Alchevsk (; ) is a city and the nominal administrative center of Alchevsk Raion in Luhansk Oblast, in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. It is located from the administrative center of the oblast, Luhansk. Population:

thumb|Alchevsk Iron and Steel Works

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) and "Alchevsk Coke-Chemical Plant".

The city was known as Voroshylovsk () from 1931 to 1961, and then Kommunarsk () 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

thumb|St. Nicholas Cathedral

thumb|Director house

thumb|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.

A local newspaper is published in the city since 1930.

In 1931, Alchevsk was renamed Voroshylovsk, after Kliment Voroshilov, a Soviet military and party figure.

As Voroshilov's personality cult was diminishing, the town was renamed Kommunarsk in 1961.

The system had already collapsed once before: in 1972, when the sole boiler failed. Contemporary Soviet authorities had authorized a second, back-up boiler, but did not further decentralize the system to preserve economies of scale.

In 2006, an underground pipe cracked in unusually cold weather (nearly ), isolating the main boiler from the system. The heat authority delayed draining the working fluid, and water throughout the system froze and burst additional pipes, some inside the walls of residential apartments. Consequently, many apartments could not be heated even after the boilers were restored to working order. Inhabitants turned to electric space heaters to fill the gap, but these overloaded the grid, leading to rolling blackouts. Without liquid tap water, the sewer system also froze and burst a few days later. including Alchevsk. In the following war in Donbas, the city became a part of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic.

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:

Education

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

Sports

thumb|Stal Stadium

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

Alchevsk is twinned with:

  • Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland
  • Dunaújváros, Hungary

Notable people

  • Oleksandr Babych (born 1979), Ukrainian football player and manager
  • Yevhen Koshovyi (born 1983), Ukrainian TV presenter and actor known for his role in Servant of the People
  • Krystyna Sankova (born 1996), Ukrainian artistic gymnast
  • Andriy Tsvik (born 1971), Ukrainian football player
  • Anatoliy Volobuyev (born 1953), Ukrainian football player and coach

References

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.
  • Official site of town authorities
  • Unofficial town page
  • Another unofficial town page
  • Alchevsk winter disaster page
  • Map of Alchevsk