Kharkiv.

Kharkiv, or Kharkov is the second largest city in Ukraine. It was the first capital of Soviet Ukraine, now the administrative center of the Kharkiv Oblast (province), as well as the administrative centre of the surrounding Kharkivskyi Raion (district) within the oblast. The city is located in the northeast of the country. As of 2006, its population is 1,461,300.

Kharkiv is a major cultural, scientific, educational, transport and industrial centre of Ukraine. Its industry specializes mostly in machinery. There are hundreds of industrial companies in the city. Among them are world famous giants like the Morozov Design Bureau and the Malyshev Tank Factory, leaders in tank production since the 1930s; Hartron (aerospace and nuclear electronics); and the Turboatom turbines producer.

There is an underground rapid-transit system (metro) with about 35 km of track and 28 stations. A well-known landmark of Kharkiv is the Freedom Square (Ploshchad Svobody), which is currently the third largest city square in Europe, and the 7th largest square in the world.

Archeological evidence discovered in the area of present-day Kharkiv indicates that a local population has existed in that area since the 2nd millennium BC. Cultural artifacts date back to the Bronze Age, as well as those of later Scythian and Sarmatian settlers. There is also evidence that the Chernyakhov culture flourished in the area from the 2nd to the 6th century.

Founded in the middle of 17th century, the city has had a university since 1805. During the early years of the Soviet Union, Kharkiv was the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (from 1917–1934).

Vintage view of Kharkiv in the 1890s.

In the early 1930s, the Ukrainian famine (Holodomor) drove many people off the land into the cities, to Kharkiv in particular, in search of food. Some of them died and were secretly buried in one of the city's cemeteries. During April and May 1940 about 3,800 Polish prisoners of Starobelsk camp were murdered in the Kharkiv NKVD building, later buried in Pyatykhatky forest (part of the Katyn massacre).

During World War II, Kharkiv was the site of several military engagements. The city was captured by Nazi Germany in October 24, 1941 and its military allies, recaptured by the Red Army, captured a second time by the Nazis in May 24, 1942; retaken by the Soviets in February 16, 1943, captured for a third time by Nazis in March 16, 1943 and then finally liberated on August 23, 1943. Seventy percent of the city was destroyed and tens of thousands of the inhabitants were killed. It is mentioned that Kharkiv was the most populous city in the Soviet Union occupied by Nazis, since in the years preceding World War II, Kiev was the smaller of the two by population.

Between December 1941 and January 1942, an estimated 30,000 people (mostly Jewish) were killed by the Nazis. They were laid to rest in a large mass grave that located at Drobitsky Yar.

23 August Memorial

During World War II, four battles took place for control of the city:

• Battle for Kharkov
• Struggle for Kharkov
• Kharkov offensive operation
• Operation Polkovodets Rumyantsev

Before the occupation, Kharkiv's tank industries were evacuated to the Urals with all their equipment, and became the heart of Red Army's tank programs (particularly, producing the legendary T-34 tank earlier designed in Kharkiv). These enterprises were returned after the war, and still continue to produce some of the world's best tanks.

It was the third largest scientific-industrial center in the former USSR (after Moscow and Leningrad).

Kharkiv is one of the most prolific centers of higher education and research of Eastern Europe. The city has 13 national universities and numerous professional, technical and private higher education institutions, offering its students a wide range of disciplines. Kharkiv National University (12,000 students), National Technical University “KhPI” (10,000 students), Kharkiv National Aerospace University "KhAI" are the leading universities in Ukraine. A total number of 150,000 students attend the universities and other institutions of higher education in Kharkiv. About 9,000 foreign students from 96 countries study in the city. More than 17,000 faculty and research stuff are employed in the institutions of higher education in Kharkiv.

A Ukrianian Orthodox Church (MP) in Kharkiv

The city has a high concentration of research institutions, which are independent or loosely connected with the universities. Among them are three national science centers: Kharkіv Institute of Physics and Technology, Institute of Metrology, Institute for Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine and 20 national research institutions of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, such as Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering. A total number of 26,000 scientists are working in research and development.

In addition to the libraries affiliated with the various universities and research institutions, the Kharkiv State Scientific V. Korolenko-library is a major research library. Kharkiv has 212 schools, including 10 lyceums and 20 gymnasiums.

During the Soviet Union times Kharkiv was the capital of industrial production in Ukraine and one of the largest centers of industry and commerce in the USSR. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the largely defense-systems-oriented industrial production of the city decreased significantly. In the early 2000s the industry started to recover and adapt to civil economy needs. Now there are more than 380 industrial enterprises concentrated in the city, which have a total number of 150,000 employees. The enterprises form machine-building, electrotechnical, instrument-making, and energy clusters.

State-owned industrial giants, such as Turboatom and Elektrotyazhmash occupy 17% of the heavy power equipment construction (e.g., turbines) market worldwide. Multipurpose aircraft are produced by Kharkov aircraft manufacturing plant of Antonov. Malyshev factory produces today not only armoured fighting vehicles, but also harvesters. Hartron is the leading designer of space and commercial control systems in Ukraine and the CIS.

According to the 1989 Soviet Union Census, the population of the city was 1,593,970. In 1991, the population decreased to 1,510,200, including 1,494,200 permanent city residents. Kharkiv is currently the second-largest city in Ukraine after the capital, Kiev.

The nationality structure of Kharkiv as of the 1989 census is: Ukrainians – 50.38%, Russians – 43.63%, Jews – 3%, Belarusians – 0.75%, and all others (more than 25 minorities) – 2.24%.

The nationality structure of Kharkiv as of the 2001 census is: Ukrainians – 70.7%, Russians – 25.6%, Jews – 0.4%, Belarusians – 0.5%.

Kharkiv's city residents are primarily Russophone.