Derhachi Territorial Community

History

The Derhachi community is an integral historical and cultural component of Slobozhanshchyna. The modern administrative center of the community is the town of Derhachi. Its historical name is Derkachi. The town was founded in the 1750s by immigrants from Right-Bank Ukraine.

The settlement appeared as one of the points for repelling the attacks of the Crimean Tatars. About 80 Scythian mounds (5th-3rd centuries BC) have been registered near it, 10 of which have been excavated. Early Slavic settlements of the Chernyakhiv culture (AD 2nd-6th centuries) have also been found here.

The St. Nicholas Church was constructed in Derkachi in the 1660s and 4 windmills were built in 1682.

In the first half of the 19th century, the first enterprises appeared in the sloboda and volost. Trade and natural production also developed here, and after the construction of the railway in the 1860s, the area became a logistics artery with a powerful agro-industrial sector.

The Derhachi area suffered the greatest destruction during the German-Soviet war of 1941-1945. It has still been undergoing destruction from the full-scale aggression of the russian federation since 2022. In 1943, the Soviet authorities renamed Derkachi to Derhachi within the framework of russification without any official grounds.

The Church of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin is an architectural monument of the community (the modern building of the church was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century).

Economy and Welfare

The key types of economic activity in the community are agriculture, processing industry, various types of services and retail trade.

However, since the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine, the economy of the community has suffered losses. Due to military operations, the number of business entities here has significantly decreased, and there are also those that have completely suspended their activities.

An enterprise with foreign capital, AMCOR Tobacco Packaging Ukraine LLC, operated in the community until 2022. The company engaged in the production of packaging materials for the tobacco industry. However, it has removed its equipment from the production shops and completely stopped its activities in the Derhachi community.

With the help of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, Ukrpostach PJSC, a manufacturer of industrial refrigeration and ventilation equipment, relocated to a safer region.

The powerful agro-industrial potential and the proximity to the regional center – the million-strong city of Kharkiv – made the Derhachi community attractive to investors before the full-scale war.

This attractiveness for business and investments in its development will again become inherent to the community after Ukraine’s victory in the war with the russian federation. This is evidenced by the results of a survey of entrepreneurs conducted by specialists of the Derhachi town military administration at the end of February 2023. The absolute majority of those interviewed who suspended their activities in the community during the war not only plan to restore their business, but also expect to significantly increase its volumes.

Community and War

The Derhachi urban territorial community, as a border area with the russian federation, is one of those places that were the first to face an armed attack from the aggressor on February 24, 2022.

Out of 38 settlements, 23 were under occupation. All others, except for the town of Derhachi and several nearby villages, were in the gray zone. From the outset of the full-scale invasion, town council workers, businesses, and caring community volunteers rallied to resist the invader.

The Derhachi Town Council created the Humanitarian Center, which is still working. Humanitarian aid in the form of food kits, personal hygiene products, clothing, and other types of aid is regularly distributed f here.

During active hostilities and the aggravation of the humanitarian crisis, volunteers and employees of the town council baked bread with their own efforts, delivered it and other humanitarian aid to dangerous population centers of the community. The town council carried out the evacuation of the population from the territories that were under occupation or constant shelling.

The Humanitarian Center of the Derhachi Town Council, in cooperation with international foundations and charitable organizations, is working to provide construction materials to citizens whose property was damaged or destroyed as a result of artillery and rocket attacks. A team of construction workers works in the community, which helps restore damaged housing on a volunteer basis. Representatives of international donor organizations work in the community for the purpose of issuing one-time monetary assistance to the community residents and IDPs. Residents of the community continue to join the ranks of the Armed Forces to defend Ukraine from the aggressor.

The community is gradually implementing projects to restore critical infrastructure and social sphere assets that were destroyed or partially damaged by the enemy.

People of the Community

With the beginning of the full-scale russian invasion in February 2022, he organized the work of the humanitarian headquarters, medical and communal institutions of the community, and also created a partisan movement of resistance to russian aggression in the Derhachi area, which was joined by more than 20 local residents. Members of the partisan squad took direct part in combat operations together with the military of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, carried out aerial reconnaissance of the occupied territories, evacuated people from the so-called gray zones and territories under the control of the russian army.

On September 11 last year, during the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the Kharkiv region, the head of the community together with his partisan squad were the first to enter Kozacha Lopan.

After the liberation of the Derhachi area from the occupiers, complex works were started under the leadership of Viacheslav Zadorenko and in close cooperation with state authorities and benefactors to restore critical infrastructure, repair apartment buildings, medical and educational institutions, local highways, etc. In 2022 and 2023, the Head of the community visited investment forums in Warsaw, Poland, and Hiroshima, Japan, in order to find investors and exchange experience.

Three safe space rooms are actively functioning in the Derhachi community, which were opened with the assistance of the charitable organization Codeit4life. These rooms are located in shelters, where children can have active rest, as well as learn through educational games and materials.

There is a cycling club in the community. Even children who do not have bicycle transport can exercise here.

Development Strategy

Unfortunately, the war suspended the creation of the Development Strategy of the Derhachi urban territorial community, as it became impossible to collect statistical data or hold public discussions in 2022 due to active hostilities in the community and the occupation of numerous population centers.

Currently, the management team of the community is working on the Community Recovery and Development Plan as a strategic document that will include recovery and development tasks and measures and local development projects.

  The Derhachi Town Council as a local self-government body is working on the restoration of critical and social infrastructure, the introduction and implementation of projects for emergency and restoration works of assets of primary importance. These actions contribute to the return of the residents to the community. The logistics network is gradually being established and damaged road sections are being restored.

Currently, the Derhachi urban territorial community is not capable of coping on its own with the problems that arise in the way of the community’s recovery. The destruction of medium and small business facilities led to a significant reduction in revenues to the community’s local budget. Funds from the state budget and international donors are needed to implement measures to restore the community. Therefore, the community is open to active cooperation and search for partners.

List of Sources

• Official website of the Derhachi Territorial Community
• Official Telegram channel of Viacheslav Zadorenko, Head of the Derhachi Town Military Administration
• Facebook page of the Derhachi Town Council