Derhachi


Derhachi is a town in Kharkiv Oblast of eastern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Derhachi Raion, and is located northwest of the oblast capital, Kharkiv. The settlement was founded in the second half of the 17th century as a sloboda. Population:

The name

There are at least two versions of the origin of the town name. The first one is connected with derkach — the Ukrainian name of a corncrake that inhabits the banks of the local Lopan river. Another version appeals to the name of the legendary cossack Derkach who is considered to be the founder of the town. Since 1943, the Soviet local authorities have rejected the Ukrainian variant of the name Derkachi and began to use only the Russian one — Derhachi. Later the russian pronunciation was installed in Ukrainian official settlements classification.

Geography

Location

The town lies in a valley on the Lopan river north west to the second largest Ukrainian city Kharkiv. The most part of the town is plain and located on the left bank of Lopan. The western edge of the settlement is hilly and full of ravines. The riverbed of Lopan has many artificial channels and small tributaries in this place. The regional road T2103 goes through the town from north west to south east and connects it with Kharkiv and Zolochiv. There is a significant uninhabited forested area south west to the town.

Climate

Derhachi has humid continental climate, Dfb by Köppen climate classification with warm summer but there is no dry season. The average annual temperature is 7.3 °C. The rainfall here is around 535 mm per year.

History

Scythian ages

It is scientifically proved that territory of nowadays Derhachi was populated in Scythian times and later. A unique Scythian ritual pommel decorated with a sphinx was found at the town. This artifact was a part of Scythian World Tree and now it is exhibited in Kharkiv Historical Museum. In 2018 and 2019, the archaeological expedition of the Kharkiv Historical Museum carried out excavations of the Scythian kurgan in western part of the town. The scientists explored the mounds and received a collection of items with information on the funeral rite of scythian times.

Cossacks era

In the 17th century Derkachi was a sotnia town of the Kharkiv Sloboda Cossak Regiment. Up to the 1742 there was one cossacks sotnia administration, in 1742—1765 — two sotnia administrations. Traditionally a sotnyk in Derkachi was a member of well known in Sloboda Ukraine Kowalewski family. The town had its own symbols. The sotnia standard had an image of the archangel Michael. The town seal contained an image of a derkach bird with an octagram above it. According to the 1779 documents Derkachi was a military sloboda of the Kharkiv povit with a population of 2287 citizens.

Russian empire

It was a settlement in Kharkov Governorate of the Russian Empire.

Soviet times

Holodomor

At least 274 of town residents have died because of Holodomor, man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine in 1932 and 1933. The officials of Derkachi town council were involved in expropriation of local citizens property in 1932.

Second World War

During German-Soviet War the town was occupied by the Wehrmacht for 630 days, from October 21, 1941 till August 13, 1943 excluding short brake from February 13, 1943 till March 10, 1943. In those days nazi have established Derkachi town council, a local government body with at least 21 local residents hired as a stuff. One of the main activities of the council was to provide labor at the request of the occupation authorities.
City since 1977.
In January 1989 the population was 22 915 people.

Independent Ukraine (since 1991)

In January 2013 the population was 18 154 people.

Transportation

Trains

The town has 3 railway stops operated by Ukrainian Railways: Derhachi, Motorna and Novi Derhachi. The largest stop Derhachi has a station building. All stops are used only by commuter trains running on the line Kharkiv - Kozacha Lopan. Before russian military intervention there was a direct commuter train connection with towns in Belhorod oblast of Russia.

Buses

Derhachi has a bus connection with the city of Kharkiv. The buses on this route go via the central street Sumsky Shliakh, then follow through the town of Mala Danylivka to the center of Kharkiv.
The town also has an internal bus route, which mainly runs along the central streets. The town also has direct connection with neighboring raion center Zolochiv.

Metro

In the 1980s, when planning the Oleksiivska line of the Kharkiv Metro, the construction of the metro station 'Dergachi' was planned, but the station has not been built yet.

Economy

The majority of enterprises are concentrated in the industrial zone in the south of the town near the Motorna railway stop.
The largest enterprises that have production in the town are:
The town is a manufacturing base of the BRIG company which is one of the world's leading manufacturers of rigid-hulled inflatable boats.

Notable people

Born in the town

In Soviet times the town had a newspaper established in 1939 by the local Communist Party committee.
The newspaper changed its name continuously :
Derhachi is twinned with: