Wikipedia

Popasna

Popasna (Ukrainian: Попасна; Russian: Попасная, romanized: Popasnaya) is a city in Sievierodonetsk Raion, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Popasna urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.[1] In 2018, it was estimated that it had a population of 20,600 people.[2]

Popasna
Попасна (Ukrainian)
City
Popasna railway station in 2019
Popasna railway station in 2019
Flag of Popasna
Flag
Coat of arms of Popasna
Coat of arms
Popasna is located in Luhansk Oblast
Popasna
Popasna
Popasna is located in Ukraine
Popasna
Popasna
Coordinates: 48°38′00″N 38°22′48″E / 48.63333°N 38.38000°E / 48.63333; 38.38000
CountryUkraine Ukraine
OblastLuhansk Oblast
RaionSievierodonetsk Raion
HromadaPopasna urban hromada
Founded1878
City status1938
Population
 (2018)
20,600
Map

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the city was largely destroyed as a result of fighting between Ukrainian and Russian forces. Since the end of the battle on 8 May 2022, it has been occupied by Russia.[3][4]

History

edit

Founding

edit

Popasna was founded in the late 1870s as a stop on the newly constructed railway connecting the Donbas with industrial centers in more northern parts of what was then the Russian Empire. Construction of the railway station itself began in 1878, and basic housing was built for the workers to live in. By 1890, Popasna was connected by rail to major trade hubs like Debaltseve, Bakhmut, and Lysychansk. Popasna itself became a rail hub, and grew. By 1903, 3,735 people lived in Popasna.[5]

In the Soviet Union

edit

In December 1924, Popasna became the administrative center of Popasna Raion, inside Bakhmut Okruha, Donets Governorate.[6] In February 1932, Popasna Raion was abolished, in connection with the establishment of the oblasts of Ukraine. Popasna itself was transferred to Kadiivka Raion.[7] At some point in the 1930s, Popasna was renamed Imeni L.M. Kahanovycha (Ukrainian: Імені Л. М. Кагановича; lit. '[settlement] named after L.M. Kaganovich').[citation needed] In June 1936, the settlement became the center of Kahanovych Raion within Donetsk Oblast.[8] On 3 June 1938, a large portion of Donetsk Oblast, including Kahanovych Raion and the settlement at its center, was split off to create Voroshilovhrad Oblast (now Luhansk Oblast).[9] The settlement was given city status on 24 October 1938.[5]

During World War II, in 1941–1943, the German occupiers operated a Nazi prison in the town.[10] On 12 June 1944, Kahanovych Raion was renamed to Popasna Raion,[11] and the settlement itself returned to the name Popasna.[citation needed] On 30 December 1962, the raion was abolished again, and Popasna was transferred to the newly created Lysychansk Raion.[12] On 30 December 1977, Lysychansk Raion was renamed to Popasna Raion, and its seat was moved from Lysychansk to Popasna.[13] A local newspaper began circulating in Popasna in March 1979.[14]

21st century

edit
Further information: Battle of Popasna

On 19 June 2014, during the early stages of the war in Donbas, Ukrainian forces reportedly secured Popasna from pro-Russian separatists.[15] On 8 July 2014, separatist militants retook control of the town.[16][17] On 22 July 2014, the Ukrainian Donbas Battalion took back the town from the separatists,[18][19] who abandoned the town that day.[18] Afterwards, the city came under periodic artillery shelling and rocket attacks as well as occasional ground assaults from the separatists for years.[20][21][22][23][24][25] Landmines were also laid near Popasna.[26] By March 2015, the city only had two stores with some basic products and one pharmacy and residents received food distribution through a volunteer organization.[27] Residents also complained about having to pay for public utilities and for having been cut off from social benefits supplied by the Ukrainian government.[27]

In early March 2022, during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Popasna was attacked by Russian forces.[28] In the fighting near Popasna, Russian forces reportedly damaged or destroyed every property in the town center. Governor of Luhansk Oblast, Serhiy Haidai, claimed that Russian forces were "removing [Popasna] from the map of Luhansk region".[29] On 7 May 2022, Haidai confirmed that Ukrainian troops were forced to retreat from the city of Popasna to take up more fortified positions, adding "everything was destroyed there". Ukrainian forces announced that they had withdrawn from Popasna, allowing Russia to fully occupy the town.[30] Russia's Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov stated that his troops now control most of the city.[31] Photographic evidence supplied by the governor of Luhansk Oblast has revealed that Russian forces had beheaded and dismembered a Ukrainian soldier and displayed his body parts stuck on poles in the captured city.[32] On 15 August 2022, it was reported that Ukrainian forces hit the regional headquarters of the Wagner Group after a pro-Kremlin reporter revealed its location at Mironovskaya 12 in a photo.[33]

Two months after the battle of Popasna, a Reuters reporter toured the town in July and reported that the town looked entirely deserted by both humans and animals, with nearly all of its buildings either destroyed or heavily damaged.[34] The leader of the Russian Luhansk People's Republic stated there is no point in rebuilding the city destroyed during the Russian assault.[35] In December 2022 Russian forces were reported to have constructed multiple lines of defence to the West of Popasna to blunt any Ukrainian attacks. These defences included "Dragon's teeth", trenches, and pillboxes.[36]

Popasna's status as an independent city was abolished in March 2023 by the Russian occupation authorities due to the extent of the destruction. They have subsequently incorporated Popasna into the administration for Pervomaisk, another Russian-occupied city in Ukraine. They also abolished their version of Popasna Raion completely.[37]

Demographics

edit
Population history
YearPop.±% p.a.
1903 3,735[5]—    
1912 6,000[5] 5.41%
1939 26,000[5] 5.58%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 30,000[5] 0.49%
2001 25,842[38]−0.45%
2018 20,600[2]−1.32%

Ethnic composition according to the 2001 Ukrainian census:[38]

Ethnic groups in Popasna
percent
Ukrainians
 
 77.54%
Russians
 
 21.12%
Belarusians
 
 0.42%
Armenians
 
 0.13%
Georgians
 
 0.10%

References

edit
  1. ^ Автор. "Децентралізація в Україні". decentralization.gov.ua. Retrieved 2023-09-14.
  2. ^ a b "Статистичний збірник «Чисельність наявного населення України» на 1 січня 2018 року" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Українські військові відійшли від Попасної на міцніші позиції, - голова Луганської ОВА | Новини Еспресо". espreso.tv (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  4. ^ "Людські голови на паркані. Попасна поринула у середньовіччя". Попасна.City (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-06-29.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Попасна, Луганська область". Історія міст і сіл Української РСР (in Ukrainian).
  6. ^ ЗУРРСУУ/1924/1/49/Про зміни в адміністраційно-територіяльному поділі Донеччини  (in Ukrainian) – via Wikisource.
  7. ^ ЗЗРРСУУ/1932/5/Про утворення областей на території УСРР  (in Ukrainian) – via Wikisource.
  8. ^ ЗЗРРСУУ/1936/34/Про утворення Боково-Антрацитівського, Дзержинського, Кагановичського, Сніжнянського та Харцизького районів Донецької обл…  (in Ukrainian) – via Wikisource.
  9. ^ Указ Президиума ВС СССР от 03.06.1938 о разделении Донецкой области УССР на Сталинскую и Ворошиловградскую области  (in Russian) – via Wikisource.
  10. ^ "Gefängnis Popasna". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  11. ^ Указ ПВР УРСР від 12.6.1944 «Про перейменування Кагановичського району, Ворошиловградської області та Орджонікідзевського району…»  (in Ukrainian) – via Wikisource.
  12. ^ Указ Президії Верховної Ради УРСР від 30.12.1962 «Про укрупнення сільських районів Української РСР»  (in Ukrainian) – via Wikisource.
  13. ^ Указ Президії Верховної Ради №2882-IX от 30.12.1977, Про перенесення центру Лисичанського району Ворошиловградської області в місто Попасну і перейменування району на Попаснянський. [Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet No. 2882-IX dated 30 December 1977, On the transfer of the centre of Lysychansk Raion of Voroshilovgrad Oblast to the city of Popasna and the renaming of the district to Popasnyanskyi.]. search.ligazakon.ua. Archived from the original on 2019-08-14. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  14. ^ № 2923. Знамя Октября // Летопись периодических и продолжающихся изданий СССР 1986 - 1990. Часть 2. Газеты. М., «Книжная палата», 1994. стр.382
  15. ^ (19 June 2014). Ukraine rebels speak of heavy losses in battle against government troops, Reuters.
    (in Ukrainian) In the National Security Council said that the border is still a hole, Ukrainska Pravda (20 June 2014).
  16. ^ Ukraine Moves to Destroy Rebel Bases in East, Ruling Out Cease-Fire, Bloomberg News (8 July 2014).
  17. ^ (in Ukrainian) Luhansk terrorists arranged himself a new headquarters in Popasna, Ukrainska Pravda (9 July 2014).
  18. ^ a b We Can Win After All, The Ukrainian Week (6 August 2015).
  19. ^ (in Ukrainian) Popasna released, there hung Ukrainian flags, Ukrainska Pravda (22 July 2014).
  20. ^ Luhansk authorities say militants shell Popasna, injure Ukrainian soldier, Kyiv Post (19 June 2015).
  21. ^ Ukrainian soldiers in Luhansk Oblast's Popasna brace for Independence Day attack, Kyiv Post (23 August 2015).
  22. ^ Militants fire mortar shells on Popasna town, Ukrinform (10 November 2015).
  23. ^ (in Ukrainian) Police recorded the effects of shelling residential neighborhoods Popasna - video, Hromadske Radio (27 October 2016).
  24. ^ Escalation in Donbas: 30 attacks on Ukraine troops, 3 WIA's in last day, UNIAN (3 December 2017).
  25. ^ (in Ukrainian) The mercenaries fired a rocket, which caused a fire near Popasna, Ukrainska Pravda (5 May 2021).
  26. ^ At least 2,353 soldiers killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine, Kyiv Post (24 September 2015).
  27. ^ a b People in Luhansk Oblast's Popasna suffer humanitarian crisis, Kyiv Post (2 March 2015).
  28. ^ "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, APRIL 21". The Institute for the Study of War. 2022-04-21.
  29. ^ Drone footage shows how Russians destroyed one Ukrainian town in savage battle, CNN (published 5 May 2022), 4 May 2022
  30. ^ "Ukraine troops retreat from Popasna, Luhansk governor confirms". Reuters. 2022-05-08. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  31. ^ "Ukraine troops retreat from Popasna, Luhansk governor confirms". reuters.com. 8 May 2022.
  32. ^ "Footage appears to show fresh atrocity against Ukrainian PoW". the Guardian. 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  33. ^ "Ukraine hits Russian Wagner mercenary HQ in east". BBC News. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  34. ^ Babington, Deepa (2022-07-14). "Russian-held Popasna in Ukraine is a ghost town after end of siege". Retrieved 12 December 2022. On a visit to Popasna on Thursday by a Reuters reporter, the town looked deserted, with nearly all apartment buildings either destroyed or heavily damaged. Barren streets bore no sign of people or animals.
  35. ^ Coynash, Halya (2022-08-15). "Russia razes Ukrainian city to the ground and says 'there's no point' to rebuilding it". Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  36. ^ Hernandez, Marco; Holder, Josh (2022-12-14). "Defenses Carved Into the Earth". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
  37. ^ Kuzmenko, Svitlana; Schreck, Carl (2023-06-11). "The Ukrainian Cities Obliterated In Russia's Self-Proclaimed 'Liberation'". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
  38. ^ a b "Національний склад міст за переписом 2001 року". Datatowel.in.ua.
edit
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Popasna.


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Popasna&oldid=1256861829"