Lysychansk

Lysychansk ( , ; , ; , ) is a city in Sievierodonetsk Raion, Luhansk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. It is located on the high right bank of the Donets River, approximately from the administrative center of the oblast, Luhansk. It faces Sievierodonetsk across the river. Its population before the Russian invasion of Ukraine was approximately

Prior to Ukrainian 2020 municipal classification reforms, Lysychansk was incorporated as a city of oblast significance. Up to 2022, the administration of Lysychansk Municipality included the settlements of Novodruzhesk and Pryvillia. Along with the cities of Sievierodonetsk, Rubizhne, Kreminna and the nearest towns, the Lysychansk area constituted a major urban and industrial hub of the Donbas region, with a 2009 population of about 353,000.

The city became the site of 2022's Battle of Lysychansk, which ended with the capture of the city by Russian forces and the Luhansk People's Republic on 2 July. Up to 12,000 were estimated to have remained in the city, according to Ukrainian authorities. Russia has claimed the city following its declared annexation of the region in September 2022.

History

Imperial era

In 1721, coal was discovered in the Donets basin near Lisya Balka, a Cossack village established in 1710. In 1795, Lysychansk was the first coal-mining settlement of the Donets basin.

Earlier settlements in the area around Lysychansk were completely destroyed by the Muscovy punitive expedition against the Bulavin Rebellion. After suppressing the uprising, the area was resettled with Voronove (founded by Khokhlov's Cossacks), Syrotyne (Popov's and Sirotin's Cossacks), Borivske (partly settled by former residents of the burned the Borovskaya Sloboda), Metiolkine (Metelnikov's Cossacks) and Smolianynove (Smolkin's Cossacks).

In 1890, a Belgian industrialist Ernest Solvay build a soda plant with surrounding infrastructure for the Belgian staff. In 2017 these buildings (a gymnasium, a hospital and a range of residential buildings) won the 'Belgian Heritage Abroad Award'.

Soviet era

A local newspaper has been published in the city since January 1918. The Russian Civil War (1918–1920) damaged Lysychansk's industry and economy. In 1920, the Bolsheviks nationalized the mines and plants in Lysychansk.

By 1925, the economy recovered, and by the 1930s, industrial growth accelerated. Lysychansk gained city status in 1938. However, this growth was interrupted by Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union and occupation of the city. Lysychansk suffered massive destruction of infrastructure and hundreds of civilian deaths at the hands of the Germans.

Throughout the mid-1960s, Lysychansk's borders were changed. In 1962, the city of Sievierodonetsk, which started as a village serving a chemical plant on the outskirts of Lysychansk, branched off from Lysychansk and became its own independent city. In 1963, the towns of Novodruzhesk and Pryvillia were included in the city limits of Lysychansk and became cities. In 1965, Lysychansk incorporated the settlements of Verkhnie and Proletarske.

Russo-Ukrainian War

War in Donbas

During the 2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine the town was captured early April 2014 by pro-Russian separatists. It remained under control of separatists for three months, until 22 July 2014 Ukrainian Ukrinform

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