.732627 Odesa (Одеса) – Also called Pearl of the Black Sea, a must see when in Ukraine and refreshing alternative to busy Kyiv.
• 46.50361130.3244448 Teplodar (Теплодар)
• 45.39836129.5903619 Vylkove (Вилкове) – Also called the Venice of Ukraine, features a web of channels in town and access to the Danube Delta.

• 46.45194433.8808331 Askania-Nova – A nature reserve protecting Europe's largest remaining patch of "virgin" (never-cultivated) steppe grasslands, as well a breeding and reintroduction site for rare animals like Przewalski's Horse and the Turkmenian kulan (or wild ass).
• 46.58333333.052 Oleshky Sands – One of the largest deserts in Europe.
• 46.41222230.2102783 Lower Dniester National Nature Park — wetlands of the Dniester estuary, from the Moldovan border to the Black Sea.

Although the official language is Ukrainian, most locals in southern Ukraine speak Russian as their native language.

In 2022, Russia invaded the region as one of the fronts of its invasion of Ukraine. After Russian advances during the spring, fighting became inconclusive with neither side gaining a major strategic advantage. Southern Ukraine remains an active war zone and all travel to the region should be avoided.