Kirovsk, Luhansk Oblast
Kirovsk (Ukrainian: Кіровськ, Russian: Kировск) is a city in Luhansk Oblast (province) of Ukraine. It is incorporated as a city of oblast significance. Population: 28,529 (2013 est.)[1].
Kirovsk Кіровськ | |
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City | |
Flag Seal | |
Kirovsk Kirovsk | |
Coordinates: 48°38′15″N 38°38′36″E | |
Country | Ukraine |
Oblast | Luhansk Oblast |
Founded | 1764 |
City status | 1962 |
Area | |
• Total | 34,96 km2 (1,350 sq mi) |
Elevation | 189 m (620 ft) |
Population (2013) | |
• Total | 28,529 |
Climate | Dfb |
History
The populated place was founded in 1764 as a village Golubovka by the Russian colonel and a native of Serbia Peter Golub. Its history follows closely the history of industrial development in the Eastern Ukraine.
The town grew when coal mines were set up in the area and the village was known as a settlement Golubovskiy Rudnik; reaching its peak size in the 1980s. When the area was recaptured from Nazi Germany in 1944, the settlement was renamed as Kirovsk after the Russian mayor of Leningrad. In 1962 the settlement was granted the city rights.
The landscape around the town still has pyramid-shaped manmade hills, they are the by-products of the coal mine development and make the area look somewhat surreal. The best time to visit Kirovsk is August; a few national and local holiday celebrations take place during this month, such as the Independence Day and the Coal Miner Day. During the holidays the nightlife is booming; there are live concerts performed by regional, sometimes national, artists on the town stadium with many festivities in the town park. The town's population would grows noticeably during the holidays when many friends and families come to visit.
Common outdoor activities include hunting in the prairies surrounding Kirovsk and fishing on the nearby lakes. Local terrain is very hilly and has many roads and paths that makes it perfect for mountain biking. The area has a few historic sites that include churches, a museum and a World War II memorial. The town swimming pool is popular among locals and has a gym. Local nightlife destinations include the small cafes and the discothèque in the town park that are open only during the summer.
Since 2014, Kirovsk has been located on the territory of the Luhansk People's Republic and is not controlled by Ukrainian authorities.[2] The city was renamed to Holubivka by Ukrainian authorities, however, the Luhansk People's Republic does not recognize this name.
Demographics
As of the Ukrainian Census of 2001:[3]
- Ethnicity
- Ukrainians: 56.9%
- Russians: 40.7%
- Belarusians: 1%
- Language
- Russian: 84.6%
- Ukrainian: 14.9%
- Belarusian: 0.2%
Kirovsk Municipality
The Kirovsk Municipality represented by the Kirovsk City council consists of two urban-like settlements (towns, Donetskyi and Krynychanske [Chervonohvardiyske]) and two rural settlements (hamlets, Krynychne and Tavrychanske) that belonged to Chervonohvardiyske Municipality.
References
- Чисельність наявного населення України [Actual population of Ukraine] (in Ukrainian). State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- "Численность населения по состоянию на 1 октября 2015 года по Луганской Народной Республ ике" (PDF) (in Russian). Luhansk People's Republic. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2015.