Pokrovske Territorial Community

History

The history of Pokrovske begins in 1779 and is connected with the name of Ivan Sirko, the Cossack chieftain of the Zaporozhian Host, who met a large detachment of Tatars on the Moravian Way, defeated it, and took many janissaries captive. This battle took place in the area of a small village on the day of the Intercession (Ukrainian – “Pokrova”) of the Holy Mother of God. In memory of this victory, the settlement was named Pokrovka. Therefore, symbolically, the village day is celebrated annually on October 14.

The Pokrovske community has a significant tourist potential due to its natural diversity, as well as a convenient geographical location. The territory impresses with picturesque landscapes of steppes, forests, grassy levadas, and also boasts its historical monuments, park areas, and stone beams. A tourist information centre operates in the community to develop the tourist potential.

Economy and Welfare

The community develops the agro-industrial sector as a strategic industry that solves the issues of food supply safety and security, employment of the population, and the development of the social sphere.

There are 52 agricultural enterprises growing grain and technical crops in the community.

The community produces milk, dairy products and honey, and also grows vegetables and fruits: over 1,000 small and medium-sized farms are engaged in this process.

Community and War

Because of the war, the situation in the community, as well as throughout Ukraine, is distressing, but stable. The Pokrovske community is located on the border of the front-line Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, so the threats are still there every day. Thousands of hectares of agricultural land were heavily damaged by the Russian aggression, the buildings of 4 agricultural enterprises were destroyed, a motor vehicle enterprise was completely ruined, more than 50 private houses were damaged, and 2 residents of the community were killed. In addition to the destruction, the enterprises of the community faced another challenge: a delaying and disordered logistics process affects the sale of manufactured products.

People of the Community

Since April 2012, the Pokrovske settlement community has been headed by Svitlana Spazheva. Previously, she had worked for more than 20 years in executive bodies and held managerial positions.

“The driving force of the community is its active residents. A lot of plans, ideas and dreams were crossed out in the morning of February 24… Today we are going through the most difficult times. We are fighting for our independence, defending every piece of our land, forced to prove to the whole world that Ukraine is indivisible and inviolable. I am confident that under the reliable Intercession of the Holy Mother of God we will preserve our agricultural region, continue to build an economically developed community, revive engineering infrastructure, create appropriate conditions for accessible education, modern culture and sports, high-quality medicine, public safety and social protection. Together we will rebuild a community which is good to live in and worth returning to. Because we, the residents of Pokrovske, are descendants of the Cossack family, a nation of indomitable and unconquered!” – says Svitlana Spazheva about her community.

During the period of her work, Svitlana Spazheva and her team implemented more than 200 projects in the territory of the community:

• reconstruction of the street lighting system (96% of the community’s streets are lit);
• overhaul of the road surface of the streets;
• overhaul of the roofs of six educational institutions, heating systems in four preschool institutions, fire safety systems in educational institutions, installation and arrangement of children’s and sports grounds, recreation areas;
• reconstruction and arrangement of rooms for the psychological relief of children with special educational needs, participants in hostilities, members of their families, internally displaced persons; beautification of the community territory, implementation of the Social Bus in the territory of the community;
• establishment of the agricultural service cooperative of beekeepers MEDOK;
• reconstruction of the water pumping station of Pokrovske settlement and Oleksandrivka village with replacement of technological equipment and drinking water tanks;
• creation of a modern integrated office of the Administrative Services Centre;
• construction of a family medicine outpatient clinic with housing for a doctor was built in the village of Kolomiyka;
• instalment of a solar power plant of LLC Solarfield on an area of 12.6 hectares;
• creation of comfortable conditions for the full-fledged activity of three community police officers.

Development Strategy

The Pokrovske community has an approved Development Strategy according to which it creates opportunities for a comfortable and safe life for its residents thanks to high-tech agriculture, the development of the processing industry and new technologies – a hospitable neighbourhood that generously shares its assets.

List of Sources

• Community development strategy for 2017-2025.
• Investment profile of the Pokrovske community
• Information page of the tourist information centre
• Photo archive of the Pokrovske Territorial Community