Hirske
Гірське
City
Official seal of Hirske
Seal
Hirske is located in Luhansk Oblast
Hirske
Hirske
Location of Bilohorivka within Ukraine
Hirske is located in Ukraine
Hirske
Hirske
Hirske (Ukraine)
Coordinates: 48°45′7″N 38°29′42″E / 48.75194°N 38.49500°E / 48.75194; 38.49500
Country Ukraine
Oblast Luhansk Oblast
RaionSievierodonetsk Raion
HromadaHirske urban hromada
Founded1898
City status1938
Population
 (2022)
 • Total9,100
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

Hirske (Ukrainian: Гірське, pronounced [ɦʲirˈsʲkɛ]; Russian: Горское, romanized: Gorskoye) is a city in Sievierodonetsk Raion, Luhansk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Hirske urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.[1] Its population is 9,100 (2022 estimate).[2]

Before 1938, it was named Hirsko-Ivanivsk (Ukrainian: Гірсько-Іванівськ). During the Russo-Ukrainian War, it has been a site of protracted violence, and was eventually captured by Russian and proxy forces during the 2022 full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Geography

The city is located on the Nyzhnia Bilenka River [uk], a right tributary of the Donets.[3]

History

Founding and 20th century

Hirske was officially founded in 1898 as Hirsko-Ivanivsk, when coal mining began in the local area. Migrant workers from across the Russian Empire settled in Hirsko-Ivanivsk, growing its population.[3] In the Imperial Russian administrative system, it was designated as part of Slavyanoserbsk uezd (county) of Yekaterinoslav Governorate.[4]

During the Russian Civil War, Hirsko-Ivanivsk was controlled by the communist Bolsheviks, without much fighting in the town itself. The Bolsheviks incorporated Hirsko-Ivanivsk into the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. However, Hirsko-Ivanivsk's important coal mine fell into disrepair, as many former mine workers went to fight. Maintenance and coal supply was needed to run the draining systems that prevented the mine tunnels from flooding with water. Eventually, the drainage pumps were shut down on January 20, 1920, and the mine was completely flooded with water. Later that year, there were attempts to use the mines again, since there was a need for coal in the Ukrainian SSR. However, the output was much lower than the pre-war levels. In autumn 1924, drainage equipment was sent to Hirsko-Ivanivsk. Eventually, the town was able to use this equipment to return the mine to operation in early August 1928.[4]

Renovations and progress in industrial techniques increased the output of the mine throughout the 1930s. Additionally, schools were built in Hirsko-Ivanivsk, as well as grocery stores and other business that helped the diversification of industry.[4] In 1938, it received city status, as well as its current name, Hirske.[3]

During World War II, Hirske was occupied by Nazi Germany between November 17, 1941 and September 3, 1943.[3] Hirske's coal mine was destroyed and rendered inoperable again during the war. After the liberation of Hirske, young people were brought in from other parts of the Ukrainian SSR to help revive its economy. Eventually in 1949, the mine was made operational again.[4]

In 1962, Hirske was made part of Pervomaisk Municipality inside Luhansk Oblast.[5]

21st century

Starting in mid-April 2014, pro-Russian separatists accompanied by Russian special forces, took over several cities in Luhansk Oblast and Donetsk Oblast - including Hirske - thus beginning the war in Donbas. On 13 August 2014, Ukrainian forces secured the city from the pro-Russian separatists.[6] On 7 October 2014, to facilitate the governance of Luhansk Oblast, the Verkhovna Rada made some changes in the administrative divisions of Luhansk Oblast and Donetsk Oblast, so that the localities in the government-controlled areas were grouped into districts. Among other changes, Hirske was transferred from Pervomaisk Municipality to Popasna Raion.[7]

During the summer 2022 battle of Donbas of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces, accompanied by proxy Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) militants, advanced on and heavily shelled Hirske along with the other remaining Ukraine-held localities in Luhansk Oblast. Ukrainian authorities accused the Russians of "gradually destroying" Hirske and Popasna.[8] Hirske was fully captured by Russian and LPR forces on 23 June 2022.[9]

Demographics

As of the 2001 Ukrainian census, Hirske had a population of 11,473 people. In terms of self-reported ethnic background, the people of Hirske were 66% Ukrainians and 27% Russians.[3] When asked about their native languages, 53.2% reported Ukrainian, 41.6% reported Russian, 0.5% reported Belarusian, and 0.1% reported Moldovan (an alternative name for the Romanian language).[10]

References

  1. ^ Bida, Olesya (27 July 2020). "Новое районирование Украины. Куда теперь ехать за справкой и как будут распределяться деньги". hromadske.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 2023-10-10.
  2. ^ Чисельність наявного населення України на 1 січня 2022 [Number of Present Population of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2022] (PDF) (in Ukrainian and English). Kyiv: State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 July 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e Холод, О. Л. (2006-02-01). "Гірське". Encyclopedia of Modern Ukraine (in Ukrainian). Vol. 5. Інститут енциклопедичних досліджень НАН України. ISBN 978-966-02-2074-4.
  4. ^ a b c d "Гірське, Луганська область". Історія міст і сіл Української РСР (in Ukrainian).
  5. ^ Указ ПВР УРСР від 30.12.1962 «Про віднесення в підпорядкування обласних (промислових) Рад депутатів трудящих міських поселень Української РСР»  (in Ukrainian) – via Wikisource.
  6. ^ "Nine servicemen die, 18 wounded in Ukrainian army operation in past 24 hours".
  7. ^ "Про зміни в адміністративно-територіальному устрої Луганської області, зміну і встановлення меж Перевальського і Попаснянського районів Луганської області". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2023-12-15.
  8. ^ "Ворог всю ніч обстрілював Золоте та Гірське на Луганщині". Ukrinform. 2022-04-07. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Ukraine loses key town as Russia claims it surrounds troops". Reuters. 2022-06-24. Retrieved 2022-06-24.
  10. ^ "Home". ukrcensus.gov.ua.


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