Mtsensk (russian: Мценск) is a town in Oryol Oblast, Russia, located on the Zusha River (a tributary of the

Oka Oka or OKA may refer to: Cars * Oka (automobile), a small car designed by AvtoVAZ and produced by ZMA and SeAZ * OKA 4wd, a large 4-wheel-drive vehicle made in Western Australia by OKA Military * 2B1 Oka, Soviet 420 mm self-propelled mor ...

) northeast of

Oryol Oryol ( rus, Орёл, p=ɐˈrʲɵl, lit. ''eagle''), also transliterated as Orel or Oriol, is a city and the administrative center of Oryol Oblast situated on the Oka River, approximately south-southwest of Moscow. It is part of the Central Fed ...

, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 28,000 (1970).

History

It was first mentioned in the

Nikon Chronicle The ''Nikon Chronicle'' (russian: Никоновская летопись) is a compilation of Russian chronicles undertaken at the court of Ivan the Terrible in the mid-16th century. The compilation was named after Patriarch of Moscow and all Ru ...

in 1146 as a part of the Principality of Chernigov. The name comes from the Mtsena River, a tributary of the

Zusha The Zusha (russian: Зуша) is a river in Tula and Oryol Oblast in Russia, a right tributary of the Oka. The length of the river is 234 km. The area of its basin is 6,950 km².Batu Khan. Since 1320, it was under the rule of

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

, eventually becoming a part of the Muscovy in 1505. Since the beginning of the 19th century, Mtsensk was rapidly developing as an industrial town. During Operation Barbarossa, German armoured forces captured the town in the fall of 1941. In particular, troops of the 3rd Panzer Division,

4th Panzer Division The 4th Panzer Division ( en, 4th Tank Division) was an armored division in the Army of Nazi Germany. In World War II, it participated in the 1939 invasion of Poland, the 1940 invasion of France, and the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union. It ...

, and Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland saw combat in the immediate vicinity. During the Battle of Kursk in 1943, Mtsensk served as the primary war zone. On 20 July 1943, Mtsensk was liberated by Soviet troops of the Bryansk Front.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Mtsensk serves as the administrative center of

Mtsensky District Mtsensky District (russian: Мце́нский райо́н) is an administrativeLaw #522-OZ and municipalLaw #434-OZ district (raion), one of the twenty-four in Oryol Oblast, Russia. It is located in the north of the oblast An oblast (; ; ...

, even though it is not a part of it.Law #522-OZ As an administrative division, it is incorporated separately as the town of oblast significance of Mtsensk—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the

districts 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 a municipal division, the town of oblast significance of Mtsensk is incorporated as Mtsensk Urban Okrug.Law #435-OZ

Twin towns – sister cities

Mtsensk is twinned with: * Kubrat, Bulgaria

References

Mtsensk StGeorge Church - view from hill

Notes

Sources