Alchevsk

Alchevsk (Ukrainian: Алчéвськ; Russian: Алчéвск) is a city and the nominal administrative center of Alchevsk Raion in Luhansk Oblast, in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. It is located 45 kilometres (28 miles) from the administrative center of the oblast, Luhansk. Population: 106,062 (2022 estimate).[1]

Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works.
Alchevsk
Алчевськ (Ukrainian)
City
Flag of Alchevsk
Flag
Coat of arms of Alchevsk
Coat of arms
Alchevsk is located in Luhansk Oblast
Alchevsk
Alchevsk
Location of Alchevsk
Alchevsk is located in Ukraine
Alchevsk
Alchevsk
Alchevsk (Ukraine)
Coordinates: 48°28′40″N 38°47′52″E
Country Ukraine
Oblast Luhansk Oblast
RaionAlchevsk Raion
Founded1895
City Status1932
Area
 • Total55 km2 (21 sq mi)
Elevation
240 m (790 ft)
Population
 (2022)
 • Total106,062 (2022 estimate)[1]
Postal code
94200-94299
Area code(+380) 6442
Vehicle registrationBB / 13
ClimateDfb
Websitehttp://alchevsk.su/

Alchevsk is one of the largest industrial centers in the Donbas, and comprises a quarter of the entire oblast's production. Its economy depends on the companies of OJSC "Alchevsk Iron & Steel Works" (a trade blockade by Ukrainian activists during the war in Donbas has all but halted production of this plant in February 2017)[2][3] and "Alchevsk Coke-Chemical Plant".

The city was known as Voroshylovsk (Ukrainian: Ворошиловськ) from 1931 to 1961, and then Kommunarsk (Ukrainian: Комунарськ) until 1991. Alchevsk came under control of pro-Russian separatists in early 2014, and was incorporated into the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR / LNR). After declaring its annexation of the region in 2022, Russia has claimed the city.

History
St. Nicholas Cathedral.
Director house.
Factory clinic.

Alchevsk was founded in 1895 with the establishment of an iron works and named after the Russian industrialist Oleksiy Alchevsky who founded the Donetsk–Yuryev Metallurgical Society.[4]

A local newspaper is published in the city since 1930.[5]

In 1931, Alchevsk was renamed Voroshilovsk, after Kliment Voroshilov, a Soviet military and party figure.[4]

During World War II, in 1942–1943, the German occupiers operated a Gestapo prison in the city.[6]

As Voroshilov's personality cult was diminishing, the town was renamed Kommunarsk in 1961.[4] After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the original name was restored in 1991.[4]

War in Donbas (2014–present)

Starting mid-April 2014, pro-Russian separatists captured and occupied several towns in the Luhansk Oblast,[7][8] including Alchevsk.[9] In the following war in Donbas, the city became a part of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic.[10][11]

In June 2020, as part of the reform of administrative divisions in Ukraine, Alchevsk was made the administrative center of Alchevsk Raion. This new status is not recognized by the pro-Russian occupation authorities.

After the 2022 Russian annexations of Southern and Eastern Ukraine, the city is now claimed by Russia itself.

Economy

The main branches of Alchevsk industry – metallurgical and chemical. Electromechanical, light and food industry is also developed. Currently the city has 17 industrial enterprises.

Demographics

As of the Ukrainian Census of 2001:[12]

Ethnicity
  • Russians: 51.6%
  • Ukrainians: 44.7%
  • Belarusians: 1.1%
Language

Education

The Donbas State Technical University, founded in 1957, is located in Alchevsk.

Sports
Stal Stadium, Alchevsk

Alchevsk is home to the football team FC Stal Alchevsk which currently participates in the Ukrainian First League, the second tier of national football competitions.

Twin towns and sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Ukraine

Alchevsk is twinned with:

References
  1. 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.
  2. "Steelmakers in occupied Donbas cease work due to trade blockade in Ukraine".
  3. "Week's balance: Blockade causing losses, NBU's anti-crisis measures, and increased industrial output".
  4. Pospelov, p. 27
  5. № 2903. Огни коммунизма // Летопись периодических и продолжающихся изданий СССР 1986 – 1990. Часть 2. Газеты. М., «Книжная палата», 1994. стр.381
  6. "Gestapogefängnis Alcevs'k". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 27 December 2022.
  7. Ragozin, Leonid (16 April 2014). "Vladimir Putin is Accidentally Bringing Eastern and Western Ukraine Together". The New Republic.
  8. "Donbass defenders put WWII tank back into service".
  9. "Pro-Russian rebels release four of eight OSCE monitors held hostage in eastern Ukraine – Jun. 27, 2014". 27 June 2014.
  10. "Ukrainian Separatist Leader Laid to Rest".
  11. Численность населения по состоянию на 1 октября 2015 года по Луганской Народной Республ ике (PDF) (in Russian). Luhansk People's Republic. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  12. "Офіційна сторінка Всеукраїнського перепису населення". Ukrcensus.gov.ua. Retrieved 2022-03-16.

Sources
  • Ye. M. Pospelov. "Имена городов: вчера и сегодня (1917–1992). Топонимический словарь." (City Names: Yesterday and Today (1917–1992). Toponymic Dictionary.) Москва, "Русские словари", 1993.
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