Popasna

Popasna (Ukrainian: Попасна), also Popasnaya (Russian: Попасная), is a city in the Sievierodonetsk Raion of the Luhansk Oblast (region) in eastern Ukraine currently contested between Ukraine under de facto control of Luhansk People's Republic as a result of fighting in Battle of Donbas (2022). Prior to 2020, it was the administrative center of the former Popasna Raion.

Popasna
Попасна
City
Popasna railway station
Flag
Coat of arms
Popasna
Popasna
Coordinates: 48°38′00″N 38°22′48″E
Country Ukraine (de jure) &
 Luhansk People's Republic (de facto)
Oblast Luhansk Oblast
RaionSievierodonetsk Raion
Population
 (2021)
 19,672 (2,021 est.)[1]
ClimateDfb

History

During World War II, in 1941–1943, the German occupiers operated a Nazi prison in the town.[2]

A local newspaper is published in the city since March 1979.[3]

On June 19, 2014, Ukrainian forces reportedly secured the village from pro-Russian separatists.[4] On July 8, 2014, the pro-Russian separatists retook control of the city.[5][6] On 22 July 2014 the pro-Ukrainian Donbas Battalion retook the city from the pro-Russian separatists.[7][8] According to an eye witness the pro-Russian separatists had abandoned the town that day.[7] Since then the city comes under periodic attack from the separatists.[9][10] Land mines have been laid near Popasna.[11] In March 2015 the city only had two stores with some basic products and one pharmacy and residents received food distribution through a volunteer organization.[9] Meanwhile, residents complained about having to pay for public utilities, but being cut off from social benefits supplied by the Ukrainian government.[9] In 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Popasna was again attacked by Russia.[12] During the Battle of Donbas (2022), the city has been at the frontlines of fighting between Russia and Ukraine. As of April 23, the city remains contested.[13][14]

References
  1. Чисельність наявного населення України на 1 січня 2021 / Number of Present Population of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2021 (PDF) (in Ukrainian and English). Kyiv: State Statistics Service of Ukraine.
  2. "Gefängnis Popasna". Bundesarchiv.de (in German). Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  3. № 2923. Знамя Октября // Летопись периодических и продолжающихся изданий СССР 1986 - 1990. Часть 2. Газеты. М., «Книжная палата», 1994. стр.382
  4. (19 June 2014). Ukraine rebels speak of heavy losses in battle against government troops, Reuters
    (in Ukrainian) In the National Security Council said that the border is still a hole, Ukrayinska Pravda (20 June 2014)
  5. Ukraine Moves to Destroy Rebel Bases in East, Ruling Out Cease-Fire, Bloomberg News (8 July 2014)
  6. (in Ukrainian) Luhansk terrorists arranged himself a new headquarters in Popasna, Ukrayinska Pravda (9 July 2014)
  7. We Can Win After All, The Ukrainian Week (6 August 2015)
  8. (in Ukrainian) Popasna released, there hung Ukrainian flags, Ukrayinska Pravda (22 July 2014)
  9. People in Luhansk Oblast's Popasna suffer humanitarian crisis, Kyiv Post (2 March 2015)
  10. Luhansk authorities say militants shell Popasna, injure Ukrainian soldier, Kyiv Post (19 June 2015)
    Ukrainian soldiers in Luhansk Oblast's Popasna brace for Independence Day attack, Kyiv Post (23 August 2015)
    Militants fire mortar shells on Popasna town, Ukrinform (10 November 2015)
    (in Ukrainian) Police recorded the effects of shelling residential neighborhoods Popasna - video, Hromadske Radio (27 October 2016)
    Escalation in Donbas: 30 attacks on Ukraine troops, 3 WIA's in last day, UNIAN (3 December 2017
    (in Ukrainian) The mercenaries fired a rocket, which caused a fire near Popasna, Ukrayinska Pravda (5 May 2021)
  11. At least 2,353 soldiers killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine, Kyiv Post (24 September 2015)
  12. "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, APRIL 21". The Institute for the Study of War. 2022-04-21.
  13. "RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, MARCH 24". ISW. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  14. Kagan, Frederick W.; Stepanenko, Kateryna; Hird, Karolina (23 April 2022). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 23". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
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