Korosten ( uk, Ко́ростень, ; historically also ''Iskorosten'' ) is a historic
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
and a large
transport hub
A transport hub is a place where passengers and cargo are exchanged between vehicles and/or between transport modes. Public transport hubs include railway stations, rapid transit stations, bus stops, tram stops, airports and ferry slips. F ...
in the
Zhytomyr Oblast
Zhytomyr Oblast ( uk, Жито́мирська о́бласть, translit=Zhytomyrska oblast), also referred to as Zhytomyrshchyna ( uk, Жито́мирщина}) is an oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. The administrative center of the obla ...
(
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
) of northern
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 approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
. It is located on the
Uzh River
The Uzh ( uk, Уж; translit. ''Uzh''; sk, Uh; hu, Ung, pl, Uż) is a river in Ukraine and Slovakia. Its name comes from the ancient west Slavic dialect word ''už'', meaning "Snake", (lat. "Serpentes").
The Uzh is a tributary of the Labor ...
. Korosten serves as the
administrative center
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
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or ...
of the
Korosten Raion
Korosten Raion ( uk, Коростенський район) is a raion (district) of Zhytomyr Oblast, northern Ukraine. Its administrative centre is Korosten. The raion covers an area of . It makes Korosten raion the largest by area in Ukraine. P ...
(
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
)
. As of January 2022 Korosten's population was approximately
Name
There are different theories about the origin of the name of the city.
The name may be derived from the word ''korost'', 'brushwood, bushes, shrubbery'; the form ''Iskorosten'' sometimes found in early sources is probably based on the common repetition of prepositions in
Old East Slavic
Old East Slavic (traditionally also Old Russian; be, старажытнаруская мова; russian: древнерусский язык; uk, давньоруська мова) was a language used during the 9th–15th centuries by East ...
: ''iz grada iz''... 'from the city from...'.
[
Another theory holds that the city was built entirely of wood, and its walls were surrounded by an oak fence, unhewn, with bark, leading to the name Is-koro-sten, i.e. the city "from bark on the wall" in Ukrainian.
Alternatively, the city might have been named after the sun god ]Khors
Khors, Хорсъ is a Slavic god of uncertain functions mentioned since the 12th century. Generally interpreted as a sun god, sometimes as a moon god. The meaning of the theonym is also unknown: most often his name has been combined with th ...
/Xors (Horus) - the main god of many tribes that inhabited the area, including the Drevlians
The Drevlians ( uk, Древляни, Drevliany, russian: Древля́не, Drevlyane) were a tribe of Early East Slavs between the 6th and the 10th centuries, which inhabited the territories of Polesia and right-bank Ukraine, west of the eas ...
. According to this theory, the names of the settlements of Korsun and Korostyshiv
Korostýšiv (, , ) is a city in Zhytomyr Raion, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine. Prior to 2020, it served as the administrative center of the former Korostyshiv Raion. Population:
History
The city was founded around the VI-VII centuries. According ...
also come from Khors/Xors.
History
Early History
The city was founded over a millennium ago and was the capital of the Drevlians
The Drevlians ( uk, Древляни, Drevliany, russian: Древля́не, Drevlyane) were a tribe of Early East Slavs between the 6th and the 10th centuries, which inhabited the territories of Polesia and right-bank Ukraine, west of the eas ...
, an ancient Slavic tribe (later incorporated into Kievan Rus′
Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern Europe, Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Hist ...
).[E.M. Pospelov, ''Geograficheskie nazvaniya mira'' (Moscow: Russkie slovari, 1998), p. 216. The earliest references to the town, from the mid-tenth century, are на Коростень град a Korosten' grad'to Korosten city,' Из града ис Коростеня z grada is Korostenya'from the city ]rom
Rom, or ROM may refer to:
Biomechanics and medicine
* Risk of mortality, a medical classification to estimate the likelihood of death for a patient
* Rupture of membranes, a term used during pregnancy to describe a rupture of the amniotic sac
* ...
Korosten,' and на Изкоростень град a Izkorosten' grad'to Izkorosten city.'
The Rus
In 945, Igor of Kiev
Igor the Old ( Old East Slavic: , ''Igor''; russian: Игорь Рюрикович; uk, Ігор Рюрикович; Old Norse: '; died 945) was a Rurikid ruler of Kievan Rus' from 912 to 945.
Biography
Information about Igor comes mostly from ...
, ruler of the Kievan Rus
Kievan Rusʹ, also known as Kyivan Rusʹ ( orv, , Rusĭ, or , , ; Old Norse: ''Garðaríki''), was a state in Eastern and Northern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical Atlas of ...
, was killed while collecting tribute
A tribute (; from Latin ''tributum'', "contribution") is wealth, often in kind, that a party gives to another as a sign of submission, allegiance or respect. Various ancient states exacted tribute from the rulers of land which the state conqu ...
from the Drevlians
The Drevlians ( uk, Древляни, Drevliany, russian: Древля́не, Drevlyane) were a tribe of Early East Slavs between the 6th and the 10th centuries, which inhabited the territories of Polesia and right-bank Ukraine, west of the eas ...
in Iskorosten. According to 10th century Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
historian and chronicler, Leo the Deacon Leo the Deacon ( el, Λέων ο Διάκονος) (born c. 950) was a Byzantine Greek historian and chronicler.
He was born around 950 at Kaloe in Asia Minor, and was educated in Constantinople, where he became a deacon in the imperial palace. Whi ...
: "They revlianshad bent down two birch tree
A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech-oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains 30 ...
s to the prince's feet and tied them to his legs; then they let the trees straighten again, thus tearing the prince's body apart."[
] The ''Primary Chronicle'' blames Igor’s death on his own excessive greed, indicating that he tried to collect tribute for the second time in a month.
Igor's widow, Olga of Kyiv, as regent on behalf of their son Svyatoslav. avenged his death by punishing the Drevlians. Olga then led her army to Iskorosten. The siege lasted for a year without success when Olga thought of a plan to trick the Drevlians. She sent them a message: “Why do you persist in holding out? All your cities have surrendered to me and submitted to tribute so that the inhabitants now cultivate their fields and their lands in peace. But you had rather a tide of hunger without submitting to the tribute.”[''Primary Chronicle'' 80-1 (line 6454).] The Drevlians responded that they would submit to tribute but that they were afraid she was still intent on avenging her husband. Olga answered that the murder of the messengers sent to Kyiv, as well as the events of the feast night, had been enough for her. She then asked them for a small request: “Give me three pigeons...and three sparrows from each house.” The Drevlians rejoiced at the prospect of the siege ending for so small a price and did as she asked.
Olga then instructed her army to attach a piece of sulphur bound with small pieces of cloth to each bird. At nightfall, Olga told her soldiers to set the pieces aflame and release the birds. They returned to their nests within the city, which subsequently set the city ablaze. As the ''Primary Chronicle'' tells it: “There was not a house that was not consumed, and it was impossible to extinguish the flames because all the houses caught fire at once.” As the people fled the burning city, Olga ordered her soldiers to catch them, killing some of them and giving the others as slaves to her followers. She left the remnant to pay tribute. As a result of this Olga changed the system of tribute gathering (''poliudie
The ''poliudie'' (russian: полюдье) was the practice of gathering tribute by the rulers of Kievan Rus' from vassal East Slavic and Finnic tribes. It was similar to the "right of hospitality" as practised in the Viking lands (where it was kn ...
'') in what may be regarded as the first legal reform recorded in Eastern Europe.
In 968 the nomadic Pechenegs
The Pechenegs () or Patzinaks tr, Peçenek(ler), Middle Turkic: , ro, Pecenegi, russian: Печенег(и), uk, Печеніг(и), hu, Besenyő(k), gr, Πατζινάκοι, Πετσενέγοι, Πατζινακίται, ka, პა ...
attacked outlying regions of the Rus and then besieged the city.
The Middle Ages
After the partition of Rus in 1097, Iskorosten remained under the jurisdiction of the Kyivan princes. In December 1240, the Mongol invasion of Rus'
The Mongol Empire invaded and conquered Kievan Rus' in the 13th century, destroying numerous southern cities, including the largest cities, Kiev (50,000 inhabitants) and Chernihiv (30,000 inhabitants), with the only major cities escaping destr ...
, led by Batu Khan
Batu Khan ( – 1255),, ''Bat haan'', tt-Cyrl, Бату хан; ; russian: хан Баты́й was a Mongol ruler and founder of the Golden Horde, a constituent of the Mongol Empire. Batu was a son of Jochi, thus a grandson of Genghis Khan. ...
, sacked and burned many cities and settlements in the region of Iskorosten. From 1243, the Mongol-Tatars, in the form of the Golden Horde
The Golden Horde, self-designated as Ulug Ulus, 'Great State' in Turkic, was originally a Mongols, Mongol and later Turkicized khanate established in the 13th century and originating as the northwestern sector of the Mongol Empire. With the fr ...
(the western section of the Mongol empire
The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...
), ruled. After victories over the Tatars at the Battle of Blue Waters
The Battle of Blue Waters ( lt, Mūšis prie Mėlynųjų Vandenų, be, Бітва на Сініх Водах, uk, Битва на Синіх Водах) was a battle fought at some time in autumn 1362 or 1363 on the banks of the Syniukha river, ...
in 1362 (or 1363) the Grand Duke of Lithuania Algirdas
Algirdas ( be, Альгерд, Alhierd, uk, Ольгерд, Ольґерд, Olherd, Olgerd, pl, Olgierd; – May 1377) was the Grand Duke of Lithuania. He ruled the Lithuanians and Ruthenians from 1345 to 1377. With the help of his bro ...
annexed these lands to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state that existed from the 13th century to 1795, when the territory was partitioned among the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and the Habsburg Empire of Austria. The state was founded by Li ...
. Later he presented them to one of his knights Terekha from Bryansk
Bryansk ( rus, Брянск, p=brʲansk) is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the River Desna, southwest of Moscow. Population:
Geography Urban layout
The location of the settlement was originally ass ...
for faithful service. From 1385, after the formation of the Union of Krewo
In a strict sense, the Union of Krewo or Act of Krėva (also spelled Union of Krevo, Act of Kreva; be, Крэўская унія, translit=Kreŭskaja unija; pl, unia w Krewie; lt, Krėvos sutartis) comprised a set of prenuptial promises made ...
, this territory came under the influence of Poland.
Early Modern Period
In 1586, a powerful Polish magnate
The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders, or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...
, Prokop Mrzewicki
Prokop may mean either of two Hussite generals, both of whom died in the 1434 battle of Lipan:
* Prokop the Great
* Prokop the Lesser
Other people who bore the name Prokop:
* Procopius, 6c historian
* Saint Prokop, or Procopius of Sázava (died 1 ...
, married one of Terekh's heiresses and became the owner of Iskorosten. He managed to persuade the Polish king to grant this small walled settlement the status of a city. On 22 May 1589, King Sigismund III granted the city of Iskorosten its first charter.
In 1649, during the Khmelnytsky Uprising
The Khmelnytsky Uprising,; in Ukraine known as Khmelʹnychchyna or uk, повстання Богдана Хмельницького; lt, Chmelnickio sukilimas; Belarusian language, Belarusian: Паўстанне Багдана Хмяльніц ...
, a detachment of Cossacks
The Cossacks , es, cosaco , et, Kasakad, cazacii , fi, Kasakat, cazacii , french: cosaques , hu, kozákok, cazacii , it, cosacchi , orv, коза́ки, pl, Kozacy , pt, cossacos , ro, cazaci , russian: казаки́ or ...
led by Geraski laid siege to the city. After a bloody battle, the Cossacks captured Iskorosten from the Polish defenders, and the city's fortifications were completely destroyed during the assault. In 1654, Hetman
( uk, гетьман, translit=het'man) is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders.
Used by the Czechs in Bohemia since the 15th century. It was the title of the second-highest military co ...
Bohdan Khmelnytsky
Bohdan Zynovii Mykhailovych Khmelnytskyi ( Ruthenian: Ѕѣнові Богданъ Хмелнiцкiи; modern ua, Богдан Зиновій Михайлович Хмельницький; 6 August 1657) was a Ukrainian military commander and ...
, as a result of the Pereyaslav Rada, signed an agreement with Tsar
Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East Slavs, East and South Slavs, South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''Caesar (title), caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" i ...
Alexei Mikhailovich
Aleksey Mikhaylovich ( rus, Алексе́й Миха́йлович, p=ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej mʲɪˈxajləvʲɪtɕ; – ) was the Tsar of Russia from 1645 until his death in 1676. While finding success in foreign affairs, his reign saw several wars ...
on the transition of Ukraine to Russian jurisdiction. However, from 1667 to 1795, the lands surrounding Iskorosten continued to be part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...
. In 1768, during the Zaporozhian Cossack
The Zaporozhian Cossacks, Zaporozhian Cossack Army, Zaporozhian Host, (, or uk, Військо Запорізьке, translit=Viisko Zaporizke, translit-std=ungegn, label=none) or simply Zaporozhians ( uk, Запорожці, translit=Zaporoz ...
and Uman Cossack uprising (led by Maksym Zalizniak
Maksym Zalizniak ( uk, Максим Залізняк, Maksym Zaliznyak) (born early 1740s in Medvedivka near Chyhyryn - date and place of death unknown, after 1768) was a Ukrainian Cossack and leader of the Koliivshchyna rebellion.
History
Z ...
and Ivan Gonta
Ivan Gonta (; died 1768) was one of the leaders of the Koliivshchyna, an armed rebellion of peasants and Ukrainian Cossacks against Bar confederation in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Born in Rożyszki (modern Rozsishky) near Uman' in ...
respectfully), Ukrainian cossack leader or haidamak Ivan Bondarenko
Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was Bulgari ...
of Kriukivshchyna
Kriukivshchyna ( uk, Крюківщина) is a village in Bucha Raion (district) of Kyiv Oblast in northern Ukraine. It belongs to Vyshneve urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.
Name
Predating the modern village, at the end of 16th c ...
intended to storm Korosten and incorporate it into his territory. However, the uprising was crushed, and his intentions were never realized.
Russian Imperial Period
After the Third Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Third Partition of Poland (1795) was the last in a series of the Partitions of Poland–Lithuania and the land of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth among Prussia, the Habsburg monarchy, and the Russian Empire which effectively ended Polis ...
in 1795, Iskorosten passed into the Russian Empire as the centre of the Iskorosten parish of the Ovruch district of the Volyn province. For a long time, it was a quiet, inconspicuous provincial town. The construction of the 417-km Kyiv-Kovel railway in 1902 allowed the town to grow, becoming a major railway junction. In 1909 a porcelain factory opened, further industrialising the town. In 1917 the town was renamed Korosten.
Civil War
On 10 June 1917, the Ukrainian Central Council
The Central Council of Ukraine ( uk, Українська Центральна Рада, ) (also called the Tsentralna Rada or the Central Rada) was the All-Ukrainian council (soviet) that united deputies of soldiers, workers, and peasants deputie ...
declared its autonomy as part of the Russian Republic
The Russian Republic,. referred to as the Russian Democratic Federal Republic. in the Decree on the system of government of Russia (1918), 1918 Constitution, was a short-lived state (polity), state which controlled, ''de jure'', the territ ...
by its First Universal at the All-Ukrainian Military Congress. After the proclamation of the Ukrainian People's Republic
The Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR), or Ukrainian National Republic (UNR), was a country in Eastern Europe that existed between 1917 and 1920. It was declared following the February Revolution in Russia by the First Universal. In March 1 ...
(UPR), its government
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
and parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
were forced to leave Kyiv during its occupation by Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
troops.
In November 1917, Soviet authority was established in the city, but later Korosten was occupied by the advancing Austro-German troops The German army
The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
would remained in Ukraine until November 1918.
The Ukrainian Central Council
The Central Council of Ukraine ( uk, Українська Центральна Рада, ) (also called the Tsentralna Rada or the Central Rada) was the All-Ukrainian council (soviet) that united deputies of soldiers, workers, and peasants deputie ...
were in Korosten during 14–15 February and 24–26 February 1918. On 25 February, the Tryzub or Trident of St. Vladimir was approved as the emblem of the Ukrainian People's Republic by a resolution of the Central Rada. Between 14 and 27 February 1918, units of the UPR Army have stationed in Korosten at various times.
The Red Army took it in February 1918, followed by the Army of the German Empire
The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...
in March; Ukrainian forces retook the city in December. During February 1919 the Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, after ...
regained control; in August, it was taken first by Symon Petlura's men and then by Denikin's army. The Soviets regained control in December 1919.[ ] On the eve of Kyiv Offensive Korosten lay on the frontlines between the Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
and Soviet Forces. On 27 February 1921 The Haydamatsky Kish of the Ukrainian People's Republic
The Ukrainian People's Republic (UPR), or Ukrainian National Republic (UNR), was a country in Eastern Europe that existed between 1917 and 1920. It was declared following the February Revolution in Russia by the First Universal. In March 1 ...
led by Symon Petliura
Symon Vasylyovych Petliura ( uk, Си́мон Васи́льович Петлю́ра; – May 25, 1926) was a Ukrainian politician and journalist. He became the Supreme Commander of the Ukrainian Army and the President of the Ukrainian People' ...
, a separate Zaporizhzhya detachment led by Konstantin Prisovsky, and a unit of Sich Riflemen
The Sich Riflemen Halych-Bukovyna Kurin ( uk, Січові Cтрільці з Галичини та Буковини) were one of the first regular military units of the Ukrainian People's Army. The unit operated from 1917 to 1919 and was for ...
led by Yevhen Konovalets
Yevhen Mykhailovych Konovalets ( uk, Євген Михайлович Коновалець; June 14, 1891 – May 23, 1938), also anglicized as Eugene Konovalets, was a military commander of the Ukrainian National Republic army, veteran of the Uk ...
passed through Korosten, heading for Kyiv, in an attempt to recapture it from Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...
troops.
On 7 November 1921, during the November raid, Korosten, occupied by units of the 395th Rifle Regiment of the 132nd Brigade of the 44th Rifle Division of the Moscow Troops, attempted to capture the Volyn Group commander Yuriy Tyutyunnyk of the UPR Insurgent Army. The beginning of the counteroffensive was successful. Ukrainian troops, unexpectedly attacking Korosten, captured the railway station. However, the inconsistency in the actions of different units and the large numerical advantage of the Soviet units did not allow UPR to capitalise on this advantage, and the Ukrainian troops were forced to retreat from the city. Captain Volodymyr Stefanyshyn was killed during the withdrawal, however Ivan Rembolovych, Semen Khmara-Kharchenko and Mykola Tobilevych were decorated for their actions.
Interwar period
In 1926, Korosten received city status.[Korosten // Big Encyclopedic Dictionary (in 2 vols.). / editorial board, ch. ed. A.M. Prokhorov. volume 1. M., "Soviet Encyclopedia", 1991. p. 633] In October 1926, with the permission of the authorities and under the supervision of the OGPU
The Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU; russian: Объединённое государственное политическое управление) was the intelligence and state security service and secret police of the Soviet Union f ...
, a conference of the rabbis of the Volyn province was held in Korosten, which actually had an all-Ukrainian, and partly all-Union character; which adopted a decree on counteracting atheistic propaganda. In 1936, the city had a population 28,000, a porcelain factory, a metalworking factory "Oktyabrskaya Kuznitsa", car repair shops and a municipal power plant with a capacity of 20 kW operated here.
World War II
During the initial invasion
An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing con ...
of the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
as part of Army Group South
Army Group South (german: Heeresgruppe Süd) was the name of three German Army Groups during World War II.
It was first used in the 1939 September Campaign, along with Army Group North to invade Poland. In the invasion of Poland Army Group Sou ...
the 62nd Infantry Division (part of XVII Army Corps under 6th Army) advanced towards Korosten. Soviet forces initially held out on the vital railhead to Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
with heavy artillery.[Wehrmacht Combat Reports: The Russian Front By Bob Carruthers 2012] Generalfeldmarschall
''Generalfeldmarschall'' (from Old High German ''marahscalc'', "marshal, stable master, groom"; en, general field marshal, field marshal general, or field marshal; ; often abbreviated to ''Feldmarschall'') was a rank in the armies of several ...
von Reichenau, commander of the 6th Army reported
“The railway junction... was defended by Soviet forces
The Soviet Armed Forces, the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union and as the Red Army (, Вооружённые Силы Советского Союза), were the armed forces of the Russian SFSR (1917–1922), the Soviet Union (1922–1991), and th ...
with bitter determination, and it fell... only after hard fighting“
Soviet forces initially held out on the vital railhead to Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
with heavy artillery. When the Soviet forces were forced to retreat northeast to Kyiv in early August 1941, the 6th Army moved in. Korosten was occupied by the German Army
The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
from 7 August 1941 to 28 December 1943 (it was briefly captured by 60th Army
The Red Army's 60th Army was a Soviet field army during the Second World War. It was first formed in reserve in the Moscow Military District in October 1941, but soon was disbanded. It was formed a second time in July 1942, and continued in servi ...
forces during the Kyiv offensive on 17 November 1943, but retreated after a strong German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
counterattack). It was during the occupation that nationalists, Liked to OUN-Bandera faction of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army and working under the auspices of German Security Police and the ''Einsatzgruppen
(, ; also ' task forces') were (SS) paramilitary death squads of Nazi Germany that were responsible for mass murder, primarily by shooting, during World War II (1939–1945) in German-occupied Europe. The had an integral role in the im ...
'' compiled lists of targets for the branch offices of the KdS and assisted with the roundups of Jewish families and other ‘Non-desirables’. In Korosten nationalists carried out the killings by themselves,[Ronald Headland (1992), ]
Messages of Murder: A Study of the Reports of the Einsatzgruppen of the Security Police and the Security Service, 1941–1943.
' Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. Press, pp. 125–126. . same as reported in Sokal
Sokal ( uk, Сокаль, romanized: ''Sokal'') is a city located on the Bug River in Chervonohrad Raion, Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Sokal urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The population is appro ...
. During the war, Korosten was once again completely destroyed. On 28 December 1943, during the Zhitomir–Berdichev Offensive, the city was liberated by units of the 13th Army of Lieutenant General Pukhov.
The Holocaust
In 1939, the Jewish population of Korosten was 10,991 (36% of its total population). On 10 August 1941 (3 days after Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previous ...
fourses entered the city), 53 Jews were rounded up and shot in the city. The German military administration formed a city government with auxiliary Ukrainian police. The latter was formed out of the local citizens and took an active part in all “Jewish actions”. On 20 August, another 160 Jewish civilians were shot. On 27 August, 238 Jews were executed, and on 10 September 1941, about a thousand Jewish men, women and children were killed. In late October 1941, the power passed to the German Civil administration. Korosten became an administrative centre of the gebiet, a part of the larger Zhitomir general district, Reichskommissariat Ukraine
During World War II, (abbreviated as RKU) was the civilian occupation regime () of much of Nazi German-occupied Ukraine (which included adjacent areas of modern-day Belarus and pre-war Second Polish Republic). It was governed by the Reich Min ...
. Soon after the occupation of Korosten “a Jewish residential area” (an open ghetto) was formed. In total, over 6,000 Korosten Jews were killed between 1941-1942. Other killings in central Ukraine soon followed.
Post 1945
After the war, a massive rebuilding programme was undertaken. In 1971, a 600-seat club was built for the citizens.
On 26 April 1986, the nearby Chornobyl nuclear power plant suffered a containment breach in No. 4 reactor. After the nuclear incident in Chornobyl, which is around 90 kilometres away, it suffered considerable fallout. In May 1986, The city was classified as a "zone of guaranteed voluntary resettlement." In addition, the city's economy suffered greatly from the crisis in the first years after Ukraine's independence and the move to free-market economics.
Independence
In 2006, Korosten became one of the six cities in Ukraine that received a quality certificate according to international standards ISO 9001: 2000. Viktor Vasylchuk, a well-known Ukrainian writer, Honored Journalist of Ukraine, and editor-in-chief of the Vecherniy Korosten newspaper was born, lives, and works in Korosten.
In 2014, the Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 19 ...
statue, which stood on Main Street (and just off to the right of the city’s government building) which had survived the end of the USSR
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
was toppled. It was one of 552 monuments demolished during the 2013-2014 period. Today the plinth remains, but with no statue atop of it.
On 28 February, as the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine began, an emergency meeting was held by the city from the Department of Civil Protection to the operation of electric sirens On 5 March reports suggest Russians troops were on the outskirts of Malyn
Malyn ( uk, Ма́лин, Mályn) (sometimes spelled Malin) is a city in Zhytomyr Oblast (province) of Ukraine located about northwest of Kyiv. It served as the administrative center of Malyn Raion, now located in Korosten Raion. Population:
...
(57.3 km from Korosten).
Symbols of the city
The flag of the city of Korosten is a panel with two horizontal stripes of the same width. The upper stripe is blue, the lower stripe is red. The stripes are separated by a symbolic image of the Uzh River - a stripe 0.16 times the width of the flag. The stripe repeats the color scale of the symbolic image of the Uzh River on the city's coat of arms: the middle of the river is blue (0.1 width of the flag), the banks are golden (0.03 width of the flag). The ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2 to 3. The blue colour of the field of the flag's cloth symbolizes the greatness and beauty of the ancient city. The red color of the flag field symbolizes the bravery and courage of the Drevlian defenders of the city in 946 when Princess Olga
Olga ( orv, Вольга, Volĭga; (); russian: Ольга (); uk, Ольга (). Old Norse: '; Lith: ''Alge''; Christian name: ''Elena''; c. 890–925 – 969) was a regent of Kievan Rus' for her son Sviatoslav from 945 until 960. Following ...
laid siege to Korosten, and the defenders of the Korosten fortified area No. 5 in 1941 during the Great Patriotic War.
The new coat of arms of the city of Korosten was developed, taking into account the composition of the previous coat of arms. The old coat of arms of the city was a blue French shield, in the heart of which there is a red shield, the main field of which is reserved for the depiction of a dark red fortress wall. Against the background of the fortress wall, a green stem of flax is depicted, which symbolizes the nature of Polissya; a four-petal red flower symbolizes ancient settlements that were located on both sides of the Uzh River and protected each other. A flax flower wraps around the river Uzh, blue in color with golden banks. On the head of the shield, there is the name of the city KOROSTEN, separated from the middle shield by a golden stripe. The shield and visor are framed with gold edging. The new coat of arms repeats the main composition of the old coat of arms, only a blue flax flower and a blue field above the fortress wall. The shield is framed by a cartouche, adopted in the modern heraldry of Ukrainian cities. The cartouche is crowned with an urban modernized golden three-tower crown. The modernized heraldic crown has wooden walls instead of stone walls, which were used during the Drevliansky principality. In the blue field of the heraldic shield above the fortress wall, the name of the city is written in Cyrillic letters, "KOROSTEN". The motto "DOES NOT BURN IN A FLAME" is written at the foot of the shield.
The coat of arms of the city is strictly historical for Radomyshl (the history of the burning of the city of Korosten by Princess Olga is shown in the coat of arms of another city).
Economy
Korosten Industrial Park (KIP) is an industrial zone within the city with a total area of 246 hectares (0.94 sq mi). Conceptual design of the park was developed by Czech design bureau DHV. The project envisages the creation of the territory of the KIP high-tech enterprises, enterprises of light and medium industrial production – the assembly, integration, surface processing, light engineering and electrical industries.
The project is designed for 10 years and is divided into three phases:
* Conduct communications: roads, railway, electricity, water supply, sanitation; construction and commissioning of the plant manufacturing medium-density fibreboard
Medium-density fibreboard (MDF) is an engineered wood product made by breaking down hardwood or softwood residuals into wood fibres, often in a defibrator, combining it with wax and a resin binder, and forming it into panels by applying high t ...
(MDF) boards;
* Construction and commissioning of small and medium industrial enterprises (perspective)
* Construction and development of logistic center (perspective)
By October 2010 all communications are already conducted. Construction of a plant manufacturing MDF boards is almost complete. This plant will become the first manufacturer of MDF boards in Ukraine.
Transport
Rail
Korosten
Korosten ( uk, Ко́ростень, ; historically also ''Iskorosten'' ) is a historic city and a large transport hub in the Zhytomyr Oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. It is located on the Uzh River. Korosten serves as the administrative c ...
is an important railway junction on the Kovel-Kyiv and Kelmenzi-Kalinkawitschy railway lines. The city is served by rail links to the national and regional capitals, as well as cross-border connections to neighbouring Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...
. The station and track are part of Southwestern Railways
Southwestern Railways (PZZ), ( uk, Південно-Західна залізниця) headquartered in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, is a component part of the Ukrzaliznytsia company, its regional branch.
It is named "Southwestern" because it ...
(PZZ), (a component part of the Ukrainian Railways
Ukrainian Railways ( uk, Укрзалізниця, Ukrzaliznytsia, abbreviated as UZ) is a state-owned joint-stock company of rail transport in Ukraine, a monopoly that controls the vast majority of the railroad transportation in the country. I ...
). Currently (as of July 2020), the station is served by a single service to/from Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
, (one in each direction) on the electrified section of the mainline, with no through services to Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr ( uk, Жито́мир, translit=Zhytomyr ; russian: Жито́мир, Zhitomir ; pl, Żytomierz ; yi, זשיטאָמיר, Zhitomir; german: Schytomyr ) is a city in the north of the western half of Ukraine. It is the Capital city, a ...
. Almost all trains from Western Ukraine to Kyiv pass through the city, and there is a constant movement of suburban trains in the following directions:
*Korosten - Malyn
Malyn ( uk, Ма́лин, Mályn) (sometimes spelled Malin) is a city in Zhytomyr Oblast (province) of Ukraine located about northwest of Kyiv. It served as the administrative center of Malyn Raion, now located in Korosten Raion. Population:
...
- Kyiv
Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the List of European cities by populat ...
;
*Korosten - Zviahel
Zviahel (, ; translit. ''Zvil'') is a city in the Zhytomyr Oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. Originally known as ''Zviahel'', the city was renamed to ''Novohrad-Volynskyi'' () in 1795 after annexation of territories of Polish–Lithuanian ...
- Shepetivka
Shepetivka ( uk, Шепеті́вка; pl, Szepetówka) is a city located on the Huska River in Khmelnytskyi Oblast (province) in western Ukraine. Shepetivka is the administrative center of Shepetivka Raion (district). It hosts the administrati ...
;
*Korosten - Zhytomyr
Zhytomyr ( uk, Жито́мир, translit=Zhytomyr ; russian: Жито́мир, Zhitomir ; pl, Żytomierz ; yi, זשיטאָמיר, Zhitomir; german: Schytomyr ) is a city in the north of the western half of Ukraine. It is the Capital city, a ...
- Berdychiv
Berdychiv ( uk, Берди́чів, ; pl, Berdyczów; yi, באַרדיטשעװ, Barditshev; russian: Берди́чев, Berdichev) is a historic city in the Zhytomyr Oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center ...
- Kozyatyn;
*Korosten - Luhyny
Luhyny ( uk, Лугини, russian: Луги́ны, pl, Łuhyny) is an urban-type settlement in Korosten Raion, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine. Prior to 2020, it was the administrative center of the former Luhyny Raion. Population: In 2001, populatio ...
- Bilokorovychi - Olevsk
Olevsk (, Romanization of Ukrainian, translit. ''Olévs’k'', , yi, אלעווסק) is a city in Korosten Raion, Zhytomyr Oblast, Ukraine. As of January 2022 its population was approximately
History
Olevsk was first mentioned in 1488. In 1641 ...
;
*Korosten - Ovruch
Ovruch ( uk, Овруч, pl, Owrucz, yi, , russian: О́вруч) is a city in Korosten Raion, in the Zhytomyr Oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. Prior to 2020, it was the administrative center of the former Ovruch Raion (district). It has ...
- Berezhest - Speakers;
*Korosten - Ovruch
Ovruch ( uk, Овруч, pl, Owrucz, yi, , russian: О́вруч) is a city in Korosten Raion, in the Zhytomyr Oblast (province) of northern Ukraine. Prior to 2020, it was the administrative center of the former Ovruch Raion (district). It has ...
- Velidnyky - Vozlyakove;
Road
trunk road crossing Ukraine from east to west runs North of the city.
Some other roads:
* connecting the cities Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
and Zhytomyr (through Vinnytsia
Vinnytsia ( ; uk, Вінниця, ; yi, װיניצע) is a city in west-central Ukraine, located on the banks of the Southern Bug.
It is the administrative center of Vinnytsia Oblast and the largest city in the historic region of Podillia. A ...
)
People
According to the 2001 census, the ethnic composition of Korosten is as follows: 89% — Ukrainian, 7,5% — Russian, 1,5% — Pole, 0,6% — Belarusian, 0,5% — Jews.
Population
Population distribution by native language (2001)
Potato pancakes festival
Annually on the third Saturday of September in the city park International potato pancakes
Potato pancakes are shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as egg or applesauce, often flavored with grated garlic or onion and seasoning. They may be topped with a variety of condim ...
( uk, деруни, translit. ''deruny’'') festival is held.
During the festival, competitions in “potato pancakes
Potato pancakes are shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as egg or applesauce, often flavored with grated garlic or onion and seasoning. They may be topped with a variety of condim ...
triathlon
A triathlon is an endurance multisport race consisting of Swimming (sport), swimming, Cycle sport, cycling, and running over various distances. Triathletes compete for fastest overall completion time, racing each segment sequentially with the t ...
” are held. The triathlon includes such contests:
* "Potato pancakes
Potato pancakes are shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as egg or applesauce, often flavored with grated garlic or onion and seasoning. They may be topped with a variety of condim ...
powerlifting
Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. As in the sport of Olympic weightlifting, it involves the athlete attempting a maximal weight single-lift effor ...
" - squat with two heavy jugs full of pancakes
* Throwing potato pancakes
Potato pancakes are shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as egg or applesauce, often flavored with grated garlic or onion and seasoning. They may be topped with a variety of condim ...
in a bowl with sour cream
Sour cream (in North American English, Australian English and New Zealand English) or soured cream (British English) is a dairy product obtained by fermenting regular cream with certain kinds of lactic acid bacteria. The bacterial culture, wh ...
with 5 meters (16.4 ft)
* Throwing potato pancakes
Potato pancakes are shallow-fried pancakes of grated or ground potato, matzo meal or flour and a binding ingredient such as egg or applesauce, often flavored with grated garlic or onion and seasoning. They may be topped with a variety of condim ...
to the competitor with 5 meters (16.4 ft)
At the festival is a potato pancakes school – experienced cooks will teach everyone to cook these pancakes.
However, the main intrigue of the festival is the competition for the tastiest pancake. The jury determines the winner. For a few hryvnia
The or ( ; uk, гривня , : ''hrn''; sign: ₴; code: UAH) has been the national currency of Ukraine since 2 September 1996. The hryvnia is divided into 100 . It is named after a measure of weight used in medieval Kievan Rus'.
Name Etym ...
s each taster can get a patent and thus become a member of the jury.
Various competitions, exhibitions, tasting traditional Polesia
Polesia, Polesie, or Polesye, uk, Полісся (Polissia), pl, Polesie, russian: Полесье (Polesye) is a natural and historical region that starts from the farthest edge of Central Europe and encompasses Eastern Europe, including East ...
n beverages, exhibits, performances by folk music
Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has b ...
ensembles are usually conducted.
On September 25, 2010, the festival was held for the third time.
Gallery
File:Будівля окружного суду ( нині дитяча поліклініка ) Коростень.jpg, Children's clinic in Korosten
File:Франка4 1.JPG, Public library
File:Будівля школи фабрично-заводського навчання DSCF6527.JPG, Vocational school in Korosten
File:Korosten park.JPG, River Uzh in the city park
File:We2 016.jpg, Bath of Princess Olga
File:Будівля житлового будинку.JPG, Residential building in Korosten
File:Будинок, в якому працювали Горбатюк О. Я., Давидюк Т. С., Монастирецький В. І.- учасники громадянської війни.jpg, Historical building
File:We2 018.jpg, A hill over Uzh River in Korosten
File:We2 005.jpg, Korosten military museum
File:Korosten4.JPG, Saint Olga
Olga ( orv, Вольга, Volĭga; (); russian: Ольга (); uk, Ольга (). Old Norse: '; Lith: ''Alge''; Christian name: ''Elena''; c. 890–925 – 969) was a regent of Kievan Rus' for her son Sviatoslav from 945 until 960. Followi ...
Orthodox church in Korosten
Twin towns – sister cities
Korosten is twinned with:
* Anenii Noi
Anenii Noi () is a city in east-central Moldova, the seat of Anenii Noi District. It is located SE of the capital, Chișinău.
According to the 2004 census, the city administers an area inhabited by 11,463 people. This area consists of the cit ...
, Moldova (2006)
* Kraśnik
Kraśnik is a town in southeastern Poland with 35,602 inhabitants (2012), situated in the Lublin Voivodeship, historic Lesser Poland. It is the seat of Kraśnik County. The town of Kraśnik as it is known today was created in 1975, after the mer ...
, Poland (2007)
* Sloviansk
Sloviansk ( uk, Слов'янськ, Sloviansk ; russian: Славянск, Slavyansk or ; prior to 1784 – Tor) is a city in the Kramatorsk district of the Donetsk region of Ukraine, the administrative center of the Slovyansk urban commun ...
, Ukraine (2014)
* Svitlovodsk
Svitlovodsk () is a city in central Ukraine located on the Dnieper River in Oleksandriia Raion, Kirovohrad Oblast. The city hosts the administration of Svitlovodsk urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. Its population is approximately .
...
, Ukraine (2005)
* Volodymyr Volodymyr ( uk, Володи́мир, Volodýmyr, , orv, Володимѣръ) is a Ukrainian given name of Old East Slavic origin. The related Ancient Slavic, such as Czech, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, etc. form of the name is Володимѣръ ...
, Ukraine
* Bourges
Bourges () is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre. It is the capital of the department of Cher, and also was the capital city of the former province of Berry.
History
The name of the commune derives either from the Bituriges, t ...
, France (2022)
References
External links
Official website
Korosten: a small town with a great history
Information on the city of Korosten
Изучи Коростень @ Ukrainian.Travel
Find out Korosten @ Ukrainian.Travel
Віднайди Коростень @ Ukrainian.Travel
{{Authority control
Cities in Zhytomyr Oblast
Cities of regional significance in Ukraine
Populated places established in the 8th century
Drevlians
Ovruchsky Uyezd
Pancake festivals