Vasylkiv

Vasylkiv was founded in 988 CE, and fortified in the 11th century.{{Cite web |title=Vasylkiv {{!}} city, Ukraine {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Vasylkiv |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}} According to the Primary Chronicle, it was the place where Vladimir the Great's numerous wives lived. After the Christianization of Kyiv, Vladimir built there a fortress and named it Vasilev, after his patron saint, Saint Basil (Vasily).{{Cite web |title=Vasylkiv |url=http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CV%5CA%5CVasylkiv.htm |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=www.encyclopediaofukraine.com}}

In the early 11th century, it was the birthplace of Saint Theodosius of Kiev.{{Cite web |title=Theodosius of Kiev |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803103815156 |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=Oxford Reference |language=en }} The Anthony and Theodosius Pechersky Church, built in the Ukrainian Baroque style in the 1750s, commemorates both Theodosius and Anthony of Kiev.{{Cite book |last=Alkov |first=Volodymyr |title=History of Ukraine and Ukrainian Culture |publisher=Kharkiv National Medical University |year=2018 |location=Kharkiv}}

In 1240, the city was destroyed by the invading Mongol Empire. It slowly recovered, and was incorporated as a city in 1796.

In 1658, the Russian military commander Yuri Baryatinsky defeated the army of hetman Ivan Vyhovsky's brother Konstantin near Vasylkiv, after the Ukrainian hetman switched sides in favour of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

The first medical quarantine house in Ukraine was established in Vasylkiv in 1740.

Through the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, Vasylkiv remained an obscure place, almost forgotten in spite of the glorious history and connection to many earlier historic events, it was put back on the map by an anecdotal story related to Catherine II of Russia. As per legend, while passing through it during the night, the carriage lost one wheel. Catherine II woke up from the sudden jerk, and asked the name of the town. When she fell asleep again, her servants repaired the wheel and the carriage moved again. She woke up again and upon learning that it is still Vasylkiv, she remarked : "A large town, indeed".{{Citation needed|date=February 2022}}

Russian troops in the city took part in the failed Decembrist revolt against the Russian Empire in 1825.

In 1918-1919, the city was liberated from Bolshevik control by the Ukrainian army several times, on February 28 the Battle of Vasylkiv took place. On April 5, the city was occupied by Ataman Zeleny's rebels, and the villagers of 7 surrounding villages joined these forces.{{Cite web|url=http://shron.chtyvo.org.ua/Bondarenko_Oleksandr/Rozdorizhzhia_Knyha_3.pdf|title=Роздоріжжя, стор. 135|accessdate=16 June 2015|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630040639/http://shron.chtyvo.org.ua/Bondarenko_Oleksandr/Rozdorizhzhia_Knyha_3.pdf|archivedate=30 June 2015|url-status=dead}} During the liberation struggle, Marko Shlyakhovy, aka Ataman Karmelyuk, based a rebel-peasant unit in the Kladova tract near the village of Dzvinkova, which conducted combat operations against the occupiers together with Ataman Zeleni's units.{{cite web|title=У Боярці на майдані закипає бій...|date=20 March 2018 |url=http://www.golos.com.ua/article/300901|accessdate=15 August 2020|archive-date=31 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131004357/http://www.golos.com.ua/article/300901}} Since 1920 - under Bolshevik rule. On August 24, 1919, during the offensive on Kyiv, Vasylkov was approached by units of the UNR Army. According to patrol reports, the city was occupied by enemy infantry. After the battle of Vasylkiv, the Black Zaporizhzhia Cavalry Regiment was freed from the occupying Russian troops.{{Cite web|url=http://fb2.booksgid.com/content/53/dyachenko-gavrilovich-chorn-zaporozhc-spomini-komandira-1-go-knnogo-polku-chornih-zaporozhcv-armyi-unr/16.html|title=Дяченко П. Чорні запорожці. Спомини командира 1-го кінного полку Чорних запорожців Армії УНР. — К.: «Стікс», 2010. — 448 с.|accessdate=24 December 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218194616/http://fb2.booksgid.com/content/53/dyachenko-gavrilovich-chorn-zaporozhc-spomini-komandira-1-go-knnogo-polku-chornih-zaporozhcv-armyi-unr/16.html|archivedate=18 December 2014|url-status=dead}}

Until 18 July 2020, Vasylkiv was incorporated as a city of oblast significance and served as the administrative center of Vasylkiv Raion even though it did not belong to the raion. In July 2020, as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Kyiv Oblast to seven, the city of Vasylkiv was merged into Obukhiv Raion.{{Cite news|title=Про утворення та ліквідацію районів. Постанова Верховної Ради України № 807-ІХ.|url=http://www.golos.com.ua/article/333466|access-date=2020-10-03|date=2020-07-18|website=Голос України|language=uk}}{{cite web |title=Нові райони: карти + склад |url=https://www.minregion.gov.ua/press/news/novi-rajony-karty-sklad/ |publisher=Міністерство розвитку громад та територій України |language=Ukrainian}}

In the early morning of 26 February 2022, Russian invasion forces landed near the city in an attempt to capture the Vasylkiv Air Base, resulting in the Battle of Vasylkiv.{{Cite web |title=Окупанти намагаються висадити десант у Василькові, йдуть бої |url=https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/3413199-okupanti-namagautsa-visaditi-desant-u-vasilkovi-jdut-boi.html |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=www.ukrinform.ua |date=26 February 2022 |language=uk}} According to the city's mayor {{ill|Natalia Balasinovich|uk|Баласинович Наталія Олександрівна}}, the fighting had died down by later that day, with Ukraine still in possession of the city.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-26 |title=Fight for Vasylkiv ends with victory of Ukrainian Armed Forces - official |url=https://en.trend.az/world/europe/3561147.html |access-date=2022-02-26 |website=Trend.Az |language=en}}

Claims have been made that Ukrainian aircraft shot down two Russian Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft transporting assault troops.{{cite web |title=Помста за Луганськ 2014: біля Василькова збили ІЛ-76 із ворожими десантниками |trans-title=Revenge for Luhansk 2014: IL-76 with enemy paratroopers was shot down near Vasylkiv |url=https://www.unian.ua/war/pomsta-za-lugansk-2014-bilya-vasilkova-zbili-il-76-iz-vorozhimi-desantnikami-novini-donbasu-11718625.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226021300/https://gum.criteo.com/syncframe?origin=publishertag&topUrl=www.unian.ua |archive-date=26 February 2022 |access-date=26 February 2022 |publisher=Unian |language=uk}}{{cite web |title=На Донбасі збили російський вертоліт і штурмовик |trans-title=A Russian helicopter and an attack aircraft were shot down in Donbass |url=https://portal.lviv.ua/news/2022/02/26/na-donbasi-zbyly-rosijskyj-vertolit-i-shturmovyk |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227030657/https://portal.lviv.ua/news/2022/02/26/na-donbasi-zbyly-rosijskyj-vertolit-i-shturmovyk |archive-date=27 February 2022 |access-date=26 February 2022 |website=portal.lviv.ua |language=uk}}{{Cite news |date=26 February 2022 |title=US officials say 2 Russian transport planes shot down over Ukraine |work=Times of Israel |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-officials-say-2-russian-transport-planes-shot-down-over-ukraine/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220226095640/https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-officials-say-2-russian-transport-planes-shot-down-over-ukraine/ |archive-date=26 February 2022}} According to Ukrainian accounts, the first plane was reportedly shot down at Vasylkiv airbase, “killing upwards of 250 elite Russian paratroopers with a single missile.” A second plane was also claimed to have been shot down over Bila Tserkva, which was allegedly carrying over 100 paratroopers.[https://www.kyivpost.com/post/6038The Decisive Battle of the Russo-Ukraine War So Far: Putin’s Disastrous Attempt to Capture Kyiv][https://twitter.com/kyivindependent/status/1497392300019920897?s=46&t=w92MrkBRhc0b89XGeFgWoA ⚡️Second Russian Il-76 transporter downed. Ukraine’s air defense near Bila Tserkva killed the second aircraft that could carry over 100 paratroopers for landing to the south of Kyiv. Source: Ukraine’s State Agency for Special Communications.]

As of 18 January 2024, claims that Ukraine had killed 350 paratroopers in the downed planes were still unconfirmed by independent sources.[https://www.kyivpost.com/post/26754 Double Shootdown of Russian Spy and Command Aircraft – Expensive Losses but Still Plenty of Questions]

In the morning of 27 February 2022, Russian forces struck an oil depot in the city, leading to large explosions and fires.{{cite tweet |author=NEXTA |user=nexta_tv |number=1497709487104397318 |date=26 February 2022 |title=❗️ A massive explosion in #Kyiv It is reported that an oil depot near #Vasylkiv is on fire as a result of the strike. If this is true, a large-scale technogenic and environmental catastrophe is possible. https://t.co/Yq1mx6ZNKZ |language=en |access-date=28 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220227000711/https://twitter.com/nexta_tv/status/1497709487104397318 |archive-date=27 February 2022 |url-status=live}}

Distribution of the population by native language according to the 2001 census:{{cite web | url=https://socialdata.org.ua/projects/mova-2001/ | title=Рідні мови в об'єднаних територіальних громадах України }}

Wikiexpedition Vasylkiv 069.JPG|A street in the downtown

Церква Святого Миколая (Васильків).jpg|City panorama

Wikiexpedition Vasylkiv 033.jpg|Remnants of medieval defensive walls in the city

Собор Антонія і Феодосія.jpg|Sts. Anthony and Theodosius Cathedral (18th century)

Wikiexpedition_Vasylkiv_079.JPG|St. Nicholas Church (18th century)

Wikiexpedition Vasylkiv 043.JPG|Former synagogue, later "Vasylkiv-2" railway station terminal (19th century)

Wikiexpedition Vasylkiv 055.jpg|Stuhna River in Vasylkiv

Wikiexpedition Vasylkiv 059.jpg|Vasylkiv Air Force College building

Васильків, Покровська, 2 (1).jpg|A school

Wikiexpedition Vasylkiv 118.JPG|Children dance studio lesson in Vasylkiv Culture House

• Theodosius of Pechersk (1009-1074) - Eastern Orthodox saint and missionary
• Petro Poletyka (1778-1849) - Russian imperial statesman of Ukrainian origin
• Mykola Melnychenko (born 1966) – member of Ukrainian security services and political personality
• Vitalina Bibliv (born 1980) - Ukrainian actress
• Jerry Heil (born 1995) – Ukrainian singer, songwriter, and YouTuber

{{reflist}}

{{EB1911 poster|Vasilkov}}

{{refbegin}}

• [http://vasilkov.info/ vasilkov.INFO] - Vasylkiv city website {{in lang|uk}}
• [https://vasylkiv.today vasylkiv.today] - the first independent news portal and social network of Vasylkiv {{in lang|uk}}

[https://web.archive.org/web/20050125211111/http://www.kyiv-obl.gov.ua/viewradi.php3?m=61 kyiv-obl.gov.ua] - Site about Vasylkiv on Kyiv Oblast's Administration website {{in lang|uk}}

{{ZN-2|Soldatenko, Valeriy|A large town of Vasilkov|January 26 - February 1|2002|[http://www.zerkalo-nedeli.com/nn/show/378/33583/ Russian]|[https://zn.ua/ukr/SOCIUM/velike_misto_vasilkiv.html Ukrainian]}}

• [http://www.cultinfo.ru/fulltext/1/001/007/018/18679.htm Vasylkiv, of Kyiv Guberniya], an article in Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary {{in lang|ru}}

{{refend}}

{{Kyiv Oblast}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Kyiv Oblast

Category:Vasilkovsky Uyezd

Category:Cities of regional significance in Ukraine

Category:Kyiv metropolitan area