Skadovsk (Ukrainian: Скадо́вськ, IPA: [skɐˈdɔu̯sʲk], Russian: Скадовск) is a port city on the Black Sea coast in Kherson Oblast, southern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Skadovsk Raion and also hosts the administration of Skadovsk urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.[1] The city had a population of 16,969 (2022 estimate).[2]

Skadovsk
Скадовськ
Flag of Skadovsk
Coat of arms of Skadovsk
Skadovsk is located in Kherson Oblast
Skadovsk
Skadovsk
Location of Skadovsk
Skadovsk is located in Ukraine
Skadovsk
Skadovsk
Skadovsk (Ukraine)
Coordinates: 46°7′N 32°55′E / 46.117°N 32.917°E / 46.117; 32.917
Country Ukraine
Oblast Kherson Oblast
Raion Skadovsk Raion
Government
 • Mayor (de jure)Oleksandr Yuriyovych Yakovlev[a]
Area
 • Total14.3 km2 (5.5 sq mi)
Population
 (2022)
 • TotalDecrease 16,969
Postal code
75700
Area code+380 5537
ClimateCfa
Website[1]

It is located 94 km (58 mi) from Kherson. Skadovsk has a seaport. The closest railway station is Kalanchak, 94 km (58 mi) from Skadovsk.

History edit

 
Sergey B. Skadovsky, Founder of Skadovsk

The town was founded in 1894 by Sergey B. Skadovsky, a hydrobiologist and biochemist who was also a member of the State Council of the Taurida Governorate during the Russian Empire.[3]

The town was originally a seaport for sending wheat, wool and furs to France, Germany and other European countries. The initial territory consisted of the Crimean Tatar fishing village Ali-Agok (Crimean Tatar for "quiet harbor") and the lands owned by Skadovsky. He and his wife are buried in Skadovsk.

During World War II, the town was occupied by Germany. The Germans operated a Nazi prison in the town.[4]

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine edit

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian armed forces entered Skadovksk on March 9, 2022.[5] Within minutes after Russian equipment had entered the city, residents of the city came out to a rally with Ukrainian flags and called on the occupying forces to get out.[6] On 12 March, the city's mayor declared that the Russian invaders had left the city.[7] On 13 March, Russian troops again entered the city and deployed at a children camp on the outskirts of the city.[8]

On 16 March 2022, Skadovsk's mayor, Oleksandr Yakovlev, was detained by the Russian military.[9] According to the Ukrainian news outlet Ukrayinska Pravda, on the same day of Yakovlev's detention, a peaceful rally demanding his release was held.[9] It was claimed that Russian troops used tear gas and opened fire to disperse the rally.[9] Ukrayinska Pravda had no information about victims.[9] On 15 April, 2022, Russian forces removed the flag of Ukraine from the Skadovsk town hall and replaced it with a Russian flag.[10][11]

On 15 March 2024, Ukrainian partisans claimed to have carried out a bombing near a polling station in Skadovsk that was being used for the 2024 Russian presidential election. 5 Russian soldiers were wounded.[12]

Tourism edit

Skadovsk is a tourist destination[13] for people in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and Poland. It is located on the Dazharylhach Bay across from Dzharylhach Island.

In 2009, leading up to the Ukrainian presidential election, organizers of the Black Sea Games in Skadovsk presented Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko with a Bengal albino tigress named Tiger-Yulia.[14] Tymoshenko eventually lost the elections.

Transport edit

The city has a small port with a few piers. Additionally there are more piers located in the village of Khorly in the eastern portion of the Dzharylhach Bay. However, the piers of Khorly are not in an operational condition. The port of Skadovsk also administers a smaller port in Henichesk, located by the Sea of Azov.

Demographics edit

Distribution of the population by ethnic groups according to the 2001 Ukrainian census:[15]

Ethnic groups in Skadovsk
percent
Ukrainians
77.99%
Russians
17.75%
Belarusians
1.13%
Moldovans
0.66%
Armenians
0.57%
Poles
0.24%
Tatars
0.19%
Bulgarians
0.16%

Gallery edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ detained by Russian troops 16 March 2022

References edit

  1. ^ "Скадовская городская громада" (in Russian). Портал об'єднаних громад України.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Molotov's Magic Lantern: Travels in Russian History By Rachel Polonsky
  4. ^ "Gefängnis Skadovs'k". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  5. ^ Russian troops enter Skadovsk, call on mayor not to hold rallies
  6. ^ Российские военные зашли в Скадовск на Херсонщине: люди устроили протест и гонят оккупантов. Фото и видео
  7. ^ "Скадовськ зачистили від окупантів. Яка ситуація в місті". Newspaper in Ukrainian (in Ukrainian). 2022-03-12. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  8. ^ "Колонна российских оккупантов заехала в Скадовск и разместилась в одном из детских лагерей, - мэр Яковлев". Censor.NET (in Ukrainian). 2022-03-13. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  9. ^ a b c d "Skadovsk residents rally against aggressor: Russians opened fire". Ukrayinska Pravda. 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  10. ^ "УП. Стрічка".
  11. ^ "Skadovsk City Council says no to cooperation with Russians".
  12. ^ https://kyivindependent.com/national-resistance-center-sabotage/
  13. ^ "Crimea crisis: Ukraine-Russia tensions spill on to the beach". BBC News. 2016-08-17. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
  14. ^ "Tymoshenko was presented with a tiger in Skadovsk (photo)". Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2009.
  15. ^ https://datatowel.in.ua/pop-composition/ethnic-cities

External links edit