Slavutych Urban Territorial Community

From the first day of the full-scale invasion of enemy troops of the Russian Federation into the territory of Ukraine, Slavutych found itself blockaded. Due to intense hostilities all around, the town was completely cut off from other cities, towns and villages of Ukraine, barbaric shelling of the surrounding communities was underway, military equipment was advancing from the territory of Russia and Belarus, the Chornobyl exclusion zone was captured by the enemy, the operational personnel of the Chornobyl NPP became hostages of the aggressor, the surrounding communities were occupied, access roads to the town were blocked, mobile towers and main Internet networks were damaged, there was no electricity supply for a week.It was possible to get to the “Big Land” only through the forest and swamps in small cars risking life.

Slavutych was on the verge of a humanitarian disaster, and the town’s residents suffered from a lack of medicine, fuel, food, hygiene products, etc.In this difficult and terrible time, the people of Slavutych showed unprecedented solidarity and indomitable spirit. Government, business, and community representatives created a town-wide humanitarian volunteer hub and worked together around the clock to provide community residents with at least minimum food, medicine, emergency medical care, utilities, communications etc.

On March 23-25, we fought the invaders on the approaches to the town and in the suburbs.

Unfortunately, however, the forces were unequal, and on March 26, after fighting on the outskirts of the town, the invaders entered Slavutych, captured the mayor, searched people for weapons, looted the town’s infrastructure, damaged municipal and private property etc. On the same day, more than 7,000 Slavutych residents came out for a peaceful protest against the Russian occupation.The occupiers tried to stop the brave and peaceful demonstrators with automatic shots and stun grenades, but the residents of our town did not get scared, refused to give up and continued to loudly express their pro-Ukrainian position.The community suffered losses – four defenders died in battles on the outskirts of the town. One person was seriously injured during a peaceful anti-occupation protest.

Thanks to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the occupiers were expelled from Slavutych, as well as from the occupied surrounding communities.

During the hostilities and occupation, the Russian military damaged power lines at the Chornobyl NPP which feeds Slavutych and deprived the non-gasified town of electricity, forcing the residents of Slavutych to gather firewood and cook over campfires.The occupiers mined the surrounding suburban territory, damaged a lot of utility equipment, and now, the town’s utility services are unable to effectively perform their duties and repair damaged property.

During the entire period of the war, Slavutych provided shelter for more than 1,000 residents of Chernihiv and surrounding communities.

Today, the community is preparing to receive over 1,000 migrants from other locations of Ukraine, where urban infrastructure has been damaged as a result of the barbaric military actions of the Russian aggressor.

Slavutych is Ukraine’s youngest town, the town of the White Angel, located at the confluence of the Desna and Dnipro rivers, 200 kilometres north of Kyiv.Slavutych is an atomic town that was built for the employees of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant and their families in 1987 after the most powerful radiation accident in the world which occurred at the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in 1986.Today, Slavutych is a town of new ideas

It has unique post-modern architecture, where you can feel the unsurpassed atmosphere of combining several cultures alongside.

Slavutych became an international platform for engineers and scientists to exchange experience in the field of nuclear energy, ecology and the latest technologies.The community has open government and international cooperation with EU countries, Japan, the USA and France in the areas of mitigation of the consequences of the Chornobyl accident, business support, tourism development, information technology, energy efficiency, etc.

The tourist cluster “Chornobyl NPP – Slavutych – Medieval Chernihiv of the Times of Kyivan Rus – Ancient Lyubech” was organized in the community.Also, a number of cultural events are held here every year: the International Festival of Children’s Democracy, Television, Press and Creativity “Golden Autumn of Slavutych”, the GoldenFest festival, an art residence for artists, etc.

In May 2021, the Strategic Plan for the Development of the Territorial Community until 2025 was approved in Slavutych.

The main strategic goals of the community are as follows:

1. To increase the competitiveness of the town’s economy
2. To improve the quality and comfort of life of the residents
3. To increase the efficiency of the municipality and community involvement

Promising projects of Slavutych within the framework of the Strategic Development Plan:

– Slavutych as an energy-independent eco-town
– Slavutych as a laboratory town of barrier-free solutions
– Slavutych as a rehabilitation hub for restoring the health of adults and children with physical and mental injuries sustained as a result of military aggression
– Slavutych – as a shelter town for internally displaced persons
– Slavutych  as an interregional cycling recreation location for health improvement and relaxation
– Slavutych as a catalyst of economic development for territories bordering with countries unfriendly to Ukraine
– Slavutych as a Smart Town: integration of information and communication technologies for residents
– Slavutych as a care and leisure centre for the elderly.

Also, the Slavutych community is implementing the Action Plan for Sustainable Energy Development and Climate of the Town of Slavutych until 2030, the programmes Slavutych as a Barrier-Free Town for 2021-2024 and Public Participation Budget of the Town of Slavutych for 2021-2025

• Official website “Slavutych Urban Community”
• Official website of the Regional Development Agency of the Slavutych Town Council
• Official website Investment portal “Slavutych-Chernihiv region”
• Investment portal “Slavutych-Chernihiv region”
• Official website of the Chornobyl NPP
• Strategic plan for the development of the Slavutych urban territorial community until 2025
• Action plan for Sustainable Energy Development and Climate of the Town of Slavutych until 2030