Rubanivka Territorial Community

History

The Rubanivka rural territorial community is a place where rich historical heritage and modern development are harmoniously combined. Each village in the community has its own special history and character.

The center of the community, the village of Rubanivka, located in the steppes of northern Tavria, was founded in 1798 by a Cossack. In 1806, peasants from Poltava and Chernihiv provinces, and in 1810 from Kursk province were resettled here.

In 1842, the first school was opened, and later grocery stores and the famous Rubanivka fairs began to operate. 

In 1862, Rubanivka became the center of the parish and received its own village administration. In 1874, the first post and telegraph office appeared, later the first brick and tile factory was built here.

In 1889, the construction of a new stone church was completed, and in 1902, the large church of St. Michael was built. The bells from this church could be heard at a distance of up to 25 versts.

In 1928, the first joint cultivation societies were organized in Rubanivka, and in 1930, the first machine-tractor station was created, which helped the peasants in cultivating the land. In the post-war period, three collective farms were formed here, which grew grain and melon crops, developed animal husbandry and poultry farming. Collective farms had their own mills, canneries and other facilities.

The People’s Local History Museum is also located in the village of Rubanivka. The museum is famous for its rich collection of exhibits reflecting nature, material and spiritual culture, as well as the historical and cultural heritage of the community.

Economy and Welfare

Before the start of the full-scale invasion, agriculture formed the basis of the economy of the Rubanivka community, accounting for more than 90% of its economic structure. The main areas of activity of the agrarian complex were the cultivation of grain, technical, melon and fodder crops.

The local mill complex was actively working, where State-owned enterprise “Agrofirma Rubanivka” processed about 2,500–3,000 tons of grain every month, ensuring high quality products which were monitored by an accredited laboratory.

The community also actively implemented projects in the field of renewable energy. Before the occupation of the community, three solar power plants operated here: two near Rubanivka and one more near the village of Mykolaivka.

There are also vacant plots of land that may be of interest to investors for use in building new solar power plants.

On the territory of the community there are minerals of red clay, which was used for the manufacture of red bricks and ceramic products in the village of Rubanivka.

In addition, there are five ponds with a total area of 4.7 hectares which can be restored after the restoration of the Kakhovka reservoir and used for fishing and irrigation needs. 

Community and War

After the start of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the Rubanivka community immediately found itself under occupation. As soon as the first days, the inhabitants of the village were left without mobile communication, humanitarian aid and medicines did not arrive, and the occupying forces resorted to looting.

One of the most acute consequences of the occupation was the mass exodus of the population: about 20% of the residents were forced to leave their homes, seeking safety in other regions of Ukraine or beyond. The occupation also caused mass unemployment, leaving people unable to work and support their families.

The patriotic population found itself under constant psychological, physical and financial pressure from the occupation authorities. The invincible spirit of the community which refuses to submit to the invaders causes brutal repression.

The ecological consequences of the war were also not long in coming. The flora and fauna of the community suffered significant damage, which complicates the further restoration of normal life in the region. Land mining has made the territories unsuitable for agricultural work. The forced removal of machinery and grain, the destruction of production facilities and equipment, as well as the blocking of exports forced the majority of agricultural enterprises to cease their activities.

The Rubanivka community continues to struggle with the consequences of the war, keeping hope for recovery and a peaceful future. Despite all the difficulties, the inhabitants remain united, support each other and dream of the day when their native land will once again be free and prosperous. Currently, it is planned to open a humanitarian headquarters for the resettled community in the city of Kropyvnytskyi.

People of the Community

Dmytro Bezridnyi is the head of the Rubanivka rural military administration.

Due to the fact that the community is under occupation, the main efforts are aimed at helping residents who were forced to leave their homes. Efforts on social protection of the community’s evacuated population, as well as cooperation with international investor organizations and sponsors to attract funds for the restoration of critical infrastructure after de-occupation are actively underway.

Cooperation with international funds and organizations is actively being established in the community, aimed at attracting resources for the further restoration of the community after de-occupation. High-quality preparations are being made to restore the territory’s vital activities, in particular, plans are being developed to rebuild critical infrastructure and provide residents with the necessary resources.

Development Strategy

The development strategy of the Rubanivka community is aimed at comprehensive restoration of the area and raising the standard of living of its residents after de-occupation.

The main areas include infrastructure restoration, business support, social protection, and environmental initiatives. The goal is to ensure economic stability, improve the quality of life of residents and preserve the natural environment.

Priority tasks will include:

• demining of agricultural lands for their safe use;
• reconstruction and repair of destroyed real estate objects;
• modernization of agricultural machinery and production facilities;
• attracting investors to expand agricultural production and processing of agricultural products;
• creation of conditions for the opening of new enterprises.

These strategic directions of development aim to restore and strengthen the economy, social sphere and infrastructure of the community, ensuring a sustainable future for its residents.

 List of Sources

• Official website of the Rubanivka community
• Wikipedia
• Facebook page of the Rubanivka community