Nova Kakhovka
Нова Каховка
Flag of Nova Kakhovka
Flag
Coat of arms of Nova Kakhovka
Coat of arms
Nova Kakhovka is located in Kherson Oblast
Nova Kakhovka
Nova Kakhovka
Location of Nova Kakhovka
Nova Kakhovka is located in Ukraine
Nova Kakhovka
Nova Kakhovka
Nova Kakhovka (Ukraine)
Coordinates: 46°45′18″N 33°22′30″E / 46.75500°N 33.37500°E / 46.75500; 33.37500
Country
Oblast
Raion		 Ukraine
 Kherson Oblast
Kakhovka Raion
Founded28 February 1952
Government
 • Mayor (de facto)Vladimir Leontyev[1]
Area
 • Total222.7 km2 (86.0 sq mi)
Elevation
21 m (69 ft)
Population
 (2022)
 • TotalDecrease 44,427
Postal code
74900
Area code+380 5549
ClimateDfa
Websitenovakahovka.com.ua

Nova Kakhovka (Ukrainian: Нова́ Кахо́вка, IPA: [noˈwɑ kɐˈxɔu̯kɐ]; Russian: Новая Каховка, romanized: Novaya Kakhovka) is a city in Kakhovka Raion, Kherson Oblast, southern Ukraine. Nova Kakhovka has been under Russian occupation since February 2022. Its estimated population in 2022 was 44,427.[2]

Nova Kakhovka is an important port city on the east bank of the Dnieper River, where it meets the downstream end of the Kakhovka Reservoir. It forms one abutment of the Kakhovskyi Bridge over the hydroelectric Kakhovka Dam;[3] the other is located in Beryslav.[4] The city lies immediately downstream of the source of the North Crimean Canal that irrigates the Crimean Peninsula and can be said to control the seat of the channel.[5]

On 6 June 2023, the dam was deliberately destroyed, causing catastrophic drainage of the reservoir. At the time, the dam was under the control of the Russian military, which had seized it in the early days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[6]

History

A village named Klisheve was founded at the site of modern Nova Kakhovka in 1891. Nova Kakhovka proper was founded in 1951 in connection with the building of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant (KHPP), on the site of the former Klisheve.[7]

The KHPP dam was one of the Soviet Union's Great Construction Projects of Communism. The new city was built to house the plant's construction workers. It was given the name Nova Kakhovka, or New Kakhovka, by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet to distinguish it from the city Kakhovka located 15 km (9.3 mi) away.

Schools 1 and 2 opened in the fall of 1950,[8] and on October 10, the Dniprobud administration created a housing department tasked with building a new town of hydroelectric engineers.[9] By April 20, 1951, the foundation of the first residential building, at Karl Marx, 31, had been laid, followed by the building's opening on 30 May.[9]

In nine months, 154 km of railways were built, and on February 10, 1952, a train from Fedorivka arrived in Nova Kakhovka. At noon, a freight train originating in Chelyabinsk, Moscow, Bryansk approached the triumphal arch, where it was met by thousands of construction workers before delivering its load directly to a construction site. The railway became an important transportation artery, accelerating the construction of the hydroelectric plant, city, suburban farms, and the entire middle portion of the Kherson region.[8] After the completion of the power plant, most of the workers stayed in Nova Kakhovka.

Originally destined to remain a small 20,000-person city of hydroelectric engineers, Nova Kakhovka possessed broad development prospects beyond a highly skilled and experienced population due to its central location in Kherson region and access to cheap electricity, railways, highways and waterways, which opened the way to large-tonnage ships from the mouth of the Dnieper to the Pripyat.[8]

Until 18 July 2020, Nova Kakhovka was incorporated as a city of oblast significance and the center of Nova Kakhovka Municipality. The municipality as an administrative unit was abolished in July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Kherson Oblast to five, and it was merged into Kakhovka Raion.[10][11]

Russian invasion of Ukraine

The Russian occupation of Nova Kakhovka in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, with explosions and shelling from the direction of occupied Crimea. Russian troops quickly took control of the city and its key infrastructure, including the hydroelectric power plant and canal. A family attempting to flee the city was shot by Russian troops on the dam of the power plant.[12]

Over the next few months, the city was occupied by Russian forces, and the population was subjected to pro-Russian rallies and the reopening of a Lenin monument. Ukrainian troops responded with acts of resistance, destroying Russian military units and ammunition warehouses,[13] though they were unable to put an end to the Russian presence in Nova Kakhovka.

On January 9, 2023, Russian occupation forces ordered the closing of several area hospitals, and on January 20, the city hospital was shelled. This was followed by more mortar attacks, leading to a partial loss of electricity and damage to residential buildings.[14]

On 6 June, the Kakhovka Dam was breached, causing extensive flooding and prompting mass evacuations.[15]

Geography

Landsat image of Nova Kakhovka.
Panorama of the Kakhovka Reservoir and the city's hydroelectric plant

The city is sometimes referred to as an oasis because it was built on an area where sand was plentiful. During the city's construction, sod was brought in to build its parks directly on the sandy ground. Architectural plans were developed to build streets and squares in harmony with the reservoir shoreline.

Climate

Climate data for Nova Kakhovka (1981–2010)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 1.6
(34.9)		 2.3
(36.1)		 7.5
(45.5)		 15.5
(59.9)		 22.2
(72.0)		 26.3
(79.3)		 28.9
(84.0)		 28.4
(83.1)		 22.7
(72.9)		 15.8
(60.4)		 7.9
(46.2)		 2.9
(37.2)		 15.2
(59.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) −1.4
(29.5)		 −1.2
(29.8)		 3.1
(37.6)		 10.2
(50.4)		 16.4
(61.5)		 20.6
(69.1)		 23.2
(73.8)		 22.8
(73.0)		 17.3
(63.1)		 11.0
(51.8)		 4.6
(40.3)		 0.1
(32.2)		 10.6
(51.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −4.0
(24.8)		 −4.1
(24.6)		 −0.1
(31.8)		 5.7
(42.3)		 11.2
(52.2)		 15.5
(59.9)		 17.8
(64.0)		 17.4
(63.3)		 12.6
(54.7)		 7.2
(45.0)		 1.8
(35.2)		 −2.4
(27.7)		 6.6
(43.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 30.2
(1.19)		 32.6
(1.28)		 30.8
(1.21)		 37.3
(1.47)		 40.2
(1.58)		 48.1
(1.89)		 46.8
(1.84)		 32.3
(1.27)		 39.9
(1.57)		 30.6
(1.20)		 37.9
(1.49)		 38.0
(1.50)		 444.7
(17.51)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 6.4 5.8 6.9 5.6 6.0 6.2 5.0 3.9 4.8 4.6 5.9 6.4 67.5
Average relative humidity (%) 84.6 82.2 77.4 68.4 64.5 65.4 61.7 60.2 67.5 74.7 83.5 85.9 73.0
Source: World Meteorological Organization[16]

Modern Nova Kakhovka

Economy and transport

The main economic activities in Nova Kakhovka are engineering (electrotechnology) and power production. Near the city, the large North Crimean Canal begins, supplying southwest Kherson Oblast and the entire northern part of the Crimea with water from the Dnieper River.

A pathway in Stepan Faldzinsky Park

The city is located between Kherson in the west and Melitopol to the east, near European route E58, which runs from Odesa to Rostov-on-Don. The city has a non-electrified, one-track railway, an airport, a water route to the Black Sea, and a port located on the southwest part of the Khakovka Reservoir.

City attractions

Stepan Faldzinsky Park, a designated protected natural area, is named after the native Polish agrarian from Podolie who created the green oasis at the Oleshky Sands. The city is also known for its "stone emroidery" - exterior moulding with traditional Ukrainian patterns done in 1953-1955 by a group of Boychukist artists.

Culture

SHABO restaurant complex
The elephant at the playground – an unofficial symbol of the city

The main cultural center of Nova Kakhovka is the Palace of Culture, which hosts regular performances of creative groups and folk ensembles, both local and from neighboring areas.

Nova Kakhovka has a museum of local history with a permanent exhibition on the history of the city, a wine museum, the house-museum of Anatoly Bakhuta, an art gallery named after Albin Gavdzinsky, libraries, a summer theater, and the "Youth" cinema, part of the Cinema Palace.

The city has three parks, squares, beaches, promenade, numerous cafés, nightclubs, a zoo and amusement park.

Sports

Main gate of the Energia Stadium

Nova Kakhovka has three sports schools for children and youth, 21 gyms, 110 sports grounds, a water sports base, and 13 tennis courts.

The Novokakhovska Tennis School is one of the best in Ukraine and well-known graduates include not only male (Andriy Shashkov, Maksym Dubov, Serhiy Yaroshenko, Serhiy Vergun, Oleksandr Maksymov and Dmytro Biletsky) and female players (Motobol Natalia Biletska, Yuliana Fedak and Halyna Furgailo) but also coaches (Serhiy Zhytsky, an Honored Coach of Ukraine, Serhiy Korovaiko, Andriy Dubov, Tetyana Furgailo, Olga Kushnirenko and Anatoliy Biletsky).

The Energia City Stadium hosts popular sports such as motoball and soccer. Motorcyclists won silver medals in the 2001 Ukrainian championship, and the FC Enerhiya Nova Kakhovka football team has won the regional cup 21 times and the regional championship 25 times.

Nova Kakhovka's Dynamo archery complex can simultaneously hold 70 archers on the shooting range, and the city has won the archery championships of Ukraine and the Cup of Ukraine. The city's archery team took eighth place at the 2002 championship of Ukraine. Among the city's more famous archers are Tamara Literova, Vadim Reznikov, Lyudmila Arzhannikova and Anastasia Pavlova.

Nova Kakhovka has also developed children's and youth basketball programs with the assistance of coaches like Dzyubenko N. Z., whose students have represented the city at regional competitions. The city's basketball players are part of professional teams in Kyiv, Dnipro, Cherkasy, Odesa, and Poltava.

Media

Five weekly newspapers are published in Nova Kakhovka: the Nova Kakhovka (founded by the city council) and the private Novyny Dilovi, Klyuchi, Dniprovsikyi Prospect and Tavriiski chas publications.

Нова Каховка.City is an online city publication created in October 2017 by the Center for the Development of Deaf Children and the Abo local media development agency.[17]

Radio broadcasting services in the city are provided by the Novokakhovka City Radio Organization.

Notable people

Twin towns

References

  1. ↑ Stepanenko, Vasilisa; Blann, Susie (6 June 2023). "Collapse of major dam in southern Ukraine triggers emergency as Moscow and Kyiv trade blame". Associated Press. Retrieved 6 June 2023. The Russian-installed mayor of Nova Kakhovka, Vladimir Leontyev, said it was being evacuated as water poured in.
  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. ↑ "Ukraine strikes crucial bridge in Nova Kakhovka". Meduza. BBC Russian Service. 10 August 2022.
  4. ↑ "Ukrainian troops hit Kakhovka Bridge, enemy air defense systems". Ukrinform. 25 August 2022.
  5. ↑ "Russia captures key water supply route to annexed Crimea". Al Arabiya Network. AFP. 25 February 2022.
  6. ↑ Sabbagh, Dan (6 June 2023). "Thousands flee homes as collapse of dam is blamed on Russian forces". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "Nova Kakhovka". www.encyclopediaofukraine.com. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "History of the creation of our city, part 2" (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  9. 1 2 "History of the creation of our city, part 1" (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on 1 March 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  10. ↑ "Про утворення та ліквідацію районів. Постанова Верховної Ради України № 807-ІХ" [Regarding the formation and liquidation of districts. Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine No. 807-IX.]. Голос України (in Ukrainian). 18 July 2020. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
  11. ↑ "Нові райони: карти + склад" [New areas: maps + warehouse] (in Ukrainian). Міністерство розвитку громад та територій України. 17 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "Images show Russian forces near Ukrainian hydroelectric power plant -Maxar". Reuters. 26 February 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  13. ↑ "Russian forces disperse rally in Kherson and Russian \"rally\" fails in Nova Kakhovka". www.pravda.com.ua. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "Russians want to move all healthcare workers out of the Kakhovka district - Центр національного спротиву". sprotyv.mod.gov.ua. 1 February 2023. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "A visual guide to the collapse of Ukraine's Nova Kakhovka dam". The Guardian. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  16. ↑ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1981–2010". World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  17. ↑ "Novakahovka.City – про що наш сайт і хто ми" [Novakahovka.City - what our site is about and who we are]. Нова Каховка.City (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  18. ↑ "Новокаховчанка Анастасія Павлова виборола "золото" на Чемпіонаті України зі стрільби з лука" [Anastasiya Pavlova from Novokakhov won "gold" at the Archery Championship of Ukraine]. nk-online.com.ua. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
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