Svatove (Ukrainian: Сватове, pronounced [ˈsʋatɔʋe]; Russian: Сватово, romanized: Svatovo, pronounced [ˈsvatəvə]) is a city on the Krasna River in Luhansk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Svatove Raion. Its population is 16,145 (2022 estimate).[1] It has been occupied by Russia since 2022.
Svatove
Сватове | |
|---|---|
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 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Svatove Location of Svatove within Ukraine  Svatove Location of Svatove in Luhansk Oblast | |
| Coordinates: 49°24′54″N 38°09′18″E / 49.41500°N 38.15500°E | |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Oblast | Luhansk Oblast |
| Raion | Svatove Raion |
| Hromada | Svatove urban hromada |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Viktoria Slipets |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 16,145 |
| Area code | (+380) |
| Vehicle registration | BB / 13 |
 | |
History
editAfter the proclamation of the separatist Luhansk People's Republic on 27 April 2014, Luhansk Oblast became a battlefield of the war in Donbas.[2] Svatove stayed under Ukrainian governmental control.[3] The separatist referendum on 11 May 2014 on independence was not held in the city.[4]
On 29–30 October 2015, two people were reported dead and eight wounded as a result of explosions caused by fire at the munitions depot in Svatove.[5]
During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Svatove was occupied by Russian and Luhansk People's Republic forces on 6 March 2022. Following a major counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces in early September 2022, it was reported that Russian forces were leaving the city.[6][7] On 14 September, it was reported that Russian troops had returned.[8] Since then, they have occupied the city, and it has served as one of the major nodes of the Luhansk Oblast campaign.[9]
Geography
editThe city occupies a strategic location in the valley of the Krasna river, with wooded hills to the east and west. The P07 road running SE–NW from Starobilsk to Kupiansk crosses the river and meets the P66 road from Kreminna. A railway was built from Lysychansk in 1894 and extended to Kupiansk in 1895. It is now part of the Donets Railway.
| Climate data for Svatove (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1.6 (29.1) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
5.3 (41.5) |
15.5 (59.9) |
22.3 (72.1) |
26.1 (79.0) |
28.2 (82.8) |
27.6 (81.7) |
21.2 (70.2) |
13.3 (55.9) |
4.7 (40.5) |
−0.5 (31.1) |
13.4 (56.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −4.5 (23.9) |
−4.6 (23.7) |
0.8 (33.4) |
9.4 (48.9) |
15.6 (60.1) |
19.5 (67.1) |
21.5 (70.7) |
20.3 (68.5) |
14.5 (58.1) |
8.0 (46.4) |
1.3 (34.3) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
8.2 (46.8) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −7.3 (18.9) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
4.0 (39.2) |
9.0 (48.2) |
13.3 (55.9) |
15.1 (59.2) |
13.5 (56.3) |
8.7 (47.7) |
3.6 (38.5) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
3.5 (38.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 42.1 (1.66) |
38.6 (1.52) |
33.4 (1.31) |
34.9 (1.37) |
50.5 (1.99) |
62.8 (2.47) |
53.5 (2.11) |
39.3 (1.55) |
50.3 (1.98) |
39.3 (1.55) |
44.8 (1.76) |
42.9 (1.69) |
532.4 (20.96) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 9.5 | 8.1 | 7.7 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 8.3 | 7.2 | 4.6 | 6.2 | 5.8 | 7.0 | 8.7 | 87.6 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 84.2 | 81.8 | 77.4 | 65.1 | 61.3 | 65.3 | 65.7 | 63.9 | 69.6 | 76.4 | 84.1 | 84.9 | 73.3 |
| Source: World Meteorological Organization[10] | |||||||||||||
Demography
editIn 2021 it had a population of 16,420.
Ethnic makeup of the population as of 2001:[11]
Language
editDistribution of the population by native language according to the 2001 census:[12]
| Language | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Ukrainian | 17 349 | 89.51% |
| Russian | 1 879 | 9.69% |
| Other[a] | 155 | 0.80% |
| Total | 19 383 | 100.00% |
| a Those who did not indicate their native language or indicated a language that was native to less than 1% of the local population. |
Economy
editThe town primarily serves the surrounding agricultural area, with some metal working, textiles and light industry. There is a processing plant for sunflower oil that was built in 1902–03.
Culture, community and landmarks
editThe Svatove district museum of local history was founded in 1962 and has over 10,000 objects. There is a Memorial of Glory, Memory and Sorrow in the centre of the city, and a steam locomotive monument on Pryvokzalny Square. There is a Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The former Theological Seminary is now the Number 1 Secondary School. There are five secondary schools and five primary schools. There is a specialist sports school. Svatovo's Municipal Housing and Utilities Enterprise maintains 112 residential buildings, including 44 multi-storey buildings and 6 dormitories. The company repairs roofs, heating systems, removes garbage, landscapes, and more.
A local newspaper has been published in the city since September 1931.[13]
Notable people
editYaroslav Yampol is a footballer who played for Ukraine at youth team level and As of 2022[update] is playing for Świt Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki in Poland.
References
edit- ^ Чисельність наявного населення України на 1 січня 2022 [Number of Present Population of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2022] (PDF) (in Ukrainian and English). Kyiv: State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 July 2022.
- ^ Ukraine crisis timeline Archived 3 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News
- ^ Hinter den Linien [1] Archived 23 December 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Berliner Zeitung (17 July 2015)
- ^ Any violations allowed in Luhansk Oblast referendum Archived 11 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Kyiv Post (11 May 2014)
- ^ "Ukraine: Hundreds of people affected by explosion of ammunition depot". International Committee of the Red Cross. 31 October 2015. Archived from the original on 28 June 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- ^ "Russian occupiers are even fleeing from Luhansk Oblast, we will hear great news soon Head of Oblast Military Administration". yahoo.com. 10 September 2022.
- ^ "Российские военные и население покидают Луганскую область". BBC News Русская служба (in Russian). 18 August 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
- ^ "Russia-Ukraine war live: Zelenskiy makes surprise visit to recaptured Izium; Russia 'almost certainly' using weapons from Iran". the Guardian. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
- ^ Santora, Marc; O’Reilly, Finbarr (26 July 2023). "'They Shoot Without Stopping': Where Russia Is on the Attack in Ukraine". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981–2010". World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
- ^ "Національний склад міст".
- ^ "Рідні мови в об'єднаних територіальних громадах України" (in Ukrainian).
- ^ № 2924. Новости Сватовщины // Летопись периодических и продолжающихся изданий СССР 1986 - 1990. Часть 2. Газеты. М., «Книжная палата», 1994. стр.383