Luhansk (, ; uk, Луганськ, ), also known as Lugansk (, ; russian: Луганск, ), is a city in what is internationally recognised as

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inva ...

, although it is administered by

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

as capital of the

Luhansk People's Republic The Luhansk or Lugansk People's Republic (russian: Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика, Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika, ; abbreviated as LPR or LNR, rus, ЛНР) is a disputed entity created by Russian-backed ...

(LPR). As of 2021, the population was estimated to be 399,559, making Luhansk the most populous city in the region and the 12th largest in Ukraine. In 2001, nearly half of the population was ethnically Ukrainian, and 47% was ethnically Russian. Luhansk has been the capital and administrative center of

Luhansk Oblast Luhansk Oblast ( uk, Луга́нська о́бласть, translit=Luhanska oblast; russian: Луганская область, translit=Luganskaya oblast; also referred to as Luhanshchyna, uk, Луга́нщина) is the easternmost Adminis ...

, although the Ukrainian administration was relocated to Sievierodonetsk when the War in Donbas broke out following the establishment of LPR.

Etymology

Luhansk was named after the Luhan River, which flows through the city. According to

folk etymology Folk etymology (also known as popular etymology, analogical reformation, reanalysis, morphological reanalysis or etymological reinterpretation) is a change in a word or phrase resulting from the replacement of an unfamiliar form by a more famili ...

, the name is also derived to the word "Luh" (Ukrainian: Луг), which means "meadow", referring to the floodplains around the river.

History

The city traces its history to 1795 when the British industrialist

Charles Gascoigne Charles Gascoigne (1738–1806) was a British industrialist at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. He was a partner and manager of the Carron Company ironworks in its early years, but left in 1786, before the company's success became o ...

founded a metal factory near the Zaporizhian Cossacks settlement Kamianyi Brid. The settlement around the factory was known as ''Luganskiy Zavod''. In 1882 the factory settlement Luganskiy Zavod was merged with the town of Kamianyi Brid into the city of Luhansk (also Luhanske, according to the Kharkiv orthography). Located in the Donets Basin, Luhansk developed into an important industrial center of Eastern Europe, particularly as a home to the major

locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, motor coach, railcar or power car; the ...

-building company

Luhanskteplovoz Luhanskteplovoz ( uk, Луганськтепловоз or Luhansk Locomotive Works), earlier known as Voroshilovgrad Locomotive Works is a large industrial company in Luhansk, Ukraine, manufacturing locomotives, multiple unit trains (both electr ...

. The city was occupied by

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

between 14 July 1942 and 14 February 1943. On 5 November 1935, the city was renamed Voroshilovgrad (russian: Ворошиловград, Voroshilovgrad; uk, Ворошиловград, Voroshylovhrad) in honour of Soviet military commander and politician

Kliment Voroshilov Kliment Yefremovich Voroshilov (, uk, Климент Охрімович Ворошилов, ''Klyment Okhrimovyč Vorošylov''), popularly known as Klim Voroshilov (russian: link=no, Клим Вороши́лов, ''Klim Vorošilov''; 4 Februa ...

. On 5 March 1958, after Khrushchev's call to not name cities after living people, the old name was reinstated. On 5 January 1970, after the death of Voroshilov on 2 December 1969, the name changed again to Voroshilovgrad. On 4 May 1990, a decree of the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR gave the city back its original name. In 1994 a consultative referendum took place in the

Donetsk Oblast The Donetsk Oblast ( ukr, Донецька область, Donetska oblast, ), also referred to as Donechchyna ( ukr, Донеччина, links=no), is an oblast of eastern Ukraine. It is Ukraine's most populous province, with around 4.1 mill ...

and the

, with around 90% supporting the Russian language gaining status of an official language alongside

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

, and for the Russian language to be an official language on a regional level. Secessionists barricade in Luhansk

During the war in Donbas, separatists seized governmental buildings in the region, proclaiming the

. An independence referendum, unconstitutional under Ukrainian law, was held on 11 May 2014. This referendum was not recognized as legitimate by any government. In August 2014, Ukrainian government forces completely surrounded rebel-held Luhansk. Heavy shelling caused civilian casualties in the city. On 17 August, Ukrainian soldiers entered the rebel-controlled Luhansk and for a time had control over a police station. After the Ilovaisk counteroffensive, LPR forces regained

Lutuhyne Lutuhyne (, ) is a city in Luhansk Raion of Luhansk Oblast ( region) of Ukraine. It served as the administrative center of Lutuhyne Raion prior to its abolition in 2020. Population: , . Starting Mid-April 2014 pro-Russian separatists capture ...

and other Luhansk suburbs. Ukrainian forces withdrew from the Luhansk International Airport on 1 September 2014, after heavy fighting. Luhansk became the capital and the administrative center of the rebel state of the Luhansk People's Republic. The administration of the Luhansk Oblast was moved to Sievierodonetsk by the government of Ukraine. On September 30, 2022, during the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...

, Russian President

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...

signed a decree declaring the annexation of four regions of Ukraine (Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhiya Oblasts) to

. The annexation was illegal under

international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...

and was condemned by the

General Assembly of the United Nations The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...

Raions in the city (City districts)

* Artemivskyi Raion ** city of Oleksandrivsk ** urban-type settlement Yuvileine * Kamiano-Bridskyi Raion * Zhovtnevyi Raion * Leninskyi Raion

Higher education

Some of the more prestigious universities in Ukraine have their home in Luhansk. Luhansk is the location of the main campus of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Luhansk, East Ukrainian Volodymyr Dahl National University and of Luhansk State Medical University.

Demographics

In the Ukrainian Census of 2001, 49.6% of the inhabitants declared themselves as ethnically

Ukrainians Ukrainians ( uk, Українці, Ukraintsi, ) are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. They are the seventh-largest nation in Europe. The native language of the Ukrainians is Ukrainian. The majority of Ukrainians are Eastern Ort ...

and 47% as Russians. 85.3% of the population spoke Russian as their native language, while 13.7% spoke

, 0.2% Armenian and 0.1% Belarusian.

Sport

Luhansk is home to Zorya Luhansk which now plays in the

Ukrainian Premier League The Ukrainian Premier League ( uk, "Українська Прем'єр-ліга", ''Ukrayinska Premier Liha'') or UPL is the highest division of Ukrainian annual football championship. As the Vyshcha Liha ( uk, Вища ліга, ''Top League' ...

annual

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

championship and plays at the Avanhard Stadium. The club won the 1972 Soviet Top League. The other football team was Dynamo Luhansk.

Merheleva Ridge

On 7 September 2006, archaeologists in Ukraine announced that an ancient structure had been discovered near Luhansk, which the press reported as a pyramid antedating those in Egypt by at least 300 years. The stone foundations of the structure were said to resemble Aztec and Mayan pyramids in

Mesoamerica Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area in southern North America and most of Central America. It extends from approximately central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica. Wit ...

. It was later concluded that the site in question was not a pyramid but was still of great interest.

Gallery

During 2014 and 2015, Luhansk has been the scene of intense fighting and most of these buildings are damaged to some extent. Some may be destroyed. File:Институт Культуры.jpg, Luhansk University File:Night Luhansk sovetskya street.jpg, Radianska Street at night File:Гостиница "Луганск".jpg, Luhansk Hotel File:Свято-Владимирский кафедральный собор.jpg, St. Volodymyr Cathedral File:Эстакада.jpg, Luhansk railway station File:Кукольный Театр.jpg, Soviet buildings in the central city File:В.И.Даль 02.jpg, City old hospital File:В.И.Даль 01.jpg, Monument to Vladimir Dal File:Lugansk Lenini kujuga 09.08. 2015.jpg, Luhansk Drama Theatre File:Sõjapurustused Luganskis.jpg, A consumer electronics and appliance store, heavily damaged as a consequence of the

Russo-Ukrainian War The Russo-Ukrainian War; uk, російсько-українська війна, rosiisko-ukrainska viina. has been ongoing between Russia (alongside Russian separatists in Ukraine) and Ukraine since February 2014. Following Ukraine's Rev ...

. File:LUHANSK 111.jpg, Monument to the Revolution Heroes

Climate

Luhansk has a hot summer

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

( Köppen ''Dfa''). Luhansk has both the highest and lowest temperature recorded in Ukraine. A record high of was recorded on 12 August 2010, which is the highest temperature to have ever been recorded in Ukraine. A record low of was recorded on 8 January 1935.

Notable people

Vladislav Anisovich Vladislav Leopoldovich Anisovich (russian: Владислав Леопольдович Анисович) (June 7, 1908 in Lugansk – August 30, 1969 in Alupka) was a Russian and Soviet painter and art educator, who lived and worked in Lening ...

(1908–1969) a Russian and Soviet painter and art educator * Vladimir Bobrov (1915–1970) a Soviet

fighter pilot A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and ...

and

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

* Nadiya Bychkova (born 1989) a Ukrainian-Slovenian ballroom and Latin American dancer * Vladimir Dal (1801–1872), Russian lexicographer and polyglot *

Dov Feigin Dov Feigin ( he, דב פייגין; born 1907, died 2000) was an Israeli sculptor. Biography Dov Feigin was born in 1907 in Luhansk, Ukraine, then part of the Russian Empire. His father was a tailor. Feigin attended public Ukraine school as wel ...

(1907-2000) an Israeli sculptor. * Pavel Luspekayev (1927—1970) a Soviet actor * Yulia Malinovsky (born 1975), Israeli politician *

Mikhail Matusovsky Mikhail Lvovich Matusovsky (russian: Михаил Львович Матусовский; 23 July 1915, Luhansk, Yekaterinoslav Governorate – 16 July 1990, Moscow) was a Soviet poet, a winner of the USSR State Prize (1977). Biography His father i ...

(1915–1990), Soviet poet, songwriter * Julia Rysina (born 1989) stage name '' T-DJ Milana'', DJ, composer, dancer and model *

Leonid Pasechnik Leonid Ivanovich Pasechnik (russian: Леони́д Ива́нович Па́сечник; born 15 March 1970) is a Russian politician is serving as the acting head of the Lugansk People's Republic from 4 October, 2022. He served as Presiden ...

(born 1970) leader of the self-proclaimed

. *

Igor Plotnitsky Igor Venediktovich Plotnitsky uk, Ігор Венедиктович Плотницький, translit=Ihor Venedyktovych Plotnytskyi (born 25 June 1964) is a former Ukrainian separatist leader who served as the head of the self-proclaimed Luhan ...

(born 1964) former leader of the self-proclaimed

. * Andriy Portnov (born 1973) a Ukrainian lawyer and politician. *

Aleksandr Ptushko Aleksandr Lukich Ptushko (russian: Александр Лукич Птушко, – 6 March 1973) was a Soviet animation and fantasy film director, and a People's Artist of the USSR (1969). Ptushko is frequently (and somewhat misleadingly) refer ...

(1900–1973) a Soviet animation and fantasy film director * Nikolay Shmatko (1943–2020), sculptor, professor and painter *

Tatyana Snezhina Tatyana Snezhina (russian: Татьяна Снежина; 14 May 1972 – 21 August 1995) was a Russian poet and singer-songwriter. Her original family name is Pechyonkina (russian: Печёнкина). She wrote more than 200 songs which were pe ...

(1972–1995) a Russian poet and singer-songwriter. * Kostiantyn Sytnyk (1926–2017) a Ukrainian and Soviet scientist and academician *

(1881–1969), Soviet military commander * Yevheniy Yevtukhov (born 1984) stage name '' DJ Sender'' a Ukrainian DJ, music producer, songwriter and singer

Sport

* Sergey Andreyev (born 1956) a football manager and a former player with 617 club caps and 26 for the

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

* Valeriy Brumel (1942–2003), a Soviet high jumper; silver medallist at the

1960 Summer Olympics The 1960 Summer Olympics ( it, Giochi Olimpici estivi del 1960), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad ( it, Giochi della XVII Olimpiade) and commonly known as Rome 1960 ( it, Roma 1960), were an international multi-sport event held ...

and gold medallist at the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this h ...

* Viktor Bryzhin (born 1962) a former sprinter, team gold medallist at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...

. * Yelyzaveta Bryzhina (born 1989), sprinter, team bronze medallist at the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, th ...

Sergey Bubka Sergey Nazarovych Bubka ( uk, Сергій Назарович Бубка; born 4 December 1963) is a Ukrainian former pole vaulter. He represented the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991. Bubka was twice named Athlete of the Year by '' T ...

(born 1963), Soviet and Ukrainian

pole vault Pole vaulting, also known as pole jumping, is a track and field event in which an athlete uses a long and flexible pole, usually made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, as an aid to jump over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the M ...

er, former World Record holder, and gold medallist at the

* Vasiliy Bubka (born 1960), Soviet and Ukrainian pole vaulter * Fedor Emelianenko (born 1976), Russian heavyweight

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA), sometimes referred to as cage fighting, no holds barred (NHB), and ultimate fighting, and originally referred to as Vale Tudo is a full-contact combat sport based on striking, grappling and ground fighting, incor ...

and judoka *

Vyacheslav Glazkov Vyacheslav Valeriyovych Glazkov ( uk, В'ячеслав Валерійович Глазков, born 15 October 1984) is a Ukrainian former professional boxer who competed from 2009 to 2016. He challenged once for the vacant IBF heavyweight title ...

(born 1984) boxer, bronze medallist at the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Nat ...

Irina Kirichenko Irina Ivanovna Kirichenko (russian: Ири́на Ива́новна Кириче́нко; 13 June 1937 – 11 March 2020) was a Soviet sprint cyclist who won two gold, four silver and one bronze medal at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships ...

(1937–2020) a Soviet sprint cyclist *

Serhiy Malyi Serhiy Viktorovych Malyi ( uk, Сергій Вікторович Малий; born 5 June 1990) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for Ordabasy. Born in Ukraine, he plays for the Kazakhstan national team. Career Malyi is th ...

(born 1990) footballer with over 150 club caps and 46 for

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

Viktor Onopko Viktor Savelyevich Onopko (russian: link=no, Виктор Савельевич Онопко; born 14 October 1969) is a Russian football coach and a former defender of Ukrainian origin. He is an assistant coach with FC Rostov and the Russia n ...

(born 1969), Russian football player with 462 club caps and 109 for

* Sergei Semak (born 1976), footballer and manager with 552 club caps and 65 for

* Andriy Serdinov (born 1982), butterfly swimmer, bronze medallist at the

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

. * Oleh Shelayev ( born 1976) footballer with over 400 club caps and 36 for

* Anton Shoutvin (born 1989), Israeli basketball player * Tetyana Skachko (born 1954) long jumper, bronze medallist at the

1980 Summer Olympics The 1980 Summer Olympics (russian: Летние Олимпийские игры 1980, Letniye Olimpiyskiye igry 1980), officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad (russian: Игры XXII Олимпиады, Igry XXII Olimpiady) and commo ...

* Tetyana Tereshchuk-Antipova (born 1969), hurdler, bronze medallist at the

* Sergei Yuran (born 1969), football player with 276 club caps and 25 for

* Oleksandr Zavarov (born 1961), Soviet and Ukrainian football player and coach with over 450 club caps and 41 for the

International relations

Luhansk is Twin towns and sister cities, twinned with: * Cardiff, United Kingdom * Lublin, Poland * Székesfehérvár, Hungary * Daqing, China * Saint-Étienne, France * Pernik, Bulgaria

References

External links

* *
Official website of the Luhansk city councilFormer website of the Luhansk city council (last updated July 2015)

Topographic map 1:100 000
{{Authority control Luhansk, Cities in Luhansk Oblast Slavyanoserbsky Uyezd Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic Populated places established in 1795 Cities of regional significance in Ukraine Populated places established in the Russian Empire Donets City name changes in the Soviet Union Former Soviet toponymy in Ukraine Oblast centers in Ukraine 1795 establishments in Europe Territorial disputes of Ukraine

Etymology

History

Raions in the city (City districts)

Higher education

Demographics

Sport

Merheleva Ridge

Gallery

Climate

Notable people

Sport

International relations

See also

References

External links