Slovianoserbsk

Slovianoserbsk [Слов’яносербськ; Slov’janoserbs'k]. Map: V-19, DB Map: DBII-5. A town smt (2011 pop 8,065) on the Donets River and a raion center in Luhansk oblast. To protect its southern frontier from the Tatars, the Russian government attracted colonists from Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Poland and in 1753 set up the military settlement of Pidhirne (see Sloviano-Serbia). In 1784 it was granted town status and renamed Donetske. Because of frequent flooding the town was moved in 1817 and renamed Slovianoserbsk. Until 1882 it served as a county center of Katerynoslav gubernia. Many of its residents made their living as chumaks, carrying grain to the Sea of Azov ports and bringing back salt and fish. In 1964 the settlement attained smt status, and in 1966 it became a raion center. It has a dairy industry, a bakery, and a fruit-canning factory.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 4 (1993).]