- Source: Dokuchaievsk
Dokuchaievsk (Ukrainian: Докучаєвськ, pronounced [dokʊˈt͡ʃɑjeu̯sʲk]) or Dokuchayevsk (Russian: Докучаевск) is a city in Kalmiuske Raion, Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine. It is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from Olenivka railway station and 40 kilometres (25 mi) south of Donetsk. It serves as the administrative center of Dokuchaievsk urban hromada. The city is on the river Sukha Volnovakha. Its population is approximately 22,835 (2022 estimate).
Previously it was administratively subordinated to the Volnovakha Raion Council. Named in honor of Vasyl Dokuchaev, a natural scientist, founder of scientific genetic soil science and zonal agronomy.
History
It was founded in 1912. It was originally founded as an urban-type settlement called Olenivski Kariery (Ukrainian: Оленівські Кар'єри). It has been a town since 1954. It was founded in connection with the development of flux limestone and dolomite mining for Petrovsky and Yenakiieve Steel.
In 1939 the town was home to 9.2 thousand people, in 1959 – 16.8 thousand people, in 2011 – 23.726 thousand people.
Starting in mid-April 2014 Russian-backed separatists captured Dokuchaievsk and several other towns in Donetsk Oblast. Since then the city has been under the control by the Donetsk People's Republic. On 13 January 2015, militants of the DPR's "Oplot" brigade from Dokuchaievsk shelled a checkpoint near Volnovakha, killing 11 civilians in a bus and injuring 17 others.
Demographics
As of the Ukrainian Census of 2001 the population of the city amounted to 24,142 people, of whom 27.32% indicated Ukrainian as their native language, 72.13% – Russian, 0.14% – Armenian and Greek, 0.04% – Belarusian, 0.03% – Moldovan, as well as Bulgarian and Gagauz languages:
Ethnicity
Language
Russian: 72.1%
Ukrainian: 27.3%
Industries
Europe's largest flux and dolomite plant (including 5 quarries, 3 crushing and processing plants), construction materials production (reinforced concrete products plant), and motor transportation companies. Former Kalinin collective farm, Dokuchaievskyi state farm.
Cultural and social sphere
There are six schools, a palace of culture, a zoo, a stadium, eight libraries, and a hospital.