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Velyka Bilozerka Territorial Community
Zaporizhzhia
Population:
The Velyka Bilozerka Territorial Community is located in the Vasylivka District, Zaporizhzhia Region.
The total area of the territory: 469.28 km²
Population: 7,400 people
Men: 3,300
Women: 4,100
Children: 980
People of retirement age: 2,400
The community includes 5 villages, with the administrative center in the village of Velyka Bilozerka.
History
The territory on which the modern community is located has been inhabited since ancient times as evidenced by archaeological findings. Mounds stretch above the Bilozerka Balka, some of which were excavated. Bronze Age Scythian burials with gold decorations were discovered there. Horse burials were also found in a separate chamber in the Chmyreva grave.
It should be noted that some buildings of architectural value have been preserved on the territory of the community. First of all, it is the Church of the Holy Intercession (1886) and the building of the parish school (1891). Three buildings of the Zemstvo hospital (1913-1914) have also been preserved and are still used for their initial purpose.
In its centuries-old history, the territory with a powerful agricultural production was formed, which is focused on the cultivation of grain crops and animal husbandry.
Velyka Bilozerka is Ukraine’s only village which was the district center until July 17, 2020 and the only village accommodating the district court.
Economy and Welfare
The main enterprises in the community are agricultural companies and farms engaged in the cultivation of grain crops and animal husbandry. There is also an enterprise specializing in sunflower processing. Also, over 60 retail trade facilities are in operation here. The construction of a solid waste disposal site is coming to an end now.
Before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, 6 institutions of general secondary education, 4 kindergartens, 2 medical institutions of primary and secondary care, a number of cultural institutions that held various festivities, etc. functioned on the community’s territory.
The community has significant agrotechnical and infrastructural potential. There is a deposit of brick and tile raw materials (clay), balance stocks of raw materials which make it possible to construct a brick factory here. Also, there are available land plots for the installation of solar power plants and the development of horticulture. In addition, there are 3 water bodies with a total surface area of 300 hectares which can be used for fishing activities.
The Velyka Bilozerka territorial community has its own cultural and tourist heritage, which has been actively developed. The tourist route “Wonders and Mysteries of the Bilozerka Area” was successfully implemented on the territory of the community. Thanks to the project, a tourist map of the community was created, where historical sites, buildings, cultural monuments, recreation areas, beauty spots etc. are marked. Almost every marked place has a description with a story.
Community and War
On February 24, 2022, in the morning, missiles started flying over the territory of the community, attacking various assets of Ukraine. On February 26, 2022, the Velyka Bilozerka community was occupied by russian troops. The local authorities, together with the population, rallied and began to act in order to prevent a food crisis. They restored the local flour mill, began to bake bread in educational institutions and distribute it to the local population, eliminated power line, water supply, and Internet incidents as long as it was possible. Later, the occupying forces and their special services began to put pressure on people, kidnap them, throw them into basements.
Almost half of the local population left their homes and moved to the territory controlled by Ukraine.
On the territory of the community, russian troops carried out numerous acts of sabotage. In October 2022, artillery fire destroyed the local cultural center and the local farm breeding cattle and providing dairy products, destroyed almost 1,000 heads of cattle with young animals and production facilities.
People of the Community
Yurii Rybalka has been the head of the community since 2020.
During his tenure, a significant number of important social events were implemented on the community’s territory.
For the development of medicine, an X-ray machine and 8 other medical devices were purchased for a local hospital. Repairs were carried out in local dispensaries and paramedic-midwifery centers, which improved their accessibility.
A design project for the reconstruction of the food unit in Malyatko kindergarten was developed, the boiler room in the Zoloty Klyuchyk kindergarten was repaired and an entrance and a pedestrian path to it were arranged. All kindergartens were provided with new toy sets and educational games.
In 6 general educational institutions, fire alarms and alerts were installed, minor repairs were carried out in primary classes, and new furniture and office equipment for educational purposes were installed. Also, 1 sports playground was installed and work on the installation of 2 more was started.
Major and minor repairs of local roads and water supply systems were made and street lighting was installed in the village of Novopetrivka using lanterns on solar panels. Installation of a solar power plant was started.
Many projects and activities have not been completed or even started due to the full-scale russian invasion and the temporary occupation of the Velyka Bilozerka rural territorial community.
During the full-scale invasion, Yurii Rybalka refused to cooperate with the occupiers and, under pressure and threats, was forced to leave the territory and organize the work of the local self-government body in the city of Zaporizhzhia.
So far, they have signed a number of memoranda of cooperation and partnership with various foundations and organizations that help internally displaced people of the community with food, hygiene and other kits, provide legal, psychological and other support.
Considerable attention is paid to helping military units and servicemen from the Velyka Bilozerka community and internally displaced persons.
Development Strategy
The main task after de-occupation is to restore the functioning of all government bodies, social protection, medicine, electricity and water supply, to return and resume business operations, provide food and basic necessities.
The local strategy is under development.
The main priority strategic areas of work after the de-occupation of the territory:
- Restoration of the activities of the utility enterprise “Bilozerka”. This enterprise provided housing and utilities services to the population of the community. As of now, it has been completely looted by the occupiers.
– Providing health care facilities with drugs and medicines of first necessity. After inventory reconciliation, various medical devices will need to be acquired for medical institutions.
As of today, 26 laptops for teachers were received and 51 students were provided with computer equipment with the assistance of charitable funds to ensure the on-line educational process.
They also plan to restore the activity of administrative service centers and create a Point of Invincibility.
In the future, it is planned to assist in the development of agricultural enterprises and businesses in various fields of activity and allocate land plots for the construction of solar power plants and horticulture and water bodies for fish farming.
Work on restoring the functioning of the territory after de-occupation is already underway today. As a result of cooperation with international partners, we received 5 diesel generators, some office equipment for students and teachers, student sets, equipment for resuming the work of the administrative services center and the department of social protection of the population.
Also, in order to effectively restore the vital activity of the territory, memoranda of cooperation and partnership were signed with the charitable funds “POSMISHKA UA”, “Veterans of Chornobyl”, “STABILIZATION SUPPORT SERVICES”, Zaporizhzhia regional organization of the Red Cross Society of Ukraine, public organization “YES”, etc.