Kupiansk Explained

Official Name:Kupiansk
Native Name:Куп'янськ
Other Name:Kupyansk
Settlement Type:City
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Ukraine
Subdivision Type1:Oblast
Subdivision Name1:Kharkiv Oblast
Subdivision Type2:Raion
Subdivision Name2:Kupiansk Raion
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1655
Leader Title:Mayor
Area Total Km2:33.34
Population Total:26627
Population As Of:2022
Population Density Km2:auto
Postal Code Type:Postal code
Postal Code:63700-63709
Timezone:EET
Utc Offset:+2
Timezone Dst:EEST
Utc Offset Dst:+3
Coordinates:49.7167°N 72°W
Pushpin Map:Ukraine#Ukraine Kharkiv Oblast
Pushpin Relief:y
Module:
Wikidata:yes
Zoom:11
Frame-Height:260
Stroke-Width:1
Subdivision Type3:Hromada
Subdivision Name3:Kupiansk urban hromada

Kupiansk or Kupyansk (Ukrainian: Куп'янськ, pronounced as /uk/; Russian: Купянск, pronounced as /ru/) is a city in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Kupiansk Raion. It is also an important railroad junction for the oblast. Kupiansk hosts the administration of Kupiansk urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.[1] It had a population of Until 18 July 2020, Kupiansk was incorporated as a city of oblast significance and the center of Kupiansk Municipality. The municipality was abolished in July 2020, as part of administrative reforms in Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions in Kharkiv Oblast to seven. The area of Kupiansk Municipality was merged into Kupiansk Raion.[2] [3]

Overview

Kupiansk is located on the bank of the Oskil River. Kupiansk is divided into three subparts, known as: Kupiansk (main part of town), Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi (where the train station is), and Kivsharivka.

Kupiansk is about two and a half hours from Kharkiv. The two cities are connected by train and bus.

History

World War II

Kupiansk was occupied during World War II by Germany from 24 July 1942 to 3 February 1943.

Russo-Ukrainian War

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Kupiansk was occupied by Russian forces from 27 February 2022 to 10 September 2022.[4] Although the Ukrainian Army had destroyed a railway bridge to slow the Russian advance three days earlier, Kupiansk Mayor Hennadiy Matsehora, member of the Opposition Platform — For Life party, surrendered the city to the Russian Army in exchange for a cessation of hostilities, as the Russians threatened to take the city by force. As a result, the Ukrainian government indicted Matsehora for treason the next day.[5] [6] On 28 February 2022, Matsehora was arrested by Ukrainian authorities.[7] Later Kupiansk became the de facto seat of Russian-backed Kharkiv military-civilian administration. At Kupiansk town hall, the Ukrainian flag continued to be flown for 6 weeks, and at the medical school for 3 months.[8] Locals were forced to work for the occupation force, paint bridges in the colours of the Russian flag and perform railway repair for alleged salaries that were never paid out.[8] On 8 September 2022, a representative of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that Ukrainian forces had retaken more than 20 settlements in the Kharkiv Oblast and "in some areas penetrated Russian defence positions up to 50km". On the same day, the Russian occupation authorities claimed that "the Russian army began to defend the city" and that "additional reinforcements entered the region from Russia", indicating that Ukrainian forces were re-approaching the city from the west, after retaking the town of Shevchenkove earlier that day.[9] On 9 September 2022, Ukrainian forces re-entered the outskirts of Kupiansk and its administrative borders, starting the battle of Kupiansk. By the morning of 10 September 2022, Ukrainian forces had recaptured the city council building.[10] Later that day, a Ukrainian official confirmed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces had liberated the city.[11] By September 26, Ukrainian Forces liberated Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, the sister city of Kupiansk located on the left bank of the Oskil River.[12] On 3 March 2023 Ukrainian authorities ordered an evacuation of civilians from the city due to advances of Russian Armed Forces around Kupiansk and Bakhmut.[13]

After retreating from the city, Russian troops repeatedly shelled it.[14] In particular, the central city hospital, high-rise buildings and a lyceum,[15] the Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi railway station[16] and others were damaged.[17]

Population

Ethnicity and Language

Ethnic makeup of the city as of 2001:[18]

Distribution of the population by native language according to the 2001 census:[19]

LanguagePercentage
Ukrainian78.03%
Russian19.59%
other/undecided2.38%

Geography

Climate

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Купянская городская громада . Kupyansk city community . Portal of united communities of Ukraine . ru.
  2. News: 2020-07-18 . Про утворення та ліквідацію районів. Постанова Верховної Ради України № 807-ІХ. . uk . About the formation and liquidation of districts. Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine No. 807-IX. . Voice of Ukraine . 2020-10-03.
  3. Web site: Нові райони: карти + склад . Міністерство розвитку громад та територій України . Ukrainian.
  4. Web site: In Kharkiv region, mayor admits to handing over city to occupiers. Pravda. February 27, 2022. February 28, 2022.
  5. Web site: Mayor of Kupiansk who surrendered his city to invaders indicted for treason . 2022-03-22 . Ukrayinska Pravda . en.
  6. Web site: In Kharkiv region, mayor admits to handing over city to occupiers . 2022-03-22 . Ukrayinska Pravda . en.
  7. Web site: 2022-02-28 . Мера Куп'янська, який здав місто окупантам, затримано – джерело . Mayor of Kupiansk, who surrendered the city to the occupiers, has been detained – source . 2022-03-22 . LIGA . uk.
  8. Web site: 15 October 2022 . Замінували цвинтар, допитували дітей. Як оговтується після нашестя росіян Куп'янськ на Харківщині (фото) . The cemetery was replaced and the children were interrogated. How Kupiansk recovers after the invasion of Kharkiv in Kharkiv . 2023-08-15 . LB.ua . uk.
  9. Web site: Armed Forces of Ukraine advance on Kramatorsk front, killing up to 100 occupiers near Kupiansk General Staff . Yahoo! News . 5 September 2022 .
  10. 666_mancer . 1568484865573617664 . Necro Mancer on Twitter: "#Купянск, Харьковская обл., наши в городе".
  11. Web site: 'Everybody was running away.' Ukrainians in Kharkiv villages describe Russia's retreat . CNN . 12 September 2022 .
  12. Web site: Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi settlement liberated in Kharkiv Oblast, 6% of Kharkiv Oblast still under occupation . 2023-03-08 . www.pravda.com.ua.
  13. News: "Ukraine orders evacuation of city it recaptured (BBC)". BBC News. 3 March 2023.
  14. Web site: Ракетний удар по лікарні в Куп'янську: колеги розповіли про загиблого медика. 2022-10-03. Об'єктив.
  15. Web site: У Куп'янському районі фіксують наслідки російських артобстрілів 29 листопада. suspilne.media. 2022-11-29.
  16. Web site: РФ обстріляла Куп'янськ-Вузловий на Харківщині: пошкоджена залізнична інфраструктура. suspilne.media. 2022-12-04.
  17. Web site: Вранці 5 грудня Росія обстріляла Куп'янську громаду: згоріла станція техобслуговування. suspilne.media. 2022-12-05.
  18. Web site: Національний склад міст .
  19. Web site: Рідні мови в об'єднаних територіальних громадах України .