Donetsk, Rostov Oblast

Donetsk is a town in Rostov Oblast, Russia, close to the border with Ukraine. It lies along the Seversky Donets River and is about 388 kilometers west of Volgograd by road. The town was known as Gundorovka until 1955. Over the years, its population has changed, with about 50,000 people living there in 2010, according to the census.

History

The settlement of Donetsk was founded in 1681 by the Don Cossacks. Over time, it was controlled by different groups, including the Don Soviet Republic, the Don Republic, Soviet Russia, and Soviet Ukraine. During World War II, the town was occupied by Germany from 1942 to 1943.

Before 1955, the town was called Gundorovka. In 2005, a museum named the Donetsk Museum of History and Ethnography was built there.

Administrative status

Donetsk is part of an area called an Urban Okrug. This means it has the same importance as other areas known as districts. In terms of local government, Donetsk also has the status of an urban okrug.