Sverdlovsk, Luhansk Oblast

Sverdlovsk (Ukrainian: Свердловськ, translit. Sverdlovs’k; Russian: Свердловск) is a city in Luhansk Oblast (region) of south-eastern Ukraine on the border with the Russian Federation. Serving as the administrative center of Sverdlovsk Raion (district), the city itself is incorporated as a city of oblast significance, does not belong to the raion, and is located approximately 80 km from the oblast capital, Luhansk. On 12 May 2016 it was renamed Dovzhansk (Ukrainian: Довжанськ, translit. Dovzhansʹk) by the Ukrainian government as part of decommunization.[1] The city is controlled by the self-declared Luhansk People's Republic and the name change has not been enforced. Its population is estimated about 64,225 (2016 est.)[2].

Sverdlovsk Свердловськ (in Ukrainian) Dovzhansk Довжанськ (in Ukrainian)
City
Flag Coat of arms
Sverdlovsk Location of Sverdlovsk Show map of Lugansk Oblast Sverdlovsk Sverdlovsk (Ukraine) Show map of Ukraine
Coordinates: 48°04′40″N 39°38′50″E
Country	Ukraine
Oblast	Luhansk Oblast
Founded	1938
City Status	1938
Government
• Mayor	Oleksandr Shmalts
Area
• Total	83 km^2 (32 sq mi)
Elevation	268 m (879 ft)
Population  (2012)
• Total	105,276
• Density	1,300/km^2 (3,300/sq mi)
Postal code	94800—94819
Area code(s)	(+380) 6434
Vehicle registration	BB / 13
Climate	Dfb
Website	http://svk.gov.ua

Most of the city residents work in the mining industry. The city municipality also includes the city of Chervonopartyzansk, six towns and several smaller settlements.

The city serves as an international gateway between Ukraine and Russia and has border checkpoint in Chervonopartyzansk.

History

The city tracks its roots from a small village in the headstream of Dovzhyk River (Sharapka). At the end of the 18th century, it was granted by Catherine II of Russia to ataman Vasyl Orlov as a reward for his excellent military service. The farmland took on the name Dovzhykove-Orlovske (Sharapkyne). Development of the area significantly expanded towards the end of the 19th century, after the discovery of coal in the Donetsk region.

In 1938 a number of local settlements as well as the Sverdlov mine (today is part of the Sverdlovantratsyt company) were merged into the city of Sverdlovsk in memory of the Bolshevik leader Yakov Sverdlov.

A local newspaper is published in the city since November 1938.[3]

Starting mid-April 2014 pro-Russian separatists captured several towns in Luhansk Oblast;[4][5] including Sverdlovsk.[6][7]

Demographics

As of the 2001 census, the city's ethnic composition was as follows:[8]

• Ukrainians: 46%
• Russians: 48.6%
• Belarusians: 1.2%
• Other: 4.2%

Gallery

• 
  "Victory" cinema
• 
  Palace of Culture
• 
  Church of Saint Peter and Paul
• 
  Chapel of Saint Barbara
• 
  Dovzhanska Train Station
• 
  City stadium

References

1. "Rada renames some population areas in occupied Donbas as part of decommunization campaign". Interfax-Ukraine. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
2. "Чисельність наявного населення України (Actual population of Ukraine)" (PDF) (in Ukrainian). State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
3. № 2909. Заря Донбасса // Летопись периодических и продолжающихся изданий СССР 1986 - 1990. Часть 2. Газеты. М., «Книжная палата», 1994. стр.382
4. Ragozin, Leonid (2014-04-16). "Vladimir Putin Is Accidentally Bringing Eastern and Western Ukraine Together". New Republic. Retrieved 2016-07-20.
5. "Donbass defenders put WWII tank back into service". Retrieved 2016-07-20.
6. "На Луганщині діють понад 4 тисячі членів озброєних загонів ЛНР – Тимчук". Retrieved 2016-07-20.
7. Численность населения по состоянию на 1 октября 2015 года по Луганской Народной Республике (PDF) (in Russian). Luhansk People's Republic. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
8. Дністрянський М. С. Етнополітична географія України. Львів: Літопис, 2006, p. 465

External links

• Official city page (in Ukrainian and Russian)
• City site
• Bondar, O. Sverdlovsk. The history of cities and villages of the Ukrainian SSR.