Kirovsk, Luhansk Oblast

Kirovsk ( uk, Кіровськ, russian: Kировск), known in Ukraine as Holubivka ( uk, Голубі́вка), is a city in Luhansk Oblast (province) of Ukraine. It is incorporated as a city of oblast significance. Population: , .

History

The settlement was founded in 1764 as a village named Golubovka by the Russian colonel and native of Serbia, Peter Golub. Its history follows closely the history of industrial development in the Eastern Ukraine.

When coal mines were developed in the area, the village became known as Golubovskiy Rudnik. It reached its peak size in the 1980s. When the area was recaptured from Nazi Germany in 1944, the settlement was renamed Kirovsk after the murdered former mayor of Leningrad. In 1962 the settlement was granted city rights.

The landscape around the town still has pyramid-shaped manmade hills. They are the by-products of the coal mining industry and make the area look somewhat surreal. The best time to visit Kirovsk is August. Several national and local holiday celebrations take place during this month, such as Independence Day and Coal Miner Day. During the holidays, nightlife is booming - there are live concerts performed by regional, sometimes national, artists in the town stadium with many festivities in the town park. The town's population grows noticeably during the holidays when many friends and families come to visit.

Common outdoor activities include hunting on the steppe surrounding Kirovsk and fishing on the nearby lakes. Local terrain is very hilly and has many roads and paths that make 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 in the territory of the unrecognised Luhansk People's Republic and is not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities. The city was renamed Holubivka by Ukrainian authorities; however, the Luhansk People's Republic does not recognise this name preferring rather to retain the previous name.

Demographics

As of the Ukrainian Census of 2001:

; 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 settlements (towns, Donetskyi and Krynychanske Chervonohvardiiske) and two rural settlements (hamlets, Krynychne and Tavrychanske) that belonged to Chervonohvardiyske Municipality.

Notable People

* Maksym Dehtyarov, professional football player of the club Desna Chernihiv in Ukrainian Premier League.

References

Cities in Luhansk Oblast
Populated places established in 1764
Russification
Cities of regional significance in Ukraine
Populated places established in the Russian Empire
Soviet toponymy in Ukraine
1764 establishments in the Russian Empire
City name changes in Ukraine

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