About Donetsk

Donetsk, (Ukrainian Donetske), formerly Stalino, city, southeastern Ukraine, on the Kal'mius River. The capital of Donetsk Region, it is the largest city and chief industrial center of the Donets Basin. Among the city's principal manufactures are iron and steel, chemicals, machinery, electric equipment, and processed food. Donetsk is one of the largest cultural centers of Ukraine. It has three city theaters, Philarmony, Circus, Planetarium, 140 museums, 12 movie theaters. Donetsk also has 254 monuments. Donetsk is known as a host of many international festivals, such as "The stars of the World's ballet", "The Festival of young pianists", "The Festival of the Smith art", the Dancing tournament and many others. On the place of the modern Donetsk in the XVII century there were winter camps of Zaporozhian Cossacks. The city was founded in 1870, when a British manufacturer, John Hughes, received a concession from the Russian government to manufacture iron rails here. The community was named Yuzovka (also spelled Hughesovka) in his honor. The city grew rapidly in the 1920s. During World War II German troops occupied and severely damaged the city from 1941 to 1943. Donetsk was known as Stalino from 1924 to 1961, when the present name was adopted. The population of the city is 1,065,000. Donetsk covers 385 square km; it is 28 km long (north to south) and 55 km wide (west to east). Donetsk has 5 rivers carrying their waters through the city and even one sea of their own (Donetsk Sea - 206 hectare).