Bohodukhiv Territorial Community

History

In historical sources, the town of Bohodukhiv is mentioned for the first time in the second half of the 16^th century.

Numerous archaeological findings show that Bohodukhiv and its surroundings were inhabited in ancient times. Archaeological sites were discovered in the town and across the Community: two settlements of the late log culture, four settlements of the Scythian culture, a burial mound and a Scythian settlement.

The economic development of Bohodukhiv was facilitated by its good geographical location because a long road connecting the regimental towns of Kharkiv and Okhtyrka passed through it and the town was granted the Magdeburg rights (1789).

The main occupation of the population of that time was agriculture, Chumak trading, animal skin processing, and other crafts. Trade developed and fairs were held on major Orthodox holidays.

The first industrial enterprises were candle and glue factories; there were mills and taverns.

The Huty sugar factory of the company “Koenig and Descendants” contributed significantly to the economic development of the region. Thanks to this, the Kharkiv Province became one of the centres of sugar production.

In 1877, a railway connecting Kharkiv and Sumy was laid through Bohodukhiv, which contributed to the development of trade and crafts.

In the late 19^th century, the town had 12,000 inhabitants, 1,600 houses, several brick and leather factories, and two steam mills.

The pearl of the Community is the Sharivka palace and park complex.

In 1925, an anti-tuberculosis sanatorium was opened in the palace, which worked until 2008. Today, this complex needs significant funds for reconstruction.

During the Second World War, Bohodukhiv, as a strategically important railway junction, suffered from numerous bombings, as a result of which many historical buildings were destroyed.

The buildings of the male and female grammar schools, merchant Maslennikov’s commercial premises (an old department store), the town council premises, and Savych house have survived.

Next to the Holy Spirit Church there is a memorial complex where the dead soldiers who liberated Bohodukhiv during the Second World War are buried. The complex includes, in particular, a mass grave where 258 soldiers are buried, a monument to soldiers that were local residents.

After the beginning of the russian-Ukrainian war, a Cossack Cross memorial was installed in the town park; later a new memorial was opened next to it – a Memorial Alley in honour of the fallen soldiers – compatriots who defended the Motherland from the first days of the war.

Economy and Welfare

Today, the agricultural sector is one of the main branches of the local economy. 139 agricultural enterprises of various forms of ownership operate in the Community.

In the structure of gross agricultural production of the Community, crop production accounts for 95%, livestock production – for 5%.

Industry occupies an important place in the economy of the Community, both from the point of view of the formation of the labour market and in terms of revenues to the budgets of all levels. Ten industrial enterprises are registered, of which seven are food industry enterprises and are engaged in the processing of agricultural products, two are light industry enterprises and one is a forestry entity.

More than 300 small and medium-sized businesses operate in the Community, and more than 1,000 individual entrepreneurs are registered.

Healthcare and educational institutions function in the Community. There are four boarding facilities for children and adults and a geriatric boarding house.

Community and War

From the first days of the full-scale war, the Bohodukhiv Community became a frontline area in the war zone, and began to work together with the whole country to protect the territories and win the war.

The building of the Town Council became the operational headquarters where decisions were made regarding the situation in the Community. All the employees of the Town Council stayed at their workplaces. The first task was to overcome panic. The Town Council united the entrepreneurs of the Community, organized free delivery of basic necessities and baking of bread for the population.

The Community ensured the work of local enterprises, communal enterprises, organized logistics, reached an understanding with banking institutions and the Pension Fund. People began to receive funds, and were able to provide for their primary needs.

In difficult conditions and under constant rocket fire from russia, the Bohodukhiv Town Council provided aid to the nearest communities as well. Volunteers under the fire of the invaders made “trips of life” and transported essential goods to the residents of Okhtyrka to trading outlets, since the entrance to the town at that time was only possible from the side of the Community. All other ways were cut off by military operations. Building materials were provided to Zolochiv, which was destroyed by enemy shelling.

Unity is in everything. Aid comes from every resident, be it in the form of transportation, products, resources, or personal time. This is what distinguishes Ukrainians from the enemy. Everyone works for a single result, bringing victory closer.

Teachers weaving camouflage nets

The next challenge for the Community was the flow of refugees. The first and urgent need was housing and aid with transportation. Volunteer drivers on communal buses made twenty-three trips in the hellish period from March 4 to 12 and evacuated more than 500 people from the hottest places of Kharkiv and its surroundings. There were also many volunteers who took people away in their own vehicles.

The Town Council arranged two places for accommodation of displaced people. On certain days, more than 500 people stayed there in total. Hot meals, sleeping places, and playrooms for children were provided for them. It was then that volunteer centres began to work, where caring citizens collected clothes, brought foods, and made meals for the defenders.

Within a fairly short period of time, involving all the employees of the Town Council, registration of internally displaced persons was carried out so that they could receive aid from the state. They worked around the clock, on days off or holidays. More than 17,000 people were registered.

Through the newly created humanitarian centres, they organized the provision of humanitarian aid to residents and displaced persons. For example, more than 147,000 packages were distributed in 2023 alone.

In 2024, the Community had to deal with new arrivals of internally displaced persons due to the escalation of hostilities in the neighbouring communities. The mechanism of work had already been worked out: immediate registration, help with grocery sets and essential goods. Centres for registration of financial aid from international organizations are operating.

Despite the challenges of the war, life in the Community does not stop.

Utility entities, social infrastructure facilities, heating points and Invincibility Points were provided with generators and reserve fuel.

A new line was installed and existing conveyors were replaced at the municipal waste management complex.

Two renovated libraries were opened.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the need to provide administrative services to the residents and internally displaced people of the Community has increased significantly. Therefore, the modernization of the premises of the centre for the provision of administrative services continues.

Today, guests in the Community realize the value of every day. For the Community, it costs the lives of 92 compatriots.

People of the Community

Volodymyr Bielyi is the mayor of Bohodukhiv.

At educational institutions, they began to install modern economic boilers, which are heated by wooden pallets. The year 2022 was supposed to bring an even greater push in the development of the Community, but instead, war came to homes.

From the first days of the full-scale invasion, the mayor, together with the staff of the Town Council, the counsellors, entrepreneurs, and volunteers joined their efforts, accepted the challenges of martial law, and continue to move forward for the sake of victory and development.

Today, the mayor represents the Community in a number of international projects.

The Swedish-Ukrainian PROSTO Project “Supporting the availability of services in Ukraine” aims at expanding the opportunity for residents of the Community, in particular in remote localities, to receive high-quality administrative services provided by the centre for the provision of administrative services and the Starosta-headed office.

Thanks to victories in various projects, the Community leadership has managed to attract funds to continue the energy modernization of the Community’s critical infrastructure and upgrade the material and technical resources of social infrastructure institutions.

Sports in the Community are under the personal control of the head of the Community. Even during the extremely difficult year of 2022, despite shelling and military operations, an educational and training camp was held in preparation for the Taekwondo World Cup at one of the local educational institutions. In 2024, the children’s national team of the Community won the League Cup of Ukraine in U-14 futsal. The Community football team is preparing to participate in the championship of the Kharkiv Region. Volleyball players, chess players, and track and field athletes train and win. In 2024, a renovated martial arts hall was opened in cooperation with businesses.

All these achievements would not be possible without the daily feat of Ukrainian defenders. Aid to military units is an absolute priority in the efforts of the Community leadership.

Development Strategy

Currently, a working group has been set up to draft the Development Strategy of the Bohodukhiv Urban Territorial Community for the period until 2027.

Also, with the help of UNDP and the financial support of the Japanese government, they developed a plan for the recovery and development of the Bohodukhiv Territorial Community and a report on the assessment of the Community needs.

The plans envisage renovation of the housing sector and provide housing for certain categories of the population; provide the population of the Community with protective structures and shelters.

Its goal is also to create conditions for the functioning of educational institutions and ensure the provision of quality educational services.

Unfortunately, for the safety of the students, it is impossible to restore the face-to-face format of education. Therefore, in cooperation with the Children’s Fund “UNICEF”, three multifunctional centres “Together” have been launched.

In order for children to be able to learn offline, it is necessary to provide safe conditions for learning, first of all, to have reliable shelters.

It is planned to ensure the functioning of a high-quality water supply and drainage system.

At present, about five kilometres of new water mains were installed in 2022, the Community’s largest water intake has been reconstructed, and water drainage has been installed in the central part of the town.

There are also plans to modernize heating systems in communal facilities across the Community.

So far, twelve solar stations have been installed at critical infrastructure facilities.

About 10 units of new utility equipment have been purchased, but the need for it is constantly growing due to an increase in the volume of work performed by utility entities, which is connected, in particular, with an increase in the number of the population due to internally displaced persons.

Sources

• Sources information / photos were taken from
• bogoduhivska-gromada.gov.ua/
• facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077958623140
• facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386872775