Henichesk ( uk, Гені́чеськ, Heniches’k, ; rus, links=on, Гени́ческ, r=Genichesk, p=ɡʲɪˈnʲit͡ɕɪsk) is a port city along the
Sea of Azov
The Sea of Azov ( Crimean Tatar: ''Azaq deñizi''; russian: Азовское море, Azovskoye more; uk, Азовське море, Azovs'ke more) is a sea in Eastern Europe connected to the Black Sea by the narrow (about ) Strait of Kerch, ...
in the
Kherson Oblast
Kherson Oblast ( uk, Херсо́нська о́бласть, translit=Khersónsʹka óblastʹ, ), also known as Khersonshchyna ( uk, Херсо́нщина, ), is an oblast (province) in southern Ukraine, currently claimed and partly occupied ...
of southern Ukraine. It serves as the
administrative centre
An administrative center is a seat of regional administration or local government, or a county town, or the place where the central administration of a commune is located.
In countries with French as administrative language (such as Belgium, Lu ...
of
Henichesk Raion
Henichesk Raion ( uk, Генічеський район) is one of the 5 administrative raions (districts) of Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine. Its administrative centre is located in the city of Henichesk. Population:
On 18 July 2020, as part ...
. Henichesk hosts the administration of the
Henichesk urban hromada
Henichesk ( uk, Гені́чеськ, Heniches’k, ; rus, links=on, Гени́ческ, r=Genichesk, p=ɡʲɪˈnʲit͡ɕɪsk) is a port city along the Sea of Azov in the Kherson Oblast of southern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative cen ...
, one of the
hromada
A hromada ( uk, територіальна громада, lit=territorial community, translit=terytorialna hromada) is a basic unit of administrative division in Ukraine, similar to a municipality. It was established by the Government of Ukra ...
s of Ukraine.
In 2021, Henichesk had a population of .
As of November 2022, the city is under Russian occupation as part of the
Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast
The Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast is an ongoing military occupation of Ukraine's Kherson Oblast by Russian forces that began on 2March 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine as part of the southern Ukraine campaign. The Russian-in ...
. In November 2022, the
Ukrainian southern counteroffensive successfully expelled Russian forces from the city of
Kherson
Kherson (, ) is a port city of Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers appr ...
. As such, the Russian forces moved their temporary administrative centre to Henichesk, although they still claim Kherson as the official capital in exile.
History
Henichesk was founded as a fort by the
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...
in 1784 and from 1812 was also known as Ust-Ozivske. It was a port and a trade center on the salt route that went from
Crimea
Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...
north to Ukraine and Russia. At the turn of the 20th century, it was the location of one of the largest flour mills in southern Ukraine.
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the town was occupied by Germany. The Germans operated a Nazi prison in the town.
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, Henichesk was seized by the
Russian army
The Russian Ground Forces (russian: Сухопутные войска В Sukhoputnyye voyska V, also known as the Russian Army (, ), are the Army, land forces of the Russian Armed Forces.
The primary responsibilities of the Russian Gro ...
in the
Russian invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
.
During the Russian capture, a famous incident occurred where an old woman confronted Russian soldiers and said "Put sunflower seeds in your pockets so they grow on Ukraine soil when you die." The city was also the scene of the death of
Vitalii Skakun
Vitalii Volodymyrovych Skakun ( ukr, Віталій Володимирович Скакун; 19 August 1996 – 24 February 2022) was a Ukrainian marine combat engineer who was posthumously awarded the Hero of Ukraine, Order of the Gold Star. He ...
, who died blowing up a bridge to stop the Russian advance.
On 3 June
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, ; russian: Владимир Александрович Зеленский, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelenskyy, (born 25 January 1978; also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy) is a Ukrainian politicia ...
decreed the creation of a military administration for the city.
On 9 November, separatist leader and deputy head of the
military–civilian administration of Russian-occupied Kherson,
Kirill Stremousov
Kirill Sergeyevich Stremousov (, ; 26 December 1976 – 9 November 2022) was a Russian and Ukrainian politician and blogger who served as the deputy head of the Kherson military–civilian administration in Russian-occupied Ukraine from 26 Ap ...
, died in a crash near Henichesk.
Climate
Under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
, Henichesk has a
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
that closely borders on a
semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
with cold winters and warm summers.
Notable people
*Yosyp Abramovych Daits (1897–1954), Ukrainian artist
*
Iuliia Mendel
Iuliia Mendel ( uk, Юлія Мендель) is a Ukrainian journalist and political advisor. She was the press secretary in the administration of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy from June 3, 2019 until July 9, 2021.
Biography
She grad ...
, Ukrainian journalist
Gallery
Геніческ вокзал.jpg, Train station
Будинок першої Ради робочих, солдатських та селянських депутатів, м. Генічеськ.jpg, House of culture
Генический пролив (карта 1860-х годов).jpg, Old map of Henichesk Strait
See also
*
List of cities in Ukraine
This is a complete list of cities in Ukraine. On 1 January 2022, there were 461 cities ( uk, місто, ''misto'') in Ukraine. City status is granted by the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament. The city status is only partially related to th ...
References
External links
Non-official city site
{{Authority control
Cities in Kherson Oblast
Port cities and towns of the Azov Sea
Port cities and towns in Ukraine
Cities of district significance in Ukraine
Spa towns in Ukraine
Populated places established in 1784
Populated places established in the Russian Empire
1784 establishments in the Russian Empire