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Ratne Territorial Community
Volyn`
Population:
The number of population centers is 24, including 1 urban settlement and 23 rural settlements.
The area of the community is 481.2 km².
The permanent population of the community is 22,454 people (44.5% – urban population, 55.5% – rural population); the population density is 36.2 people per square kilometer.
The number of working population is 11.9 thousand people, including 6.0 thousand men and 5.9 thousand women.
Population distribution by age is the following:
– children under 14 years old – 20.0%;
– people from 15 to 59 years old – 62.6%;
– people from 60 years old – 17.4%.
The number of pensioners is 3.9 thousand people.
The community is located in the north-west of Volyn, on the border with the Republic of Belarus in the Polissia region. The distance from the community center to the border with the Republic of Poland is 80 km
It borders with territorial communities of Kovel district and the Republic of Belarus. The state border with a length of 30 km passes through the territory of the community.
The distance from the central house of the community to the regional center of the city of Lutsk is 124 km; the distance to the regional center of Kovel town is 55 km. The distance to the nearest railway station is 55 km (Kovel town); the distance to the nearest international airport is 204 km (Rivne city). Ratne village is the center of the community.
History
The community has a powerful natural and recreational potential, which is facilitated by a high level of sanctity, a picturesque landscape, a good network of settlements, a low level of economic development of the territory, and remoteness from harmful industries.
On the territory of the community, there are nine objects of the nature reserve fund with a total area of 2 thousand hectares, two rivers flow through it, namely Pripyat and Vyzhivka. There are six picturesque freshwater lakes of glacial origin. The area of the water mirror is 539.4 hectares.
40.5% of the community’s territory is covered by mixed forests.
There are 18 cultural monuments in the community. The most famous of them are the Wooden Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin (1784) in Zdomyshel village. The church is included in the register of cultural monuments of national significance and is protected by the Law of Ukraine. The church is open and welcomes pilgrims and tourists;
Wooden Church of the Assumption (1783) in Kraska village. The church is included in the register of cultural monuments of national significance and is protected by the Law of Ukraine. The church is open and welcomes parishioners and tourists.
Memorial to the Murdered Jews (2015) in Prokhid village. It was built as part of the “Protect the Memory” project at the initiative and costs of the German government at the place of execution and burial of about 1,300 people of Jewish nationality in 1942. The memorial is included in the register of cultural monuments of local significance and is protected by the Law of Ukraine. It is used for cultural-educational and tourist-excursion activities.
Memorial complex to the Victims of Fascism (1980) in Kortelisy village. It was built to honor the memory of almost three thousand local residents who died during the Second World War. The tragedy in Kortelisy on September 23, 1942 was one of the largest tragedy as to the number of victims and became a symbol of the savage violence of the fascists towards innocent civilians. The memorial complex is included in the register of cultural monuments of national significance and is protected by the Law of Ukraine. There is the Kortelisy Historical Museum on the territory of the Memorial Complex, which is open for tour groups and individual visitors
Economy and welfare
Agricultural, woodworking and food industries are developed in the community..
The central working capacity of Ratnivsky Agrarian, Limited Liability Agricultural Company, one of the leading agricultural companies in Volyn, is located on the territory of the community. It cultivates more than 11,000 hectares of agricultural land and keeps more than 2,200 heads of cattle.
The vegetable growing industry is developed due to the work of the Promin peasant farm, which grows carrots, cabbage, peppers and other vegetable crops in large quantities.
Berry growing and horticulture are actively developing in the community, the area of which has already exceeded more than 50 hectares.
In the community operates three woodworking export-oriented enterprises: Spilny Lis, Volynlisprom and Vytaut Karpis.
Recently, LLP Ratniv dairy factory, which produces butter, sweet cream spreads, and cream-vegetable melted mixtures under the brand name Zolota Rat, has resumed its activity due to investors.
Community and war
Since the beginning of the russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, all residents of the community rallied to help the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the affected territories and Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes.
The employees of the settlement community bought four cars and a drone for the military units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The community actively participated in the construction of engineering defense lines on the section of the state border through its territory. In March-May 2022, 870 internally displaced persons were accepted and placed in the community. Today, 178 internally displaced persons live permanently on the territory of the settlement council. Local authorities supported residents who sheltered the people sought sanctuary from the war and provided them with compensation for utility services.
The humanitarian hub “Immigrant’s Room” works in the building of the settlement council. The internally displaced persons received more than 12 tons of humanitarian aid (food, hygiene products, medicines, clothes, shoes, textiles, and household chemicals).
During the war, the residents of the community gathered and sent more than 70 tons of humanitarian aid to persons affected by hostilities and occupation from more than 20 cities of Ukraine.
Community residents
Vitalii Biruk is the head of the Ratne settlement. He led the territorial community in 2020. He received his higher education at the National Academy of the State Tax Service of Ukraine and the National University “Odessa Law Academy”. Before becoming the head of the community, he practiced law in the field of real estate and land relations.
With the beginning of the war, he actively participated in the defense of the region:
– coordinated actions with the military, border guard and police;
– coordination of actions and means for the construction of engineering and technical structures, and fortifications;
– creation of the Voluntary formation of the territorial community.
The primary task is socio-economic and cultural development, which will ensure a high-quality and safe environment for the community.
Motto: “Not people for us, but we for people”
During the war, all the residents of the community rallied and actively worked for the benefit of the community and Ukraine.
They took an active part in the all-Ukrainian campaign “Victory Gardens”. The workers of communal enterprises, establishments and institutions sown about 6 hectares of vegetables (potatoes, carrots, cabbage, table beets, onions, etc.). Most of the harvest was sent to war-torn territories of Ukraine.
Despite the conditions of martial law, within the framework of the implementation of the Ukrainian President’s project “Green Country”, the campaign “Let’s create forests together” was held in Ratne Territorial Community. 15,000 Scots pine seedlings were planted on an area of 2.5 hectares by joint efforts.
A charitable patriotic week was held in support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and on the occasion of the Ratne Settlemet Day. It started with a bike ride “Riding for the Ukrainian defenders!”, in which not only of the residents of Ratne community, but also all interested people took part.
Development strategy
The community development strategy is in progress. Based on the results of the competitive selection, the Ratne community received expert support from the European Program ULEAD in the work on the Development Strategy.
Due to the effect of martial law, the work on the Development Strategy of the community has been suspended.
The main business development priorities in the community are the following:
- Agriculture, primarily cultivation of eco products.
- Processing of agricultural products.
- Tourism and recreation.
The community has the image of an eco-friendly settlement.
