Kherson
 | This article may be affected by the following current event: 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Information in this article may change rapidly as the event progresses. Initial news reports may be unreliable. The last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (March 2022) |
 | This article possibly contains original research. (February 2021) |
Kherson
Херсо́н | |
|---|---|
.jpg)   _Str._27_Synagogue_%27Habad%27_03_01_(YDS_4127).jpg) .jpg)   | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
  Kherson Location of Kherson  Kherson Kherson (Ukraine) | |
| Coordinates: 46°38′33″N 32°37′30″E / 46.64250°N 32.62500°ECoordinates: 46°38′33″N 32°37′30″E / 46.64250°N 32.62500°E | |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Oblast | Kherson Oblast |
| City Raions | Kherson Raion Dneprovski Raion Suvorovski Raion Komsomolski Raion |
| Founded | 18 June 1778 |
| Control | Occupied by Russia |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Ihor Kolykhaiev[1] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 135.7 km2 (52.4 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 46.6 m (152.9 ft) |
| Population (2021) | |
| • Total |  283,649 |
| Postal code | 73000 |
| Area code(s) | +380 552 |
| Website | miskrada |
Kherson (Ukrainian: Херсо́н, pronounced [xerˈsɔn] (
listen); Russian: [xʲɪrˈson]) is a city in the south of Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Kherson Oblast and an economic center. Kherson is an important port on the Black Sea and on the Dnieper River, and the home of a major ship-building industry. It is the center of Kherson Raion and hosts the administration of Kherson urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.[2] As of 2021[update], it had a population of 283,000 (2021 est.).[3] Kherson was occupied by Russian forces on 3 March 2022.[4]
History[edit]
The city was founded by the decree of Catherine the Great on 18 June 1778 on the high bank of the Dnieper as a central fortress of the Black Sea Fleet. 1783 saw the city granted the rights of a district town and the opening of a local shipyard. In the year the Kherson Shipping Company began operations. In 1803 the city became the capital of the Kherson Governorate. The city was occupied by the Third Reich from 19 August 1941 to 13 March 1944.
Since 2014, Kherson has housed the office of the Ukrainian President's representative in Crimea.[5]
Until 18 July 2020, Kherson was incorporated as a city of oblast significance and the center of Kherson Municipality. The municipality was abolished in July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Kherson Oblast to five. The area of Kherson Municipality was merged into newly established Kherson Raion.[6][7]
The city was a site of heavy fighting in the first days of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine (Kherson offensive).[8] The city was reported to be under Russian control as of 2 March 2022.[9][10] Under the Russian occupation, locals continued to stage street protests against the invading army's presence and in support of the unity of Ukraine.[11] According to the Ukrainian government, the Russian military sought to create a puppet Kherson People's Republic in the style of the Russian-backed separatist polities in the Donbas region and tried to coerce local councilors into endorsing the move, detaining those activists and officials who opposed their design.[12] On 22 March, the Ukrainian government warned Kherson was facing a "humanitarian catastrophe" as the city was running out of food and medical supplies and accused Russia of blocking evacuation of civilians to Ukraine-controlled territory.[13] Russia claimed its military helped deliver aid to the city's population.[14] A local journalist reported the Russians had to bring former prisoners from Crimea to acts as locals welcoming their troops.[15]
Etymology[edit]
It was named after the city-colony of Chersonesos, located in Crimea, as the first city from the Greek project of Grigory Potemkin and Catherine the Great. The ancient name Chersonese is from the Greek word Χερσόνησος chersonesos 'peninsula, shore'.[16][17]
Demographics[edit]
Ethnicity[edit]
As of Ukrainian National Census (2001), the ethnic groups living within Kherson were:
- Ukrainians – 76.6%
- Russians – 20.0%
- Other – 3.4%
Languages[edit]
| Languages | 1897[18] | 2001[19] |
|---|---|---|
| Ukrainian | 19.6% | 53.4% |
| Russian | 47.2% | 45.3% |
| Yiddish | 29.1% | |
| Polish | 1.7% | |
| German | 0.7% |
Population[edit]
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1790 | 24,000 |
| 1926 | 58,000 |
| 1939 | 97,000 |
| 1959 | 158,000 |
| 1981 | 361,000 |
| 2004 | 354,000 |
| 2007 | 329,000 |
| 2020 | 283,338 |
Administrative divisions[edit]
There are three city raions.
- Suvorov Raion, central and oldest district of the city, named after the Russian General Suvorov. Includes department's: Tavrіjs'kij, Pіvnіchnij and Mlini.
- Dnipro Raion, named after the Dnieper river. Includes departments: HBK, Tekstilny, Sklotara, Slobіdka, Voyenka, Skhіdny.
- Korabelny Raion. Includes departments: Shumensky, Korabel, Zabalka, Sukharne, Zhitloselishche, Selishche — 4, Selishche — 5.
Climate[edit]
Under the Köppen climate classification, Kherson has a humid continental climate (Dfa).[20]
| Climate data for Kherson (1991–2020, extremes 1955–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.2 (59.4) |
18.6 (65.5) |
22.7 (72.9) |
32.0 (89.6) |
37.7 (99.9) |
39.5 (103.1) |
40.5 (104.9) |
40.7 (105.3) |
36.4 (97.5) |
32.0 (89.6) |
21.8 (71.2) |
17.2 (63.0) |
40.7 (105.3) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 1.4 (34.5) |
3.1 (37.6) |
8.8 (47.8) |
16.5 (61.7) |
22.9 (73.2) |
27.5 (81.5) |
30.3 (86.5) |
30.1 (86.2) |
23.7 (74.7) |
16.1 (61.0) |
8.4 (47.1) |
3.3 (37.9) |
16.0 (60.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −1.6 (29.1) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
4.1 (39.4) |
10.6 (51.1) |
16.7 (62.1) |
21.2 (70.2) |
23.8 (74.8) |
23.3 (73.9) |
17.5 (63.5) |
10.9 (51.6) |
4.7 (40.5) |
0.4 (32.7) |
10.9 (51.6) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −4.4 (24.1) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
0.0 (32.0) |
5.0 (41.0) |
10.6 (51.1) |
15.3 (59.5) |
17.5 (63.5) |
16.7 (62.1) |
11.8 (53.2) |
6.3 (43.3) |
1.6 (34.9) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
6.2 (43.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −26.3 (−15.3) |
−24.4 (−11.9) |
−20.2 (−4.4) |
−7.9 (17.8) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
5.5 (41.9) |
9.2 (48.6) |
6.6 (43.9) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−7.6 (18.3) |
−16.2 (2.8) |
−22.2 (−8.0) |
−26.3 (−15.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 33 (1.3) |
28 (1.1) |
30 (1.2) |
32 (1.3) |
43 (1.7) |
59 (2.3) |
44 (1.7) |
29 (1.1) |
38 (1.5) |
36 (1.4) |
34 (1.3) |
38 (1.5) |
444 (17.5) |
| Average extreme snow depth cm (inches) | 2 (0.8) |
3 (1.2) |
1 (0.4) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
1 (0.4) |
3 (1.2) |
| Average rainy days | 9 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 114 |
| Average snowy days | 11 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 4 | 8 | 39 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 85.5 | 82.1 | 77.1 | 68.5 | 64.8 | 65.3 | 62.1 | 60.7 | 68.4 | 76.4 | 84.9 | 86.8 | 73.6 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 63.7 | 82.7 | 134.2 | 193.3 | 275.8 | 294.7 | 318.5 | 301.5 | 228.4 | 153.8 | 77.6 | 50.1 | 2,174.3 |
| Source 1: Pogoda.ru.net[21] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: World Meteorological Organization (humidity and sun 1981–2010)[22] | |||||||||||||
Transport[edit]
Rail[edit]
Kherson is connected to the national railroad network of Ukraine. There are daily long-distance services to Kyiv, Lviv and other cities.
Air[edit]
Kherson is served by Kherson International Airport. It operates a 2,500 x 42-meter concrete runway, accommodating Boeing 737, Airbus 319/320 aircraft, and helicopters of all series.
The official airport website is https://khe.aero and additional info can be found at http://www.aisukraine.net.
Education[edit]
There are 77 high schools as well as 5 colleges. There are 15 institutions of higher education, including:
- Kherson State Maritime Academy
- Kherson State University of Agriculture
- Kherson State University
- Kherson National Technical University
- International University of Business and Law
The documentary Dixie Land was filmed at a music school in Kherson.[23]
Main sights[edit]
- The Church of St. Catherine – was built in the 1780s, supposedly to Ivan Starov's designs, and contains the tomb of Prince Potemkin.
- Jewish cemetery – Kherson has a large Jewish community which was established in the mid-nineteenth century.[24]
- Kherson TV Tower
- Adziogol Lighthouse, a hyperboloid structure designed by Vladimir Shukhov in 1911
- The Kherson Art Museum[25] has a collection of icons, and Ukrainian and Russian paintings and sculptures. Particularly noteworthy are "Portrait of a Woman" (1883) by Konstantin Makovsky ; "The Tempest is Coming by Ivan Aivazovsky ; Sunset by Alexei Savrasov ; Cattle Yard in Abramtsevo by Vasily Polenov ; At the Stone by Ivan Kramskoi ; The Charioteer, by Peter Clodt von Jürgensburg (sculptor) ; Prince Svyatoslav by Eugene Lanceray (sculptor) ; Mephistopheles by Mark Antokolsky (sculptor) ; Near the Monastery by German painter August von Bayer (1859) ; Oaks (1956) ; Moloditsya (1938) and Still Life with the Blue Broom (1930), by Oleksii Shovkunenko (born in Kherson).
People[edit]
- Georgy Arbatov (1923–2010), political scientist.[26]
- Maximilian Bern, writer and editor
- Sergei Bondarchuk, Soviet, Ukrainian-born film director, screenwriter, and actor.
- Lev Davidovitch Bronstein, better known as Leon Trotsky, Bolshevik revolutionary and Marxist theorist was born in the village of Bereslavka, Kherson Governorate in 1879.
- Ivan Abramovich Gannibal (1735–1801), founder of the city
- Yefim Golïshev (1897–1970), painter and composer associated with the Dada movement in Berlin.
- Nikolai Grinko, Ukrainian Soviet-era film actor
- Kateryna Handziuk, Ukrainian civil rights and anti-corruption activist (1985–2018)
- John Howard, English prison reformer (died in Kherson of typhus in 1790)
- Mircea Ionescu-Quintus, Romanian politician, writer, and jurist
- Pavlo Ishchenko (born 1992), Ukrainian-Israeli boxer
- Oleksandr Karavayev, Ukrainian football player
- Evgeny Kucherevsky, Ukrainian football coach of Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (died 2006)
- Larisa Latynina, Soviet gymnast who was the first female athlete to win nine Olympic gold medals
- Tatiana Lysenko, Soviet and Ukrainian gymnast who won the gold medal on the balance beam at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
- Samuel Moiseyevich Maykapar (1867-1938), pianist
- Nicholas Perry (1992–), a social media personality known online as Nikocado Avocado
- Sergei Polunin, Ukrainian ballet dancer[27]
- Prince Grigory Potemkin (1739–1791), founder of the city
- Salomon Rosenblum, later known as Lieutenant Sidney Reilly, a secret agent and international adventurer and playboy who was at one time employed by the British Secret Intelligence Service. He is reputed to be an inspiration for Ian Fleming's spy character, James Bond.
- Moshe Sharett, the 2nd Prime Minister of Israel (1953–1955)
- Sergei Stanishev, 49th Prime Minister of Bulgaria (C)
- Prince Alexander Suvorov (1730–1800), founder of the city
- David Tyshler (1927–2014), Ukrainian/Soviet Olympic bronze medalist fencer
- Mikhail Yemtsev, science fiction writer
Twin cities[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ (in Ukrainian) The mayor of Kherson became the people's deputy majoritarian Archived 22 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Ukrayinska Pravda (16 November 2020)
- ^ "Херсонская громада" (in Russian). Портал об'єднаних громад України. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Чисельність наявного населення України (Actual population of Ukraine)" (PDF) (in Ukrainian). State Statistics Service of Ukraine. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ^ "Kherson regional administration captured by Russia". 3 March 2022.
- ^ Official website Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Presidential representative of Ukraine in Crimea.
- ^ "Про утворення та ліквідацію районів. Постанова Верховної Ради України № 807-ІХ". Голос України (in Ukrainian). 18 July 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
- ^ "Нові райони: карти + склад" (in Ukrainian). Міністерство розвитку громад та територій України. 17 July 2020. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ Reuters (26 February 2022). "Fighting under way near Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odessa - Ukrainian official". Reuters. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
- ^ Oliphant, Roland (2 March 2022). "Vladimir Putin set to 'cut Ukraine in two' as key city of Kherson falls to Russians". The Telegraph. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
- ^ "Kherson falls — Kyiv under fire — Mariupol tragedy". 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
- ^ "Crowds take to the streets of Kherson". BBC News. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ^ "Missing reporter among several journalists, activists and officials said to be detained by Russian forces". CNN. 19 March 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine says 300,000 people are running out of food in occupied Kherson". Reuters. 22 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ "Ukraine: UN chief calls on Russia to end 'unwinnable' war — as it happened | DW | 22.03.2022". Deutsche Welle. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ "Kherson Diary: A first-hand account documenting three weeks of life in a Russian-occupied Ukrainian city. Posted by The Guardian". The Milwaukee Independent. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
- ^ Янко М.Т. (1998). Топонімічний словник України: словник-довідник.
- ^ Лучик В.В. (2014). Етимологічний словник топонімів України.
- ^ Национальный состав населения городов (по языку) Archived 13 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine Всероссийская перепись населения 1897
- ^ Ukrainian census in Kherson Oblast[permanent dead link]. State Statistics Service.
- ^ Peel, M. C. and Finlayson, B. L. and McMahon, T. A. (2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen–Geiger climate classification" (PDF). Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. 11 (5): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007. ISSN 1027-5606. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 February 2012.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Pogoda.ru.net" (in Russian). May 2011. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981–2010". World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ^ Bondarchuk, Roman. "Dixie Land". Cineuropa. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "KHERSON". JewishEncyclopedia.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
- ^ https://artmuseum.ks.ua/
- ^ Levy, Clifford J. "Georgi A. Arbatov, a Bridge Between Cold War Superpowers, Is Dead at 87" Archived 6 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, 2 October 2010. Accessed 4 October 2010.
- ^ "Self-destructive dance superstar Sergei Polunin: 'Ukraine put me on a list of terrorists'". TheGuardian.com. 7 March 2019. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
External links[edit]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kherson. |
 |
Look up kherson in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
- Pictures of Kherson Archived 29 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine
- Kherson city administration website (in Ukrainian)
- Kherson patriots (in Ukrainian)
- Kherson info&shopping (in Russian)
- Kherson Photos (in Russian)
- The murder of the Jews of Kherson during World War II, at Yad Vashem website.
| Oblasts | |
|---|---|
| Cities with special status | |
| Autonomous republic | |
| Administrative centers | |
1Claimed and controlled by Russia as the Republic of Crimea and the Federal City of Sevastopol 2Regions are partly controlled by Pro-Russian separatists states of Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic | |
| General | |
|---|---|
| National libraries | |
| Other | |
- Kherson
- Cities in Kherson Oblast
- Port cities and towns in Ukraine
- Port cities of the Black Sea
- Cities of regional significance in Ukraine
- Populated places on the Dnieper in Ukraine
- Oblast centers in Ukraine
- Populated places established in 1778
- 1778 establishments in the Russian Empire
- Populated places established in the Russian Empire
- Khersonsky Uyezd
- Holocaust locations in Ukraine
- Territorial disputes of Ukraine