Hrodivka


Hrodivka or Grodivka is a rural settlement in Pokrovsk Raion, Donetsk Oblast, in eastern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Hrodivka settlement hromada. Hrodivka is located northeast of Novohrodivka and east-southeast of Pokrovsk, the administrative center of the district. The population is

History

Early history

The rural settlement was founded in 1750 by Zaporozhian Cossacks in the Yekaterinoslav Governorate, and according to DeepStateMap.Live, is the oldest Cossack settlement of Pokrovsk Raion.
By 1770s, the first settlers were runaway serfs.Local historian Feodosiy Makarevsky describes the origins of Grodovka: "In the vast, luxurious, and rich steppes between Torets and Solonenka, Zaporozhian Cossacks often lived and 'warmed their bellies.'" In 1750, Kholodnaya Ravine, in today's Grodovka Parish, was already listed among the Zaporozhian Cossack settlements. After the destruction of the last Zaporozhian Sich in 1775, the Zaporozhian Cossacks living in Kholodnaya Ravine, in accordance with the wishes and desires of the Azov Governor, Chertkov, began to attract families from all directions to live there. In 1788, the permanent residents of the state-owned settlement of Grodovka, villagers of both sexes, were more than eight hundred people of the Little Russian nation."

20th century

At the start of the 20th century, it had a population of about 5,700 people and was part of Bakhmutsky Uyezd, Yekaterinoslav Governorate within the Russian Empire. On October 27, 1938, Grodovka received the status of an urban-type settlement.
The town was occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II from November 1941 until 8 September 1943. The Germans operated a subcamp of the Stalag 378 German prisoner-of-war camps in [World War II|prisoner-of-war camp] in Hrodivka. Prior to the liberation of the settlement, 1,012 of the area's inhabitants fought to recapture Hrodivka, of whom 204 died. During the winter of 1943–1944, it was the site of minor tank engagements between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.

21st century

Russian invasion of Ukraine

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia has increasingly threatened Hrodivka as their forces advance towards the city of Pokrovsk, the main attack direction in the Donbas theatre of the war. The settlement is under constant shelling, causing the death of a civilian and damage to infrastructure, and these attacks have increased as Russia draws closer to the settlement.
In early August 2024, the Donetsk Oblast Military Administration ordered an evacuation of families and children in Hrodivka as well as other settlements in the region in the threat of impeding Russian advances. Immediately prior to the evacuation order, an estimated 70 people were still remaining in the town.
On 9 August, Russian forces advanced up to the town's outskirts.
On 13 August, Russian forces entered the town, and following then continued to advance through the south-eastern portion of it.
By 17 September, Russian forces captured most of the town, with the exception of the northwestern outskirts. Russia claimed full control over the town on 7 October. The town's capture was confirmed on 21 October.

Demographics

The population at the Ukrainian census">Ukrainian language">Ukrainian census was 3,163. The native language of the population:
In 2021, it formed an agglomeration with a population of 10,850 people, where 2,628 people lived in Hrodivka itself.