|
Oleshky was once called Oleshia. Herodotus wrote about the Scythian forests at the mouth of the Dnipro River, which the Slavs called oleshye, meaning “woods.” The Zaporozhian Kozaks moved their capital to this site from 1711-1728. A settlement was established there in 1784 and formally incorporated in 1802, making it one of the oldest towns in southern Ukraine. Oleshky is associated with the steppe-desert called Oleshky Pisky located about 12 kilometers east. Until June 6, 2023, its population was 24,520, the size of Nadvirna. On June 8, in the morning, more than 90 drowned residents were discovered. On June 9, as the water receded, volunteers began to find many more drowned residents in the buildings that had been flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Oleshky Pisky, a 628 square-mile steppe desert located 115 feet above an underground lake, has been flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Hola Prystan, meaning “unadorned pier,” was founded by the Zaporozhian Kozaks in 1709 as Holiy Pereviz or “unadorned crossing,” and renamed in 1785. 13,971 people lived in Hola Prystan prior to June 6, 2023, when it was 80% flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Kokhany, meaning “lovebirds,” had a population of 378, with its main industry private hothouses prior to June 6, 2023, when it was completely flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Kardashynka, has as its root the Turkic word “kardash,” meaning “brother.” It had a population of just 1,330 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was completely flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Velyka Kardashynka, meaning “Greater Kardashynka,” was founded in 1785. It had a population of 1,443 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was 80% flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Mala Kardashynka meaning “Lesser Kardashynka” had a population of 1,049 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded 80% by russia’s retreating army.
Korsunka, from “korsun,” a reference to the ancient Greek settlement of Khersonessos, once was home to the Korsunskiy Monastery. It had part of a well-preserved ancient fortification with a population of 1,478 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Kozachi Lagery, meaning Kozak Camps, was founded in 1758 and was a center for fruit growing and processing. It had a population of 3,722 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Krynky means “milk jugs,” and is home to a house-museum dedicated to renowned Ukrainian comic writer Ostap Vyshnia, one of the region’s tourist magnets. The museum is under water, as is the Shovkunenko Art Museum of Kherson. At risk is also the Zeleni Khutory Tavrii or Green Farmsteads of Tavria complex, founded in 2008 on the site of ancient farms as an outdoor museum of rural life of the XV-XX centuries and boasting salt pink lakes. It had a population 991 of prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Nechayeve, a tiny hamlet near Oleshky, had already suffered forced deportation by russian forces in January because they wanted to quarter their soldiers there, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Pidstepne, meaning “the edge of the steppe,” had an 85 year-old Evangelical Baptist church, one of the oldest in the oblast, and 592 residents prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Poima, meaning “floodplain,” had a population of 117 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Pishchanivka, meaning “sandy little place,” was established by settlers from right-bank Ukraine, Kaluga and Penza provinces in Russia, and Moldova in the mid 19th century. It had a population of 582 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Sahy, a name that may come from “saga,” had a population of 770 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Livi Solontsi, meaning “left salt pans,” was founded as Solontsi in 1843 but divided by a highway into two parts. With a population, together with Pravi Solontsi, of 1,051, it reported more than 100 residents in distress when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Rybalche, meaning “of fishing,” is home to the Adzhyhholskiy Lighthouse, built in 1911 and the tallest in Ukraine. It had a population of 967 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Vynohradove, meaning “of the vineyard,” was founded in 1794 under the name Chelbasy but its settlers were prohibited by the Russian tsar from digging wells, while the Dnipro was 50 km away. During the Holodomor, 195 people starved to death. It had a population of 4,636 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Vynrozsadnyk, meaning “wine grower,” is a district of the town of Oleshky established as a wine-growing business that was operating prior to June 6, 2023, when the village was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Zabaryne, “a lingering place,” was founded in 1917 and had a population of only 104 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Stara Zburyivka, possibly “troublemaker” but actually named for Kozak Samiel Zborovskiy as Zburiv Kut or “Zborovskiy’s Corner” during skirmishes with the Turks, was founded in 1774 by Kozak Colonel Opanas Kovpak and originally called Kovpakivka. It became mainly a farming area. By 1810, serfs were fleeing to this territory from Poltava Gubernia. It had a population of 2,711 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
Nova Zburyivka is also situated on the Zburiv Kut and, like Stara Zburyivka, was home to sailors, river drivers and fishermen and became a major trading post. It had a population of 7,489 prior to June 6, 2023, when it was flooded by russia’s retreating army.
June 10, 2023
|
