Khrestivka Territorial Community

History

The first mention of Khrestivka in historical sources dates back to 1909.

Throughout its history, Khrestivka was a typical agricultural village. The main activities were the cultivation of grain crops, sunflower and cattle breeding. Agriculture has been and remains the main activity for the local population.

The modern Khrestivka Community was established on 20 July 2016 by amalgamating the Dolynske, Nadiivka, Novonatalivka, Khrestivka and Shevchenko Village Councils of the Chaplynka Raion.

Khrestivka is a village, which is the administrative centre of the territorial community, located 44 km from the district centre and 33 km from the railway station Kalanchak on the Kherson-Dzhankoi line.

There are many creative and talented people in the community. One of the prominent cultural figures who lived in the community was Oleksandr Kulyk, a writer and journalist. The Khrestivka school in Kakhovka district holds an annual inter-district literary competition for schoolchildren called ‘Zacharuvannia Slovom’, dedicated to the memory of the writer.

Economy and Welfare

The community is focused on growing and processing agricultural products, which is the main direction of its economic activity. Among the community’s agricultural enterprises, a special role is played by those specialising in organic production.

Chaplynskyi State Agricultural Enterprise operates 6.1 thousand hectares of agricultural land, of which 5.8 thousand hectares are arable land, including 592 hectares of irrigated land. The company’s main activities are grain growing and meat and dairy farming. The community also has enterprises engaged in the production of dairy products, including various types of cheese. These enterprises provide the local population with high-quality products and contribute to the development of the agricultural sector.

A photovoltaic power plant plays an important role in ensuring a stable electricity supply and facilitating the transition to alternative energy sources. The plant’s achievements include reducing electricity costs and protecting the environment by significantly reducing emissions of harmful substances. The photovoltaic plant is a key element in the community’s sustainable development strategy.

Prior to the full-scale invasion, there were 4 general education institutions and 5 pre-schools in the community, which provided quality education for children of different nationalities in accordance with state standards.

The Khrestivka Lyceum has a rich history dating back to 1913, when the school was located in a simple two-room village house with 20 children in four classes.

Today, there is only one educational institution in the Khrestivka Community that operates in a distance format.

The Khrestivka Community regularly hosts traditional events, such as the Village Day celebration, Easter and Christmas festivities, where local residents come together to maintain the spirit of unity and preserve cultural customs. The community also celebrates memorable dates and honours historical heroes by organising events dedicated to the Day of the Defender of Ukraine and other important events in the country’s history. These events not only remind us of the past, but also help to strengthen patriotism among the community members.

A special event for the community is the Folk Art Festival, where talented residents demonstrate their skills in crafts, music and dance. Such events contribute to the preservation of authentic Ukrainian traditions and are an important part of community life.

To promote healthy lifestyles and encourage the younger generation to take an active part in community life, the community supports sports competitions and various contests for young people, school and community events.

The Community and the War

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the territory of the Khrestivka Community has been under occupation, which has dramatically changed the course of its development, putting the implementation of its grandiose plans on hold. The community has faced numerous challenges that have made it impossible to continue many initiatives aimed at improving infrastructure, the economy and the social sphere.

The development of the agro-industrial complex, the introduction of new technologies in agriculture, and the expansion of educational and cultural programmes—all of this had to take a back seat due to the military threat. Many enterprises and public organisations have ceased operations or are working in a limited capacity, which has significantly impacted the community’s economy and the well-being of its residents. 

Despite the difficult circumstances, the community maintains a spirit of unity and hope for recovery. Although they have suffered significant losses, local residents continue to support each other and prepare to rebuild when the opportunity arises. The Khrestivka Community hopes that after the end of hostilities, it will be able to resume its plans and return to implementing initiatives aimed at the development and prosperity of the region and Ukraine as a whole.

Community People

In November 2022, Oleksandr Skorobohatyi was appointed head of the Khrestivka Village Military Administration by the President of Ukraine.

The Khrestivka Village Military Administration is a co-founder of the Kherson Oblast Hub in Kryvyi Rih, which has become an important support centre for internally displaced persons from Kherson Oblast and the military personnel defending our country. The Hub is actively engaged in providing humanitarian aid, providing essential items, food, medicine and other vital resources to those affected by the war.

The administration makes considerable efforts to organise and coordinate this assistance, liaising with local communities, volunteers and charitable organisations.

The Hub in Kryvyi Rih has become a reliable centre of help and hope for many people, thanks to the joint efforts of the co-founders, among whom the Khrestivka Village Military Administration plays a key role.

Development Strategy

The development strategy envisages the restoration and development of all sectors and infrastructure of the community. Particular attention will be paid to those that will require the fastest response after the de-occupation of the territory.

Plans:

•  Demining of the territory;
• Resumption of the work of state and local authorities;
•  Restoration of critical infrastructure facilities;
•  Restoration of the community’s documentary fund;
• Priority restoration of housing stock with minor damage;
• Restoring the infrastructure of medical, social and educational institutions.

Sources

• Website of the Khrestivka Village Military Administration hrestivska-gromada.gov.ua
• Wikipedia
• Facebook page of Khrestivka Village Council facebook.com
• Facebook page of the Khrestivka Village Military Administration facebook.com
• Website of Kherson Oblast Library for Youth unalib.ks.ua
• Instagram page krestovka1sport instagram.com/
• Website gromada.info
• gromada.info