Donets'k

A city founded by a Welshman in 1869 and named after himself — Yuzivka (from Hughes). A city that Stalin renamed Stalino in 1924 and Khrushchev transformed into Donetsk in 1961. A city that had Ukraine’s finest football stadium hosting Euro 2012 matches, the largest botanical garden in the coalfield region and half a million rose bushes. A city that has been under occupation by the Russian Federation since 6 April 2014.

This text is not a travel guide. It is an overview article about a Ukrainian city you cannot visit right now. As with Prypiat or Mariupol, we write about Donetsk not as an active itinerary but as a part of Ukraine that is temporarily inaccessible and waiting to return. Everything below is either history, or what existed before 2014, or what is worth knowing about this city.

⚠️ Current situation. Donetsk has been under military occupation by the Russian Federation since 6 April 2014 and since September 2022 has been formally «annexed» by Russia (Ukraine and the UN recognise it as a Ukrainian city). Travel here from Ukrainian-controlled territory is physically impossible and dangerous: the front line runs tens of kilometres away; entry is only possible through Russian-occupied territory. We do not recommend any travel to Donetsk under current conditions. This article preserves the historical and cultural memory of the city as it was before the occupation.

📍 City at a Glance

Founded	1869 (Welshman John Hughes established a metallurgical plant and the settlement of Yuzivka)
Administrative status	Regional capital of Donetsk Oblast (since 2014 administrative functions transferred to Kramatorsk)
Current status	Temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation since 6 April 2014
Historic territory	Southern Wild Fields, Donbas (industrial since the 19th century)
Population	~1 million (1989, peak); ~960 000 before 2014; reliable current data unavailable
Area	~358 km2
Main river	Kalmius
Former names	Yuzivka (1869–1924), Staline/Stalino (1924–1961), Donetsk (from 1961)
Nicknames	City of a million roses, capital of Donbas, «Yuzovka»

In This Article

1. What kind of city is this
2. Location and character
3. History in brief
4. Legends and urban myths
5. What Donetsk had before 2014
6. What the city is like now
7. What to see after de-occupation
8. Frequently asked questions

What Kind of City Is This

Until 6 April 2014, Donetsk was Ukraine’s fifth largest city (~960 000 residents), the regional capital of Donetsk Oblast, the industrial capital of Donbas and one of the most dynamic cities in the east. Here stood Donbas Arena — Ukraine’s finest football stadium, built to European standards and opened in 2009. Here played Shakhtar Donetsk — the most successful Ukrainian football club of the 21st century (at that point). The city hosted four matches of the 2012 UEFA European Championship, including a semi-final.

The city was industrial in spirit yet also green: Pushkin Boulevard with its acacia alleys, Shcherbakov Park (the central city park), a Botanical Garden of 261 ha (one of the largest in Europe for an industrial city). The unofficial slogan: «City of a million roses» — for the annual plantings that the city administration had been carrying out since the 1960s. In certain years Donetsk genuinely planted over a million rose bushes in a single season.

Before 2014 people came here for three reasons. First: business, especially in coal and metallurgy (Donetsk was the residence of Rinat Akhmetov’s SCM, Ukraine’s largest private business). Second: football, concerts, Euro 2012. Third: the Donbas as an economic region with its own character, cuisine, accent and the identity of a mining city.

Location and Character of the City

Donetsk stands on the Donetsk Ridge — the geologically oldest part of modern Ukraine, with hard coal that formed approximately 350 million years ago. Elevation above sea level is about 220 m. Running through the centre is the Kalmius — a small steppe river that within the city limits forms several reservoirs. To the east lies Makiivka (practically a conurbation with Donetsk); to the north — Horlivka and Yenakiieve (birthplace of Yanukovych).

The city has a clear radial-ring geometry: a centre on the right bank of the Kalmius, from which long boulevards radiate — Artema (now Soborny), Illicha, Lenina, Teatralnyi. Each leads into a workers’ district of mines and plants. Khimikiv, Lidiivka, Tekstylnyk, Budyonnivskyi — not just districts, but distinct stories, each with its own character.

Before 2014 the centre was extraordinarily green and clean (by industrial-city standards), with the pedestrian Pushkin Boulevard, cafes, restaurants and shopping centres. A particular «Instagram spot» — the fountains on Lenin Square at night. In the 2010s Donetsk invested more in urban infrastructure ahead of Euro 2012 than any other Ukrainian city except Kyiv.

History in Brief

Yuzivka: a Welshman in the Wild Fields (1869–1924)

In 1869 the Welsh engineer John Hughes (John James Hughes) arrived from London to the Bakhmut district of the Russian Empire with his family and a team of several hundred Welsh workers. Hughes had obtained a concession to build a metallurgical plant and mine coal. On the right bank of the Kalmius, in the middle of the steppe, he established a metallurgical plant and a workers’ settlement named Yuzivka — after the founder’s surname (Hughes → «Yuz»). Within a few decades Yuzivka had become the leading industrial city of Donbas: by 1917 there were over 50 mines, several metallurgical plants and a railway hub. Hughes died in 1889 in St Petersburg and is buried in London, but his name remained in the city’s title for 55 years.

Stalino: Soviet industrialisation (1924–1961)

In 1924, on the wave of Soviet renaming after leaders, Yuzivka became Staline (then Stalino) in honour of Joseph Stalin. This began the era of Soviet industrialisation: forced collectivisation, the Holodomor (Donetsk Oblast suffered, though less than the central regions), Stalinist five-year plans, mass influx of workers from across the USSR. By the early 1940s, Stalino had become one of the five largest industrial cities in the Soviet Union.

World War II struck the city hard: Nazi German occupation from October 1941 to September 1943, the destruction of the Jewish population (Stalino had one of Ukraine’s largest Jewish communities — up to 30 000 people), and the demolition of mines and plants during the retreats of both sides. The city was rebuilt over 1945–1955.

Donetsk: peak of Soviet glory (1961–1991)

In 1961, on the wave of de-Stalinisation, Khrushchev renamed Stalino Donetsk — after the Siverskyi Donets river and the Donetsk Ridge. In the 1960s–1980s this was the «coal Hollywood» of the USSR: the city with the highest wages for workers, the best sports infrastructure (the Shakhtar stadium, demolished in 2007 to build Donbas Arena), a powerful cultural network. Famous mining dynasties were established here: work underground was considered prestigious and well-paid. By the 1980s the city’s population had exceeded one million.

Independent Ukraine: decline, then the «Akhmetov era» (1991–2014)

The 1990s were hard: the collapse of the coal industry, mine closures, unemployment, crime. But by the 2000s the city had changed: Rinat Akhmetov appeared — the Donetsk oligarch who bought Shakhtar, built Donbas Arena (2009, $400 million), invested in the reconstruction of the centre, cafes and shopping centres. By 2014 Donetsk looked like one of the most modern and dynamic cities in Ukraine. It hosted Euro 2012 (4 matches including a semi-final), and received European delegations.

Occupation: 6 April 2014 and beyond

After the Revolution of Dignity and the start of the annexation of Crimea, pro-Russian rallies began in Donetsk in March–April 2014. On 6 April 2014 an armed group under the command of Russian special services seized the Donetsk Regional State Administration. A week later the «Donetsk People’s Republic» (DNR) was proclaimed. The Ukrainian army withdrew its garrison without fighting to avoid mass civilian casualties. Since 6 April 2014, Donetsk has been under military occupation by the Russian Federation.

A month after the occupation, in May 2014, Donbas Arena ceased to function: Shakhtar relocated to Lviv, then to Kharkiv, then to Kyiv. In August 2014 a mortar shell fell near the arena; it has stood closed ever since. In September 2022 Russia held a «referendum» on the «annexation» of Donetsk Oblast to Russia (not recognised by any democratic country). Active combat operations on the front line continue at present, 30–50 km from the city.

FC Shakhtar Donetsk left its home city on 15 May 2014, after its training base came under fire. Since then the club has played in «exile» for 11+ years: Lviv (2014–2017), Kharkiv (2017–2020), Kyiv and again Lviv (from 2020). This is the longest period of «football exile» in the history of European football for a club that never stopped competing. In home matches Shakhtar takes the field under the anthem «Glory to Ukraine» and the flag of Donetsk.

Legends and Urban Myths

1. The Welshman who founded Donbas

The story of John Hughes is one of the most remarkable in Ukrainian industrial history. In 1869, a 55-year-old Welshman who had never before set foot in the Russian Empire received a concession and sailed from London to Taganrog with his family and a team of Welsh engineers. In the middle of a wild steppe, with no infrastructure whatsoever, he founded not merely a factory but an entire city that within 50 years had become a million-strong metropolis. Yuzivka retained its Welsh imprint for decades: an Anglican church, an English-language school and a Welsh football club all operated here. Hughes died in 1889 and is buried in London. His descendants visited Yuzivka three times before 1917 on family trips. Locals say: «Strip out the Welsh trace from Donetsk, and all that’s left is steppe.»

2. The city of a million roses

In the 1960s–1980s Donetsk officially carried the nickname «City of a million roses.» How? Every spring the municipal authority planted from 200 000 to 1 000 000 rose bushes in flower beds, parks and on boulevards. They bloomed from May to October. This was a deliberate contrast to the image of a «miners’» black city — an intentional Soviet propaganda strategy to show that «Stalino»/Donetsk was not only coal and metal. In 2007 the city entered the Guinness Book of Records as the «city with the highest number of roses per resident.» Some Donetsk natives still recognise each other by the word «rose.»

3. Underground mining ghosts

As in any mining city, Donetsk has legends of underground mysticism. The most famous is «Shubin»: a mountain spirit that lives in the coal seams and periodically warns miners of danger. If a cold draught appears in a working face for no visible reason, a lamp goes out without cause, or a knocking comes from inside a wall — that is Shubin saying it is time to get out. Many older Donetsk miners genuinely believed in him (while younger ones pretended not to, but checked the ventilation anyway). Shubin has an official monument in Donetsk — near the Drama Theatre, in the form of a bearded old man with a lantern. Before 2014 it was an obligatory photo spot in the city.

What Donetsk Had Before 2014

Below is a list of key sites that made Donetsk distinctive before the occupation. All of them are located in a city that is currently inaccessible from Ukrainian-controlled territory. Many have suffered damage or destruction.

Donbas Arena

Donbas Arena — a football stadium seating 52 187, opened in 2009. One of the few stadiums in Ukraine built entirely with private funds (~$400 million of Rinat Akhmetov’s investment). UEFA-certified to the highest «Elite» category. It hosted 4 matches of Euro 2012, including the semi-final (Spain — Portugal). Architecturally one of the finest modern sports venues in Ukraine: elliptical form, glass facade, unique interior lighting. Non-functional since May 2014; in August 2014 a mortar shell landed near the arena, damaging an entrance. Its condition under occupation is estimated by various sources at anywhere from «mothballed» to «gradually deteriorating.»

Pushkin Boulevard

Pushkin Boulevard — the main pedestrian street of Donetsk, the «Donetsk Khreshchatyk.» It runs through the centre from the Opera and Ballet Theatre to Shcherbakov Park. On both sides: cafes, restaurants, shops, sculptures, fountains. A distinctive detail: the boulevard featured dozens of bronze fantasy sculptures (Donetsk sculptor Kotliarevsky worked in a style of surrealist miniatures) — a miner, a leather football, a rose, an angel. Before 2014 this was the liveliest street in the city.

Shcherbakov Park

Shcherbakov Cultural and Recreation Park — the central city park (~150 ha), one of the largest in Europe for a city of this size. Created in 1932, with lakes, fountains, alleys and rides. Before 2014 the park had a 55-metre observation wheel, karting, an aquarium and a children’s town. In 2014–2024 it was partly damaged by shelling.

Donetsk Botanical Garden

Donetsk Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine — one of the largest botanical gardens in Europe (261 ha). Founded in 1965 as a scientific centre for adapting plants to industrial pollution. Before 2014 it cultivated over 5 000 plant species, with Ukraine’s largest rose collection (the very roses from which the city took its nickname). After the occupation part of the collections were lost.

Donetsk Academic Regional Drama Theatre

Founded in 1927, it was the leading drama theatre on the Left Bank. The 1961 building is classic Soviet neo-classicism. Nearby stands the Shubin monument (the mining spirit; see Legends). Before 2014 it hosted tours by leading Ukrainian and foreign companies.

Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre, named after A. B. Soloviianenko. One of Ukraine’s largest opera theatres, opened in 1941. The building is classic Stalinist neo-classicism with columns and a portico. Anatoly Soloviianenko (after whom the theatre was later named) and world-class soloists performed on its stage.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral. The main Orthodox cathedral of Donetsk, built in 1886 for the miners of Yuzivka. Closed and demolished in Soviet times in 1933, rebuilt in the 2000s on the same site. A large cathedral in Byzantine style with five domes.

Youth Palace «Yunist.» One of Ukraine’s largest children’s palaces, built in 1976. Architecture of late Soviet Modernism with fantastical elements. Before 2014 it ran dozens of clubs, sports sections and cultural programmes.

Lenin Square. The central square of the city with the regional state administration, the «Donbas» hotel and fountains. Before 2014 — the venue for official events, New Year trees and rallies. On 6 April 2014, Russian forces seized the regional administration from here.

Artem Prospekt (now Soborny). The longest and greenest boulevard in Donetsk, stretching 6 km through the centre. Before 2014 it was the main transport artery and the location of the most expensive residential buildings.

Lenin Monument. Before 2014, Lenin Square featured an imposing monument to the founder of the USSR (1967, 8 m tall). Unlike most Ukrainian cities, Donetsk did not remove its Lenin monument during the Revolution of Dignity — events moved too fast. After 2014 the «DNR» occupation administration preserved it as its own symbol.

What the City Is Like Now

After 11+ years of occupation, Donetsk has changed radically and for the worse. Based on documented reports (Ukrainian and international sources, satellite imagery, testimony of residents who have left):

• The population has fallen by roughly half: around 500 000 have left the city in various directions (Ukrainian-controlled territory, Europe, Russia). No reliable data exists after 2014.
• Infrastructure is gradually deteriorating: the «DNR» occupation administration lacks resources to maintain the city fully; repairs are carried out irregularly and selectively.
• Two waves of shelling: 2014–2015 (along the lines of the first active combat, especially around the airport and northern outskirts) and 2022–present (Ukrainian counter-fire on Russian military targets). The most damaged areas are the north of the city and the surroundings of Donetsk Airport.
• Donbas Arena has been mothballed since May 2014. The facade and roof are damaged; the pitch is not fit for football.
• Donetsk Airport (named after S. S. Prokofiev) (recently reconstructed ahead of Euro 2012, the finest in Ukraine) was practically completely destroyed in the 2014–2015 fighting.
• The railway station operates only in the direction of Russia; rail connections with Ukrainian-controlled territory have been severed.

The city’s economy depends entirely on Russian subsidies and pensions. A large share of businesses are non-operational or operating at minimal capacity. Wages are several times lower than the Ukrainian average. Young people are leaving en masse.

What to See After De-occupation

Ukraine has official plans for restoring Donetsk after de-occupation. Among the prospective cultural and tourist infrastructure projects:

• Memorial to the Heroes of Donetsk Airport — on the site of one of the most gruelling battles of 2014–2015, where Ukrainian «cyborgs» held their position for 242 days.
• Reconstruction of Donbas Arena — the return of Shakhtar home, possibly with a symbolic match against a European giant.
• Museum of Industrial History of Donbas — from the Hughes era to 2014, with a focus on the people.
• The «Yuzivka» Route — historical points connected with the Welsh period of the city (1869–1924).
• Museum of Occupation — following the model of the memorial museums of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia — covering 2014 to the present.
• Restored Botanical Garden with a re-collected rose collection (the city’s symbol).

These projects are already part of the official «Donetsk Oblast De-occupation Strategy» developed in 2024–2025. Implementation depends on the pace of territorial return.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you visit Donetsk now?

No. Donetsk has been under Russian Federation occupation since 6 April 2014. Direct access from Ukrainian-controlled territory is physically impossible: the front line runs tens of kilometres away and active combat continues there. Technically one can reach the city only through Russian-occupied Ukraine, but this carries serious legal, personal and security risks. Ukraine and international organisations do not recommend such travel.

Who founded Donetsk and why was the city called Yuzivka?

The city was founded in 1869 by the Welsh engineer John Hughes (John James Hughes) as a metallurgical plant and workers’ settlement. The name Yuzivka comes from his surname in Russian transliteration (Hughes → Yuz). In 1924 the city was renamed Stalino (after Stalin); in 1961 — Donetsk (after the Siverskyi Donets river and the Donetsk Ridge).

What happened to Donetsk in 2014?

After the Revolution of Dignity and the annexation of Crimea, pro-Russian rallies organised by Russian intelligence services began in Donetsk in March–April 2014. On 6 April 2014 an armed group seized the regional state administration; a week later the «DNR» was proclaimed. The Ukrainian army withdrew its garrison without fighting to avoid civilian casualties. Since then the city has been under Russian military occupation.

What happened to Donbas Arena?

Donbas Arena has not been operational since May 2014. In August 2014 a mortar shell landed near it, damaging an entrance and the roof. It has been mothballed since then. FC Shakhtar left Donetsk on 15 May 2014 and has since played in exile: Lviv, Kharkiv, Kyiv. In 2025 the club continues its home matches outside its home city.

Why was Donetsk called the city of a million roses?

In the 1960s–1980s the municipal authority planted from 200 000 to 1 000 000 rose bushes annually in flower beds, parks and boulevards. In 2007 the city entered the Guinness Book of Records as the «city with the highest number of roses per resident.» This was a deliberate contrast to the image of the «miners’ city»; the unofficial slogan built Donetsk’s recognisability throughout the Soviet space.

How many people are still in Donetsk?

No reliable data exists. Before 2014 Donetsk had ~960 000 residents. Expert estimates suggest that from 400 to 500 000 have left since 2014 (to Ukrainian-controlled territory, to Europe, to Russia). The current population is estimated at 400–500 000 — roughly half the pre-war figure.

Will Donetsk be Ukrainian again?

Ukraine does not recognise the occupation or the 2022 «referendum.» The international community (with the exception of a handful of Russian-allied states) also does not recognise the «annexation.» Ukraine’s strategy is de-occupation and reintegration of the territory. How and when this happens depends on military, diplomatic and political factors. Ukraine plans to restore the city and return its residents.

What is currently accessible for tourism in Donetsk Oblast?

Formally only the northern part of Donetsk Oblast under Ukrainian control is accessible: Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Sviatohirsk with the Sviatohirsk Lavra. However, this is a frontline zone: air alerts, missile and artillery strikes are a reality. Tourist trips to this area are not recommended.

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Donetsk is a city founded by a Welshman in 1869 that became, over a century and a half, Ukraine’s largest industrial centre. Yuzivka became Stalino, Stalino became Donetsk, Donetsk gave Ukraine Shakhtar, Donbas Arena, a million roses and a Euro 2012 semi-final. And then, on 6 April 2014, it became inaccessible.

This text is not a guidebook. It is a memory of a Ukrainian city that is currently under occupation but remains Ukrainian in its history, the language and identity of the residents who left, and its official legal status. One day it will be possible to go there again — to stand on Pushkin Boulevard, to look at a restored Donbas Arena, to watch the roses bloom in the Botanical Garden. Until then, the city waits.