{{short description|City in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine}} {{For|the village in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine|Rubizhne, Chuhuiv Raion}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Rubizhne | native_name = {{lang|uk|Рубіжне|italics=no}} | settlement_type = City | image_skyline = {{Photomontage|position=center | photo1a = Rubizhne panorama.jpg | photo2a = Братська могила воїнів Рубіжне 1.jpg | photo2b = Holy Assumption churchl, Rubizhne (3).JPG | photo3a = South church, Rubizhne (1).JPG | photo3b = South palace of culture, Rubizhne (3).JPG | size = 250 | spacing = 2 | color = #FFFFFF | border = 0 }} | imagesize = | image_caption = | image_flag = Rubeznoe.png | image_shield = Coat of arms Rubizhne.svg | nickname = | motto = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Ukraine}} | subdivision_type1 = Oblast | subdivision_name1 = Luhansk Oblast | subdivision_type3 = Hromada | subdivision_name3 = Rubizhne urban hromada | established_title = Founded | established_date = 1896 | established_title1 = City status | established_date1 = 1934 | leader_title = | leader_name = | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | population_as_of = 2022 | population_note = | population_total = 55247 | population_footnotes = | population_metro = | population_density_km2 = | pushpin_map = Ukraine Luhansk Oblast#Ukraine | pushpin_label_position = right <!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none --> | pushpin_map_caption = Location of Rubizhne in the Luhansk Oblast##Location of Rubizhne in Ukraine | pushpin_mapsize = | coordinates = {{coord|49|00|36|N|38|22|17|E|region:UA|display=inline,title}} | elevation_m = 74 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = | blank_name = Climate | blank_info = Dfb | website = https://agr-lnr.ru/ | footnotes = | pushpin_relief = y | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 12 | mapframe-wikidata = yes | subdivision_type2 = Raion | subdivision_name2 = Sievierodonetsk Raion }}
thumb|Railway station '''Rubizhne''' ({{langx|uk|Рубіжне}}, {{IPA|uk|rʊˈbiʒne|IPA|Uk-Рубіжне.ogg}}; {{langx|ru|Рубежное|Rubezhnoye}}, {{IPA|ru|rʊˈbʲeʐnəjə|IPA}}) is a city in Luhansk Oblast, in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. Situated on the left bank of the Donets River near the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk. Prior to 2020, it was a city of oblast significance, before the designation was abolished.
In 2014, at the start of the war in Donbas, Rubizhne was contested between Ukrainian and pro-Russian separatist forces. From mid-2014 until early 2022, the city was under control of Ukrainian forces. From early 2022 it has been under Russian control following their victory in the Battle of Rubizhne. Russia claimed Rubizhne as part of their Luhansk People's Republic since its annexation of the region in September 2022.
The city had an estimated population of {{Ua-pop-est2022|56,247|showyear=false|,}} as of January 2022, its current population is unknown.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}
== History ==
Rubizhne was founded in 1895 and incorporated as a city in 1934. The city started growing from a railway station built in 1904. A local newspaper is published in the city since March 1931.<ref>№ 2908. Ленинский призыв // Летопись периодических и продолжающихся изданий СССР 1986 - 1990. Часть 2. Газеты. М., «Книжная палата», 1994. стр.381-382 (''tr "No. 2908. Lenin's appeal // Chronicle of periodicals and continuing publications of the USSR 1986 - 1990. Part 2. Newspapers. M., "Book Chamber", 1994. pp. 381-382"'')</ref>
During World War II, in 1942–1943, the German occupiers operated a Nazi prison in the town.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bundesarchiv.de/zwangsarbeit/haftstaetten/index.php?action=2.2&tab=7&id=788 |title=Gefängnis Rubižne |trans-title=Rubizne Prison |website=Bundesarchiv.de|access-date=9 April 2022|language=de}}</ref>
At the outbreak of the war in Donbas in mid-April 2014, pro-Russian forces captured several towns in Luhansk Oblast,<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://newrepublic.com/article/117387/putin-accidentally-helping-unite-eastern-and-western-ukraine|title=Vladimir Putin Is Accidentally Bringing Eastern and Western Ukraine Together|magazine=The New Republic|date=16 April 2014|access-date=12 April 2018|last1=Ragozin|first1=Leonid}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.itar-tass.com/world/735082|title=Donbass defenders put WWII tank back into service}}</ref> including Rubizhne. On 21 July 2014, Ukrainian forces secured the city from the militants.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.apa.az/xeber_ukrainian_troops_take_control_of_three_s_214217.html|title=Ukrainian troops take control of three settlements in Donetsk region|first=APA Information Agency, APA|last=Holding|website=apa.az|access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://espreso.tv/news/2014/08/16/u_zvilnenomu_rubizhnomu_pidnyaly_vosmymetrovyy_prapor_ukrayiny|title=In his eight freed Rubezhnoye raised the flag of Ukraine|publisher=Espreso TV|language=uk |access-date=2014-08-16}}</ref>
=== 2022 Russian invasion === {{Main|Battle of Rubizhne}} 250px|thumb|right|Destroyed Rubizhne after the battle in 2022. During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, within the Eastern Ukraine offensive, Rubizhne came under heavy shelling from the Russian military. Some of the most intense strikes occurred late in March 2022, which destroyed dozens of buildings and caused civilian casualties.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rubizhne under shelling by Russian troops: four people killed, 10 civilians wounded over past day |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3432682-rubizhne-under-shelling-by-russian-troops-four-people-killed-10-civilians-wounded-over-past-day.html |access-date=1 April 2022 |agency=Ukrinform |issue=17 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref> An attack on a nitric acid facility in Rubizhne was reported on 9 April 2022.<ref>[https://m.dw.com/en/ukraine-boris-johnson-in-kyiv-meeting-with-zelenskyy-as-it-happened/a-61416598 Ukraine: Boris Johnson in Kyiv meeting with Zelenskyy — as it happened] 9 April 2022 ''dw.com'' accessed 10 April 2022</ref>
During the battle of Donbas, on 21 April, Russia reportedly captured the city, although Ukraine denied that.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3463507-haidai-refutes-russias-fake-report-on-seizing-rubizhne.html | title=Haidai refutes Russia's fake report on seizing Rubizhne | date=21 April 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-04-21 |title=World War II Soviet victory flag begins to appear across parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine |url=https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-04-21-22#h_de5b5ad30159ad3d5d975d5707765b90 |access-date=2022-04-24 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> Ramzan Kadyrov, the president of Chechnya, then stated that Russia had "liberated" the city on 25 April.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Новости |first=Р. И. А. |date=2022-04-25 |title=День 61-й: освобождение города Рубежное и сорванная эвакуация с "Азовстали" |url=https://ria.ru/20220425/spetsoperatsiya-1785420563.html |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=РИА Новости |language=ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Яковенко |first=Яна |date=2022-04-25 |title=Кадыров сообщил о полном освобождении города Рубежное |url=https://iz.ru/1325985/2022-04-25/kadyrov-soobshchil-o-polnom-osvobozhdenii-goroda-rubezhnoe |access-date=2022-04-30 |website=Известия |language=ru}}</ref>
On 12 May, it was reported that Ukrainian forces had fully retreated from the settlement to take up new defensive positions near Sievierodonetsk and had destroyed a bridge in order to slow the Russian advance.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-05-13-22#h_67faa3f08da188441de767341e390737 |title=Ukrainian forces lose foothold in eastern town|work=CNN|date=13 May 2022}}</ref>
Ukrainian forces were then forced from Sieverodonetsk in July 2022. Rubizhne remains under Russian control, as of December 2023.
==Demographics== Rubizhne had 65,322 inhabitants in the Ukrainian Census of 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukrcensus.gov.ua |title=Офіційна сторінка Всеукраїнського перепису населення |trans-title=Official page of the All-Ukrainian census |website=www.ukrcensus.gov.ua|access-date=12 April 2018}}</ref> The city's population declined to 59,951 by 1 January 2014.
The ethnic composition according to the Ukrainian Census of 2001:<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pages%5CR%5CU%5CRubizhne.htm | title=Entry Display Web Page }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Îô³ö³éíà ñòîð³íêà Âñåóêðà¿íñüêîãî ïåðåïèñó íàñåëåííÿ | url=http://www.ukrcensus.gov.ua/ | access-date=2025-02-12 | website=www.ukrcensus.gov.ua}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://datatowel.in.ua/pop-composition/ethnic-cities | title=Національний склад міст }}</ref> {{bar box|title=Ethnic groups in Rubizhne|titlebar=#ddd|left1=|right1=percent|bars={{bar percent|Ukrainians|dodgerblue|66.34}} {{bar percent|Russians|purple|31.34}} {{bar percent|Belarusians|red|0.74}} {{bar percent|Armenians|brown|0.38}} {{bar percent|Tatars|olive|0.11}} {{bar percent|Moldovans|pink|0.09}} {{bar percent|Azerbaijanis|green|0.09}} {{bar percent|Ashkenazi Jews|black|0.07}} {{bar percent|Poles|yellow|0.06}} {{bar percent|Georgians|lightgreen|0.05}}}}
==Economy== Prior to the 2022 war, Rubizhne was known for its chemical and pharmaceutical plants and factories. The headquarters of "Microkhim", the largest Ukrainian producer of substances and medicines for cardiology,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.microkhim.com.ua/history-en |title=Microkhim History |work=microkhim.com.ua |access-date=2010-05-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901032037/http://www.microkhim.com.ua/history-en|archive-date=2010-09-01}}</ref> was situated in Rubizhne. One of Ukraine's biggest plastic pipe plants, {{ill|Rubezhnoye Pipe Plant|uk|Рубіжанський трубний завод|ru|Рубежанский трубный завод}}, is also located in the town.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}
==Notable people== Rubizhne is the town of birth of MMA Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko, and Olympic champion in fencing Vladimir Smirnov.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://rubizhne.lg.ua/ Official site of Rubizhne city council]
{{Luhansk Oblast}} {{2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine}} {{Authority control}} {{Portal bar||Ukraine|Geography|}}
Category:Cities in Luhansk Oblast Category:Sievierodonetsk Raion Category:Populated places destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine Category:Yekaterinoslav Governorate Category:Donets Category:Populated places established in the Russian Empire Category:Populated places established in 1895