Zaporizhia

Zaporizhzhia ( uk, Запоріжжя) or Zaporozhye (russian: Запорожье) is a city in southeast Ukraine, situated on the banks of the Dnieper River. It is the administrative centre of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Zaporizhzhia has a population of

Zaporizhzhia is known for the historic island of Khortytsia, multiple power stations (including Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (the largest nuclear power station in Europe), Zaporizhzhia thermal power station, and Dnieper Hydroelectric Station) and for being an important industrial centre. Steel, aluminium, aircraft engines, automobiles, transformers for substations, and other heavy industrial goods are produced in the region.

Names and etymology

Renderings of the name include: Zaporizhzhia, Zaporizhia, or Zaporizhzhya, pronounced , , from uk, Запорі́жжя, . Also ''Zaporozhye'', , from russian: Запоро́жье, ).

The name ''Zaporizhzhia'' literally refers to the position of the city located "beyond the rapids" – down-river or south of the Dnieper River rapids, formerly a major impediment to navigation and the site of important portages (in 1932, the rapids on the Dnieper river were flooded to become part of the reservoir of the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station).Pospelov, pp. 25–26

Before it was changed in 1921, the city's name was Aleksandrovsk (russian: Алекса́ндровск ) or Oleksandrivsk ( uk, Олекса́ндрівськ ) after the name of a fortress (russian: Александровская крепость , translit= Aleksandrovskaya krepost; ) that formed a part of the of the Russian Empire.

History

Zaporizhzhia was founded in 1770, when the Aleksandrovskaya () Fortress was built as a part of the Dnieper Defence Line, to protect the southern territories of the Russian Empire from Crimean Tatar invasions.Я. П. Новицкий
История города Александровска, (Екатеринославской губ.) в связи с историей возникновения крепостей Днепровской линии 1770–1806 г.
– Екатеринослав: Типография Губернского Земства, 1905. – 176 с. Following the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca in 1775, the southern lands of the Russian Plain and the Crimean peninsula were absorbed into the Russian Empire. The Aleksandrovskaya Fortress then lost its military significance, and became a small rural town, which from 1806 to around 1930 was called Alexandrovsk.

The opening of the Kichkas Bridge at the start of 20th century, the first rail crossing of the Dnieper, was followed the industrial growth of Zaporizhzhia .''The bridges of Zaporizhzhia'' (Мосты Запорожья)
by L. Adelberg (Адельберг Л), pub RA Tandem st, Zaporizhzhia, 2005. In 1916, during World War I, the DEKA Stock Association transferred its aircraft engine manufacturing plant from Saint Petersburg to Zaporizhzhia.''Official Portal Zaporizhzhia city authorities, History'' (Офіційний портал, Запорізької міської влади, Історія міста)
, accessed 11 April 2011.

During the Russian Civil War (19181921), Zaporizhzhia was the scene of fierce fighting between the Red Army and the White armies of Denikin and Wrangel, Petliura's Ukrainian People's Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic, and German-Austrian troops. The opposing armies used the strategically important Kichkas Bridge to transfer troops, ammunition, and medical supplies. The Soviet government industrialized Zaporizhzhia still further during the 1920s and 1930s, when the Dnieper Hydroelectric Station, and the Zaporizhzhia Steel Plant, and the Dnieper Aluminium Plant were built. In the 1930s, the American United Engineering and Foundry Company built a strip mill similar to the Ford River Rouge steel mill to produce rolling steel strip. The annual capacity of the mill reached of wide steel.''The Soviet economy and the Red Army, 1930–1945'', by Walter Scott Dunn, Greenwood Publishing Group, 1995 , page 13.

World War II (1941–1945)

After the outbreak of the War between the USSR and Nazi Germany in June 1941, the Soviet government began evacuating the city's industrial equipment to Siberia.The Great Patriotic War on the territory of Zaporizhzhia (Великая Отечественная война на территории Запорожья)
The Soviet security forces (NKVD) also shot political prisoners in the city. On 18 August 1941, elements of the German 1st Panzergruppe reached the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia on the right bank and seized the island Khortytsia.

The Red Army blew a 120m x 10m hole in the Dnieper hydroelectric dam (DniproHES) at 16:00 on 18 August 1941, producing a flood wave that swept from Zaporizhzhia to Nikopol. The flood killed local residents as well as soldiers from both armies, with historians estimating the death toll to be between 20,000 and 100,000.

Despite reinforcements, Zaporizhzhia was eventually taken on 3 October 1941. The German occupation of Zaporizhzhia lasted for 2 years and 10 days; during this time, the Germans shot over 35,000 people and sent 58,000 people to Germany for forced labour.

When the Germans reformed Army Group South in February 1943, they placed its headquarters in Zaporizhzhia. After the loss of Kharkiv to flew to these headquarters on 17 February 1943, where he met with the army group's commander, Field Marshal Erich von Manstein. Hitler allowed the Army Group South to fight a mobile defence, which quickly led to much of the lost ground being recaptured by the Germans in the Third Battle of Kharkov.

Hitler visited the headquarters in Zaporizhzhia again on 10 March 1943, where he was briefed by von Manstein and his air force counterpart Field Marshal Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen. Hitler visited the headquarters at Zaporizhzhia for the last time on 8 September 1943. In September 1943, the Army Group moved its headquarters from Zaporizhzhia to Kirovograd (now called Kropyvnytskyi).''Lost Victories'', by Field Marshal Eric von Manstein, says that the Germans finished repairing the railway bridge only a few months before they lost the city in October 1943.

In August 1943, the Germans built the Panther-Wotan defence line along the Dnieper from Kyiv to Crimea. They retreated back to this line in September 1943, holding the city as a bridgehead over the Dnieper with elements of 40th Panzer and 17th Corps. The Soviet Southwestern Front, commanded by Army General Rodion Malinovsky, attacked Zaporizhzhia on 10 October 1943.

Although the defenders initially repelled these attacks, the Red Army reinforced its troops and launched a surprise night attack at 22:00 on 13 October, which succeeded in reclaiming most parts of the city.''Moscow-Stalingrad-Berlin-Prague, Memories of Army Commander'' ("Москва-Сталінград-Берлін-Прага". Записки командарма)
by Dmitri Danilovich Lelyushenko (Лелюшенко Дмитро Данилович), pub Nauka, Moscow, 1987, chapter 4. The city has a street between Voznesenskyi and Oleksandrivskyi Districts and a memorial in Oleksandrivskyi District dedicated to Red Army Lieutenant who commanded the first tank to enter Zaporizhzhia. Yatsenko and his crew were killed in the battle for the city.

Contemporary (1991–present)

In the 1990s, congestion began to occur around the Zaporizhzhia Arch Bridge, although construction was halted soon after it began due to a lack of funding.

During the 2014 Euromaidan regional state administration occupations, protests against President Viktor Yanukovych occurred in Zaporizhzhia. On 23 February 2014, Zaporizhzhia's regional state administration building was occupied by 4,500 protesters. During April 2014, clashes occurred between Ukrainian and pro-Russian activists. The Ukrainian activists outnumbered the pro-Russian protesters.

On 19 May 2016, the Verkhovna Rada approved the so-called " Decommunisation Law".Poroshenko signed the laws about decommunization
Ukrayinska Pravda. 15 May 2015Poroshenko signs laws on denouncing Communist, Nazi regimes
Interfax-Ukraine. 15 May 20Goodbye, Lenin: Ukraine moves to ban communist symbols
BBC News (14 April 2015) Due to these laws, the city council had to rename more than 50 main streets and the administrative parts of the city. The monuments of the Soviet Union leaders Lenin and Felix Dzerzhinsky were destroyed. Names honouring Soviet leaders in the titles of industrial plants, factories, culture centres, and the DniproHES were also removed.

Russian invasion (2022)

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces have been engaged in ongoing attacks on Zaporizhzhia. On 27 February, fighting was reported in the southern outskirts. Russian forces began shelling Zaporizhzhia later that evening. On 3 March, Russian forces approaching the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant caused concern about a potential nuclear meltdown. Russian military forces fired missiles on Zaporizhzhia on the evening of 12–13 May.

On 30 September, hours before Russia formally annexed Southern and Eastern Ukraine, the Russian Armed Forces launched S-300 missiles at a civilian convoy, killing 30 people and injuring 88 others. On 9 October, Russian forces launched rockets at residential buildings, killing at least twenty people.

Geography

The city is located in south-eastern Ukraine. The Dnieper river splits the city in two; between them is Khortytsia island. The city covers at an elevation of above sea level.

There are two streams around Khortytsia island; New and Old Dnieper. The is about wide while the is about wide. The island has sizes. There are also several small rivers in the city, which enter the Dnieper: and , , and .

The flora of Khortytsia island is unique and diverse due to the dry steppe air and a large freshwater basin, which cleans the air polluted by industry. Khortytsia Island is a national park. The island surface is cut by large ravines ("balka"), hiking routes and historical monuments. The island is a very popular recreational area for both kids and adults. There are a large number of sanatoriums, resorts and health centres. There are also sandy beaches with swimming access.

Climate

Governance

Zaporizhzhia is a regional seat of Zaporizhzhia Oblast and a city of regional significance meaning that it has a form of self-rule within the oblast (region).

Administrative subdivision

The city is divided into 7 administrative raions.

Demographics

City population

The city population has been declining since the first years of the state independence. In 2014–2015 the rate of the population decrease was −0.56%/year.

In January 2017, the city population equaled 750,685 inhabitants
The total reduction of the population of the city during the state independence is around 146 thousand people (the years 2017–2018 are not included in this estimation)

Ethnic structure

According to the 2001 census, Zaporizhzhia had the following ethnic structure:

Language

Ukrainian is used for official government business.

Native language of residents of Zaporizhzhia, according to censuses in Ukraine (percent):

Religion

The following religious denominations are present in Zaporizhzhia:

;Christianity
;; Orthodoxy

Most of the citizens are Orthodox Christians of Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) or Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Among the Orthodox churches the , which is under the Moscow Patriarchate, is most popular. There are also St. Nicholas Church and St. Andrew's Cathedral in the city.

;;Protestantism
Protestantism is represented by:
* All-Ukrainian Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith;
*Seventh-day Adventist Church;
* Full Gospel Church.

;;Catholicism
Catholicism is represented by:
*Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church;
* The Roman Catholic Church.
The biggest Catholic church is Church of God, the Father of Mercy

;Judaism
Orthodox Judaism is represented by one union and six communities.

; Islam
In the Zaporizhzhia district there are five communities which are part of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine and four independent Muslim communities.

;Hinduism
The city hosts a branch of the Vedic Academy.

Economy

Industry

Zaporizhzhia is an important industrial centre of Ukraine, the country's main car manufacturing company, the Motor-Sich world-famous aircraft engine manufacturer. Well supplied with electricity, Zaporizhzhia forms, together with the adjoining Donets Basin ( Donbas) and the Nikopol manganese and Kryvyi Rih iron mines, one of Ukraine's leading industrial complexes.

The city is a home of Ukraine's main automobile production centre, which is based at the Zaporizhzhia Automobile Factory (ZAZ), producing Ukrainian car brands such as ''Zaporozhets'' and ''Tavria''.

After the end of the Russian Revolution, the city became an important industrial centre. The presence of cheap labor and the proximity of deposits of coal, iron ore, and manganese created favorable conditions for large-scale enterprises of the iron and mechanical engineering industries. Today Zaporizhzhia is an important industrial centre of the region with heavy industry (particularly metallurgy), aluminium, and chemical industry. Cars, avia motors and radioelectronics are manufactured in the city. The port of Zaporizhzhia is important for transshipment for goods from the Donbas.

Zaporizhstal, Ukraine's fourth largest steel maker, and ranking 54th in the world, is based in the city.

Electricity generation

Zaporizhzhia is a large electricity generating hub. There are hydroelectric power plant known as " DniproHES" Dnieper Hydroelectric Station and the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Zaporizhzhia plants generate about 25% of the whole Ukrainian electricity consumption. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is located near the Enerhodar (meaning ''energy gifter''), around from Zaporizhzhia, which is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe. Also in Enerhodar, is the Zaporizhzhia Thermal Power Station.

Culture

Zaporizhzhia has a philharmonic, few museums, theaters, libraries. Among them are:
*Magara Academic Drama Theatre
*Municipal Theatre Lab «VIE»
*Theatre for Young-Age spectators
*Theatre of Horse Riding «Zaporizhzhian Cossacks»
*Zaporizhzhia Regional Museum
*National Museum of Zaporizhzhian Cossacks History
*Zaporizhzhia Regional Art Museum
*Motor Sich Aviation Museum
*Zaporizhzhia Region Universal Scientific Library

There are a number of small amateur groups of folk music bands, art galleries in Zaporizhzhia. The city regularly holds festivals and feasts, competitions of the Cossack martial arts and art exhibitions.

Zaporizhzhia has an open-air exhibition-and-sale of Zaporizhzhia city association of artists «Kolorit» near the 'Fountain of Life' at the . A daily exhibition of artists' organizations of the city is a unique place in Zaporizhzhia, where people can communicate with craftsmen and artists, watch classes of carving, embroidery, beading and other creative works, receive lessons from professional artists, designers, and cartoonists.

Main sights

The x island Khortytsia is located in the geographical centre of the city. The city embraces the island by banks of the New and Old Dnieper streams.
Two concrete bridges connect the Island to the city.
They have been designed and constructed by the engineer Boris N. Preobrazhensky in 1952. Two level bridges have height about 54 meters. High level of the bridges is intended for rail and bottom – for cars and pedestrians.

The historical and cultural museum "Zaporizka Sich" is placed on the northern rocky part of the island Khotritsa.
The museum is the reconstructed stronghold of the Zaporizhzhian Cossacks. All features of the military cossack's camp life and their lifestyle are presented in the museum.

The smaller islands are located between the dam and the island Khortytsia. Each of these islands has its own legend. On one of them named Durnya Scala ("Rock of the Fool") Tzar Peter the Great punished the Cossacks by flogging for their betrayal on the side of Charles XII of Sweden during the Great Northern War between Russia and Sweden.

Another small island, named Stolb ("Pillar"), has a geological feature, which looks like a large bowl in granite slabs, its diameter equals , the depth . This bowl is named Cossack's bowl. People say that in summer days under the hot sun, it is easy to boil water in this "bowl" and the Cossacks used it for cooking galushki (boiled dough in a spicy broth).

The panoramic view of the DnieproHES from Khortytsia island is very impressive.
The straight and long Sobornyi avenue () ends in the SotsGorod near the Dam, which built up of the constructivist architecture of the 20th century.

Infrastructure

The city of Zaporizhzhia is an important transportation hub in Ukraine and has deeply developed transportation system that includes roadway, rail, river and air options for passenger, freight as well as public utilities transit. Public city transport includes buses, minivans, trams, trolleybuses and railways.

Roads

On the eastern outskirts Zaporizhzhia is passed by a major national highway M18 which connects Kharkiv

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