Dolynske Territorial Community

History

The historical heritage of the Dolynske community is rich in its diversity. These lands attracted ancient settlements of nomadic Scythians, Yamna culture tribes, Cossacks, and Mennonites.

The village of Rozumivka is the largest village in the community. It was founded in 1778 on lands that, after the liquidation of the Zaporizka Sich, the tsarist government began to massively distribute as rank (conditional) or private property to its court favourites and military commanders. Count Kyrylo Rozumovskyi received uninhabited lands and relocated 32 serf families from the village of Komyshi in Poltava region, settling them on the deserted right bank of the Dnipro.

The modern centre of the community – the village of Dolynske – was formed by merging two Mennonite villages, Neu-Osterwick and Kronstal, in 1963.    

The settlement of Kronstal (Dolynske) was founded in 1809, and the village of Neu-Osterwick (Pavlivka) – in 1812 by families that arrived from settlements in the Khortytsia colony.

In 1912, a secondary school was founded by Germans – Mennonites. Today, this building houses the Dolynske Village Council and the Administrative Services Centre. This building is one of the few structures that has survived to this day in good condition.

Another architectural monument of the Mennonites that has been preserved in good condition is the factory of Heinrich Schultz.

A spiritual gem of the community is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Archangel Michael in the village of Dolynske, built in 2008 with the active participation of the village head of the Dolynske Village Council, Bohdan Fedchuk.

Novoslobidka (Rosengarten) is another village with Mennonite roots.

Few Mennonite houses have survived here to this day, but it has its own highlight: the local park, which has become a true adornment not only of the settlement but of the entire community.  This is a place for relaxation and enjoying the beauty of nature.

Economy and Welfare

Thanks to its convenient geographical location, borders with the oblast centre, and the presence of road and railway routes, the Dolynske community has ideal conditions for local economic development, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, beverage production, and construction. In parallel, the restaurant and hotel business is actively developing.

Powerful enterprises operate on the territory of the Dolynske community, playing an important role in forming the local budget and economic development. In particular, among the largest taxpayers, “Global Spirits Group” and “UTDK,” better known under the “Khortytsia” trademark, should be noted. Their activities ensure stable revenues to the budget, contribute to job creation, infrastructure development, and socio-economic stability of the community.

The agricultural sector occupies a significant share in the community’s development. Over 25% of the employed population works in agriculture. The largest agricultural formations in the community and main employers in this sector are the agricultural enterprises “Aleksandr-Agro 3,” “Vysokohirne,” and “Rozumivske Agro.”

An important role in budget replenishment is also played by “Nova Liniia – 1” (Epicentr), which actively contributes to the development of local infrastructure. Thanks to the activities of such enterprises, the Dolynske community has a solid foundation for further economic growth, increasing investment attractiveness, and ensuring the well-being of the population.

The community has significant potential for the development of green and ethnographic tourism, active outdoor recreation, cultural-educational routes, as well as holding festivals and gastronomic events. 

Recreation facilities operate on the community’s territory, which are privately owned, indicating local business interest in developing recreational infrastructure. 

The restaurant and hotel business is developing. For example, the “Panska Khata” complex is located 5 km from the city of Zaporizhzhia in the village of Nyzhnia Khortytsia, where guests can pleasantly spend time with family and friends.

On the right bank of the Dnipro, amid the lush Cossack village of Baburka, distant from the dusty noisy city of Zaporizhzhia, lies the family estate and artisanal winery “Villa Del Vino.” Every centimetre of its territory is imbued with love for their craft. Weekend tours and concerts by famous performers are held here.

The villages of Nyzhnia Khortytsia and Rozumivka, located on the banks of the Dnipro River, attract tourists with their unique atmosphere and opportunities for outdoor recreation.

For vacationers, there are numerous tourism opportunities, including visiting local equestrian clubs, getting acquainted with traditional Mennonite life in the arranged “Mennonite Corner,” immersing in national culture in the “Ukrainian Svitlytsia.”

The presence of convenient transport connections with Zaporizhzhia makes the Dolynske community easily accessible for tourists.

The community is actively developing the socio-cultural sphere. Accordingly, 2 general secondary education institutions and 2 preschool education institutions operate on the territory.

The network of cultural institutions has been preserved, consisting of 5 clubs, 2 cultural centres, and 7 public libraries.

Ongoing work is being done to improve the provision of medical services and medical care for the local population: major renovation of premises of paramedic-midwifery posts is being carried out, as well as insulation of outpatient clinic facades, installation of new medical equipment.

The Community and the War

From the first days of the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the Dolynske community began actively receiving people who were urgently evacuating from territories in Zaporizhzhia Oblast that came under shelling and occupation. The community’s population united into one powerful volunteer family, considering it their duty to support IDPs and hero-defenders with everything necessary.

Local cultural centres, clubs, schools, and kindergartens turned into volunteer hubs, where all caring residents brought warm clothes, bedding, personal hygiene items, food, building materials, and various tools. Active groups of local residents gathered, weaving camouflage nets for checkpoints, making Molotov cocktails, preparing hot lunches, and baking pies.  

The Dolynske community is a frontline one, so safety is an absolutely relative concept. For the fourth year in a row, the villages have been subjected to periodic rocket shelling. During shelling, private houses and community infrastructure suffer.

However, through joint efforts of the village council, members of council, the teaching staff, and local activists, the preschool institution was repaired in the shortest possible time and continued to operate.

Unfortunately, due to the war, the Dolynske community has already lost 50 local residents – heroes who gave their lives defending Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. To honour their memory worthily, memorial steles were installed in two settlements in Dolynske and Rozumivka villages. 

The war also harms nature in the community. On 6 June 2023, Russian troops blew up the Kakhovka Reservoir, as a result of which the Dnipro became shallow near the villages of Nyzhnia Khortytsia and Rozumivka. The water receded, leaving behind dried-up springs, wells, and boreholes. Local residents suffer from a lack of water for irrigating gardens and greenhouses, which has led to reduced harvests.

People of the Community

The village head of the Dolynske Village Council is Bohdan Fedchuk, who has held the position since 2000.

After the full-scale invasion, work did not stop. The village head actively continues to implement projects to improve energy efficiency in social facilities, develop the local communal enterprise, provide comprehensive support to persons from temporarily occupied territories, and support servicemen.

Development Strategy

The Dolynske Village Council of Zaporizhzhia Raion, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, consistently implements the Community Development Strategy, aimed at increasing competitiveness, strengthening economic capacity, and creating comfortable living conditions for residents. 

The community is interested in expanding communications and developing partnerships that contribute to ensuring sustainable socio-economic development, increasing investment attractiveness, and efficient use of local resources.

The main priorities for community development are:

• planning territorial development – developing a Comprehensive Spatial Development Plan, conducting an inventory of lands, water bodies, and community property;
• forming investment attractiveness – creating an investment passport, developing a promotion plan, and filling official information resources of the community;
• improving the quality of life of the population – modernising infrastructure, improving road conditions, water supply, landscaping, ensuring barrier-free access to social services;
• implementing energy-efficient and resource-saving technologies, developing communal services, and improving the sanitary condition of settlements;
• creating a comfortable and safe environment – building shelters, increasing safety levels, adhering to citizens’ rights and freedoms;
• developing human potential – improving the quality of education, healthcare, supporting youth, culture, sports, and healthy lifestyles;
• stimulating economic growth – developing entrepreneurship, creating favourable conditions for business, promoting the community’s tourism potential.

The implementation of these directions allows the Dolynske community to confidently move along the path of sustainable development, strengthening the economic base, developing the social sphere, and forming a modern, safe, and attractive living environment for every resident.

Sources

• Official website of the Dolynske Rural Territorial Community –dolynska-gromada.gov.ua
• Official Facebook page of the Dolynske Rural Territorial Community facebook.com