Henichesk, Kherson Oblast, Ukraine

🇺🇦 Henichesk (Гені́чеськ) is a port city along the Sea of Azov in Kherson Oblast (province) of southern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative centre of Henichesk Raion (district). Henichesk hosts the administration of Henichesk urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the city has been under Russian occupation. Following the 2022 Ukrainian southern counteroffensive, Henichesk became the de facto administrative centre of the oblast under Russian occupation.

History In 1640 Evliya Çelebi mentioned a Chenishke fortress. The name Henichesk is derived from a Turkic root for "narrow" referring to a thin strip of Azov Sea nearby. In 1648 Guillaume de Beauplan described it: "is but two hundred paces over, and fordable in calm weather". After the annexation of Crimean Khanate, Henichesk was founded as a fort by the Russian Empire in 1784 and from 1812 was also known as Ust-Ozivske. It was a port and a trade centre on the salt route that went from Crimea north to Ukraine and Russia. At the turn of the 20th century, it was the location of one of the largest flour mills in southern Ukraine.

During World War II, the town was occupied by Germany. The Germans operated a prison in the town.

2022 Russian invasion On 24 February 2022, Henichesk was seized by the Russian army in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A famous incident occurred where an old woman confronted Russian soldiers and said "Put sunflower seeds in your pockets so they grow on Ukraine soil when you die". The city was also the scene of the death of Vitalii Skakun, who died blowing up a bridge to stop the Russian advance.

On 18 April, Russian occupiers restored the monument of Lenin, which had been removed by the Ukrainian government as part of the country's decommunization process.

On 3 June, Volodymyr Zelenskyy decreed the creation of a military administration for the city.

On 9 November, separatist leader and deputy head of the military–civilian administration of Russian-occupied Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, died in a crash near Henichesk.

On 21 November, Ismail Abdullaiev and the Tavria TV [ru] channel that he directs relocated to Henichesk.