The commemorative medal is dedicated to celebrating the feat and resilience of the residents of the city of ships, which became a real fortress on the way of the Russian invaders in the south of Ukraine. From the first days of the full-scale invasion, the Russians tried to capture Mykolaiv, but after several unsuccessful assaults, encirclement attempts, taking control of the Mykolaiv airport and the Kulbakine airfield, they began to bombard and shell the city, causing irreparable loss of life and material damage to the city - many buildings were not only damaged, but also completely destroyed. Having rallied, supporting each other, the residents keep the defense, protect and restore the city. And also, in this difficult hour, joint efforts protect its living pearl - the Mykolaiv Zoo.

On the obverse side of the medal are placed: inscriptions 2023 / UKRAINE at the top, small National Coat of Arms of Ukraine at the bottom, lines from Lina Kostenko's historical novel "Berestechko" in the center, against the background of a stylized map of the city: I KNOW THE DEED OF FREEDOM - / IT IS SIGNED BY SWORDS! / LINA KOSTENKO; a stylized composition that emphasizes that Mykolaiv is a shipbuilding city and a seaport; on the right – the building of the only Mykolaiv shipbuilding museum in the country; logo of the Mint of the National Bank of Ukraine (left).

On the reverse of the medal, on a mirror background, there is the inscription - MYKOLAIV / CITY OF HEROIV, which divides the field of the medal in two: in the upper part there is a mirror composition symbolizing resistance to the Russian occupier, despite significant destruction, in the lower part - a stylized panorama of the city with its historical and archaeological monuments .