Sudzha (Russian: Су́джа) is a town and the administrative center of Sudzhansky District in Kursk Oblast, Russia, located on the Sudzha and Oleshnya rivers 105 kilometers (65 mi) southwest of Kursk, the administrative center of the oblast. It has a population of 5,127 people.[6] It is the natural gas exchange feeder where the Trans-Siberian pipeline meets the Brotherhood pipeline.[7] Since August 15, 2024, the town has been occupied by Ukrainian forces as a result of an incursion into the region.[8][9][10]
Sudzha
Суджа | |
|---|---|
 Public park in Sudzha | |
.png) Flag .png) Coat of arms | |
Location of Sudzha  | |
  Sudzha Location of Sudzha .svg) Sudzha Sudzha (European Russia)  Sudzha Sudzha (Russia) | |
| Coordinates: 51°11′29″N 35°16′14″E / 51.19139°N 35.27056°E | |
| Country | Russia |
| Federal subject | Kursk Oblast[1] |
| Administrative district | Sudzhansky District[1] |
| Founded | 1664 |
| Elevation | 135 m (443 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 6,036 |
| • Capital of | Sudzhansky District[1] |
| • Municipal district | Sudzhansky Municipal District[3] |
| • Urban settlement | Sudzha Urban Settlement |
| • Capital of | Sudzhansky Municipal District,[3] Sudzha Urban Settlement |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (MSK  [4]) |
| Postal code(s)[5] | 307800, 307801, 307839 |
| OKTMO ID | 38640101001 |
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History
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In the Middle Ages the territory formed part of the Principality of Rylsk, Principality of Chernigov and Grand Duchy of Lithuania, before its annexation by the Principality of Moscow.[11]
Sudzha was founded in 1664.[12] It was initially a town of the Sumy Regiment within Sloboda Ukraine, and was fortified with ramparts and a moat.
In 1708 it was included within the Kiev Governorate, and in 1779, it became the seat of the Sudzhansky Uyezd within the Kursk Governorate.
In 1870, the town had a population of 4,482 and the suburbs had a population of 5,624. In 1869, there were 393 craftsmen in the town, and in 1871 there were nine factories. In the late 19th century, the town hosted four annual fairs and two weekly markets.[13] According to the 1897 Russian Empire census, the town had a population of 7,433, of which 61.2% were Ukrainians, 37.2% were Russians, 1.2% were Jews and 0.3% were Poles.[14]
In November–December 1918, Sudzha was the seat of the Provisional Workers' and Peasants' Government of Ukraine before its relocation to Belgorod.[15] It formed part of the Ukrainian SSR until 1922, when it was transferred to the Russian SFSR.[11]
During World War II, Sudzha was occupied by German troops from October 18, 1941, to March 3, 1943.[citation needed]
Later in the 20th century, a natural gas pipeline transit station was established near Sudzha. A gas metering station was installed. As of 2024, the output was fed to the Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod pipeline.[7]
Russo-Ukrainian War
After the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod pipeline at Sudzha became the last remaining point at which natural gas flowed from Russia to Europe through Ukraine after the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.[16]
On June 4, 2023, Russia said it shot down a Ukrainian drone over Sudzha.[17]
2024 Ukrainian capture
On August 6, 2024, fierce fighting broke out at the border of Kursk Oblast and around Sudzha as part of an incursion by Ukrainian forces.[18][19] The Ukrainian government confirmed the capture of the town on August 15 and announced the formation of a military administration in the areas of Kursk Oblast occupied by Ukraine.[20][21][22] A statue of Vladimir Lenin in the town had been dismantled by August 16.[23]
Government
Within the framework of administrative divisions, Sudzha serves as the administrative center of Sudzhansky District. As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Sudzhansky District as the town of district significance of Sudzha.[1] As a municipal division, the town of district significance of Sudzha is incorporated within Sudzhansky Municipal District as Sudzha Urban Settlement.[3] As of August 2024, Sudzha has been run by a Ukrainian military administration.
Demographics
The town's population has declined over the past few decades, from 7,487 in 1989[24] to 5,127 in 2021.[6]
| Population history | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1897 | 1989 | 2002 | 2010 | 2021 |
| Pop. | 7,433[14] | 7,487[24] | 7,045[25] | 6,036[2] | 5,127[6] |
| ±% p.a. | — | +0.01% | −0.47% | −1.91% | −1.47% |
References
- ^ a b c d e Губернатор Курской области. Постановление №489 от 6 ноября 2008 г. «Об утверждении реестра административно-территориальных единиц населённых пунктов Курской области», в ред. Постановления №26-пг от 29 января 2013 г. «О внесении изменений и дополнений в Постановление Губернатора Курской области от 06.11.2008 №489 "Об утверждении реестра административно-территориальных единиц населённых пунктов Курской области"». Вступил в силу 6 ноября 2008 г. (Governor of Kursk Oblast. Resolution #489 of November 6, 2008 On the Adoption of the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Inhabited Localities of Kursk Oblast, as amended by the Resolution #26-pg of January 29, 2013 On Amending and Supplementing Resolution #489 of the Governor of Kursk Oblast of November 6, 2008 "On the Adoption of the Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Units and Inhabited Localities of Kursk Oblast". Effective as of November 6, 2008.).
- ^ a b Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том 1 [2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
- ^ a b c Курская областная Дума. Закон №60-ЗКО от 1 декабря 2004 г. «О границах муниципальных образований Курской области», в ред. Закона №127-ЗКО от 17 декабря 2012 г. «О внесении дополнения в статью 1 Закона Курской области "О границах муниципальных образований Курской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Курская правда", №248, 18 декабря 2004 г. (Kursk Oblast Duma. Law #60-ZKO of December 1, 2004 On the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Kursk Oblast, as amended by the Law #127-ZKO of December 17, 2012 On Amending Article 1 of the Law of Kursk Oblast "On the Borders of the Municipal Formations of Kursk Oblast". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
- ^ "Об исчислении времени". Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). June 3, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
- ^ Почта России. Информационно-вычислительный центр ОАСУ РПО. (Russian Post). Поиск объектов почтовой связи (Postal Objects Search) (in Russian)
- ^ a b c Russian Federal State Statistics Service. Всероссийская перепись населения 2020 года. Том 1 [2020 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1] (XLS) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service.
- ^ a b "Ukrainian transit through the Sudzha GIS decreased by 7%, but did not stop". Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
- ^ Weiss, Michael; Rushton, James (August 14, 2024). "How Ukraine Caught Putin's Forces Off Guard in Kursk — And Why". New Lines Magazine. Archived from the original on August 14, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
Geolocated footage of Ukrainian troops and armor — much of it Western-provided — suggests Ukraine's near-total control of the town of Sudzha
- ^ Polityuk, Pavel; Hardcastle, Elaine; Russell, Ros (August 14, 2024). "Ukraine's state TV shows Ukrainian troops pulling down Russian flag in Sudzha" (News article). Reuters. Archived from the original on August 14, 2024. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ "Russia fighting intense battles against major Ukrainian incursion". Reuters. August 10, 2024.
- ^ a b "Який вигляд зараз має місто Суджа, яке контролюють українські військові? Ексклюзив hromadske" (in Ukrainian). Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ Tankov, Anatoly Alekseyevich (1913). "Суджанскiй уѣздъ" [Sudzhansky Uyezd]. Историческая лѣтопись курскаго дворянства (in Russian). Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
- ^ Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XI (in Polish). Warszawa. 1890. p. 555.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b "Sudzha district - the city of Sudzha". Demoscope Weekly. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ^ "Міфи та факти про «першу столицю України»" (in Ukrainian). March 28, 2014. Archived from the original on August 11, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
- ^ "Russia reports explosion in pipeline supplying gas to Europe". December 20, 2022. Archived from the original on August 15, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
- ^ Kelly, Lidia (June 4, 2023). Mallard, William; Macfie, Nick; Craft, Diane (eds.). "Russia says shoots down Ukraine-launched drones over Crimea, Kursk". Reuters. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
- ^ Cook, Ellie (August 6, 2024). ""Fierce fighting" erupts in Russia's border region amid Ukrainian raid". Newsweek.
- ^ Evans, Angelica; Mappes, Grace; Gasparyan, Davit; Wolkov, Nicole; Frederick W., Kagan (August 6, 2024). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment". Institute for the Study of War.
- ^ "Zelensky Confirms Capture of Sudzha in Kursk Region". Kyiv Post. August 15, 2024.
- ^ Fornusek, Martin (August 15, 2024). "Ukraine forms military administration in Russia's Kursk Oblast, Syrskyi says". The Kyiv Independent.
- ^ Kostenko, Maria; Danaher, Caitlin; Tanno, Sophie (August 15, 2024). "Ukraine captures Russian town of Sudzha as Kyiv's forces advance, Zelensky says". CNN.
- ^ "Lenin statue in Sudzha disappears — photo". The New Voice of Ukraine. August 16, 2024.
- ^ a b Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров [All Union Population Census of 1989: Present Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Oblasts and Okrugs, Krais, Oblasts, Districts, Urban Settlements, and Villages Serving as District Administrative Centers]. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики [Institute of Demography at the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. 1989 – via Demoscope Weekly.
- ^ Federal State Statistics Service (May 21, 2004). Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек [Population of Russia, Its Federal Districts, Federal Subjects, Districts, Urban Localities, Rural Localities—Administrative Centers, and Rural Localities with Population of Over 3,000] (XLS). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года [All-Russia Population Census of 2002] (in Russian).