Ilovaisk (, ; ) is a city in Donetsk Raion, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine; residence of Ilovaisk urban hromada. The city is de facto annexed by Russia and administered by the Donetsk People's Republic.
The city is known as a major regional railroad hub. It was also the site of a battle in the war in Donbas. The city has a population of , 17,620 (2001).
History During the Ukrainian War of Independence, from 1917 to 1920, it passed between various factions. Afterwards, it was administratively part of the Donets Governorate of Ukraine.
Battle of Ilovaisk
Starting in mid-April 2014, Russian paramilitaries captured several towns in Donetsk Oblast, including Ilovaisk. On 19 August 2014, Ukrainian forces reportedly secured the city centre from the Russia-backed militants; fighting for control of other parts of the town continued. The next morning they claimed they had control over one half of the town, with the town divided by a railroad line. On 21 August, the Ukrainian Armed Forces claimed that heavy fighting continued "in some districts of Ilovaisk", while the Russia-backed forces claimed they had repelled the Ukrainian military and surrounded a contingent of Ukrainian troops. Fighting for control of the town continued over the next days. The Russian Armed Forces retook the city as of 1 September 2014.
Demographics Ethnic composition according to the 2001 Ukrainian census.
Native language as of the Ukrainian Census of 2001:
Notable people Stanislav Hurenko (1936–2013), Ukrainian politician Mikhail Tolstykh (1980–2017), Ukrainian separatist and wanted war criminal
References
External links