Esman Settlement Territorial Community

History

Esman is one of the largest settlements of the former Hlukhiv district, located 15 km north of the former regional center of the city of Hlukhiv. Historical sources interpret the history of the settlement in different ways.

For example, the author of the book “Historical and Statistical Description of the Chernihiv Eparchy” believes that Esman, together with the villages of Pustohorod and Ulanove, belonged to those settlements that were founded long before the Mongol-Tatar yoke.

The first documentary mention of the settlement of Esman is found in the royal charter of 1615, where it is indicated that it was the property of the Putivl Molchan Monastery.

On the territory of the Esman Settlement Council there are 5 examined hillforts of archaeological culture of the 12th-13th centuries, which represent considerable historical value. However, due to the full-scale russian invasion, the excavations had to be discontinued.

The community has the St. Michael’s Church in the village of Kucherivka, the first mentions of which date back to 1799. During the Second World War, a shell hit the church and it was almost completely destroyed. The new building was constructed in 1993. By the way, people were able to save icons, images and many attributes of the church from the war period, which are still in the church now.

The Orthodox church was built about two hundred years ago, on the site of an old, wooden one. The St. Nicholas stone church has a three-tier structure. It is single-domed, crowned with a cross, and rectangular in plan view. A tall belfry is attached to the main building. The temple is slowly collapsing – the building needs major repairs and reconstruction. 

Economy and Welfare

As of January 01, 2024, 71 business entities were engaged in business activities on the territory of the Esman settlement territorial community. The main field of activity of enterprises is agriculture and woodworking industry, while individual entrepreneurs usually engage in retail trade.

There are 4 secondary schools in the community, as well as the “Chaika” nursery school, but due to the war, education takes place in an online format. Currently, there is a great need to build shelters on the territory of educational institutions.

The existing network of health care institutions of the Esman Settlement Council includes 1 outpatient clinic of general practice of family medicine in the settlement of Esman with 15 beds and 11 medical and obstetrical stations.

Community and War

The war began for the community early in the morning of February 24, 2022, when convoys of russian armored vehicles entered the territory of the community through the Bachivsk customs checkpoint. At the same time, shelling and the first destruction of infrastructure began.

Due to the proximity to the border with russia, every day residents of the population centers and the territory of the community suffer from shelling and bombing, which requires additional organizational measures and financial expenses from the Settlement Council both for the restoration of damaged property and existing infrastructure, and for social support of the residents of the community – provision of fuel, food products, hygiene products, etc.

Almost half of the territory of the community is located in a five-kilometer zone from the border with russia and is contaminated with various ammunition and explosive devices. So, in addition to the fact that residents of population centers are exposed to danger every day, there is another problem – frequent lack of electricity supply, which leads to social tension: problems with water supply, impossibility of providing quality medical services, lack of mobile communication, Internet, etc.

As a result of the russian artillery fire, the Esman and Ulanove secondary schools, the Esman and Studenok cultural centers, medical and obstetrical stations, roads, water towers and other infrastructure facilities were partially destroyed or damaged. 

More than 160 residents of the Settlement Council stand on the defense of the country. It is with great sadness that we report the death of six civilian residents of the community.

Despite a significant reduction in the local budget’s own income and an increase in the costs of social support for the population of the community, Settlement Head Serhii Minakov and deputies of the Settlement Council find opportunities and help the border detachments and other military formations stationed on the territory of the community.

People of the Community

The head of the territorial community is Serhii Minakov who was elected to the position on December 14, 2020.

The People’s Museum of History operates in the village of Ulanove on the territory of the community. The museum’s holdings include about six thousand exhibits, including more than five thousand original ones. Among them are valuable historical documents, photographs, rare editions of books, posters, postcards, newspapers, paleontological, archaeological, numismatic collections.

In 2011, the ethnographic museum “Ulanivska Oselya” was opened in the village of Ulanove. It is located next to the Assumption Church.

In 2021, the folklore festival of Christmas carols “We go from house to house singing Christmas carols!” was launched.

Also in the same year, the community-wide festival, “Talent-rich Esman land” was founded. Under this name, the cultural and artistic festival was held in the community’s population centers during the summer.

In 2021, the students of the Ulanove secondary school of the Esman Settlement Council started the implementation of the tourism and local history project “Living local history”, which involves the creation of local history and tourist content.

Development Strategy

The Recovery and Development Strategy of the Esman Settlement Council for 2023-2027 was approved by the decision of the Esman Settlement Council session dated August 8, 2023

The strategic directions of development of the Esman Settlement Council are as follows:

• Formation of a powerful security and safety sphere of the community

• Border protection
• Support of territorial defense
• Creating safe living conditions and ensuring law and order

• Development of economic potential and promotion of self-employment of the population

• Attracting internal and external investments
• Creating favorable conditions for the development of small and medium-sized businesses, youth, women’s and social entrepreneurship
• Branch diversification of agricultural production

• Preservation, restoration and development of community infrastructure on the basis of local self-government

• Improvement of road infrastructure and transport accessibility in the community
• Improvement of the quality of housing and utility services (water supply, street lighting, waste management)
• Preservation, restoration and (or) improvement of the technical condition of housing and social infrastructure 

• Development of human potential and achievement of high standards of quality of life of the population

• Formation of qualified personnel potential of the community
• Improvement of the quality of educational, social and cultural services
• I Improvement of the quality of medical services

• Socially responsible local government open to everyone

• Promoting the development of civil society institutions and civil initiatives
• Systematic study of public opinion
• Transparent and efficient management
• Implementation of modern software products in the management system

List of Sources

• The Recovery and Development Strategy of the Esman Settlement Council for 2023-2027
• DREAM ecosystem
• Page of the Esman Settlement Council on Facebook