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Putyvl community
Sumy
Population:
Population – 20,711 (before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine).
Women – 11231 (54%)
Men – 9480 (46%)
Children under 18 – 2958
Pensioners – 5793
People with disabilities – 1226
Internally displaced people – 267
History
Putyvl was first mentioned in the Ipatiev Chronicle as far back as 1146. The city was situated at the crossroads of trade routes, so it played an important role as a fortress protecting Kyivan Rus from the Cumans.
From the middle of the 14th century Putyvl was a part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. And since 1500 belonged to the Moscow Empire. On November 27, 1604, the citizens of Putyvl revolted against the Moscow garrison of Mikhail Saltykov and sided with the Ukrainian-Polish army.
In 1905 a peasant riot took place in Putyvl, which was brutally suppressed by the tsarist authorities. In March 1918, the city was captured by German troops, and from December of that year it accommodated the army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic under the command of Symon Petliura. In 1926 Putyvl became part of the Ukrainian SSR and became the center of the Konotop district.
A famous guerrilla group of the former city mayor Sydir Kovpak which fought German Nazis in WWII was formed in Putyvl. The partisans from Putyvl raided the German rear during their retreat to the Carpathians. The guerrillas initially operated in the majestic Spadschanskyi Forest nearby, where guerrilla dugouts can still be visited today.
Putyvl Nature
Putivl community is located near the Seym, the left tributary of the Desna river. The Desna and Seym flow into the Dnipro and then into the Black Sea. The Putyvl River is mentioned in the “Enchanted Desna” story by the famous Ukrainian writer Oleksandr Dovzhenko, which praises the beauty of local nature. Here unique historical and cultural heritage can be observed. The local landscapes impress with their sophistication and unsurpassed beauty.
Putyvl community and the War
The Putyvl community borders the Russian Federation. At dawn on February 24, the Russian occupiers shelled the border outpost, seized two important roads and bridges over the Seym, thus totally cutting off the community from any humanitarian supplies.
Since the community did not meet the Russian so called liberators with flowers (a popular myth of Russian propaganda), it has been in danger for almost 2 months. The enemy brutally shot and destroyed private houses. While retreating, the invaders destroyed the main bridge that connected the community with the regional center.
In the village of Peresypky, Russian troops set up a stronghold, captured and destroyed the Voskhod children’s camp. Next to it, 10 private houses were damaged and looted, and rural roads were destroyed.
The local family that accidentally met the Russian convoy was injured without any reason. The father died under the wheels of enemy vehicles, and the young man lost his leg.
The Russian occupiers took the residents of the community hostage, many of them are still missing.
The invaders retreated from Putyvl on April, 2 and the community began to
recover from the occupation and deal with its consequences.
The community organized a detour. Farmers launched a sowing campaign and
inspected more than 300 hectares of fields which were demined.
In just one week, the Voskhod children’s camp was tidied up, dug trenches
removed, broken windows inserted, and paved ways and lawns destroyed by tanks
reconstructed.
Since the beginning of the war, the community has sheltered almost 500 people
from Kharkiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv and other communities. The local humanitarian
service accumulated various relief items and distributed them among people in
need.
Mayor
The mayor of Putyvl community Konstyantyn Gavrilchuk started his work at the
city council in 2016, as the first deputy mayor of Putyvl. After the decentralization
reform he became elected mayor of the new amalgamated community.
With the beginning of the war, the mayor ensured the functioning of the
community and supported its residents.
More than 600 people were evacuated from the community by school buses both
abroad and in Ukraine. The mayor ensured the delivery of most needed products
to local grocery stores. Dairy products were brought for free from Chernihiv
region, and pensions were still paid during March-April. The community also
created a local territorial defense and a voluntary partroling units to ensure the
community’s security. Hot meals for the Army were cooked in school canteens.
Dumplings, cakes and other treats were also baked here and sent to the frontline.
The development strategy
Now, the community plans to return to pre-war strategic plans. The main goal is
the development of agriculture. There are more than 20 thousand hectares of
agricultural land in the community. Local farmers harvest rich wheat, barley,
buckwheat, soybeans, sunflowers and corn yields.
Putyvl Argo company processes oats and buckwheat.
The community also strives to develop tourism. The area is rich in various natural
attractions. The Volokytynsky garden and the Spadshchanske Lake, local nature
pearls, are located here. The Seym river is another attraction offering active water
leisure activities.
The community also dreams of restoring the local sports complex, which in the
future will be able to host state-level sports competitions.
