This is Kherson – created by Catherine the Great, destined to grow into a major industrial and commercial center, and now key pages of its history are being written
Kherson is a city that, these days—or more accurately, these months—is mentioned solely as part of a war zone, a strategic point on the western bank of the Dnipro River. A city that could ultimately decide the outcome of the war in Ukraine. But we must also speak of Kherson in another context, beyond the war, because this is a city steeped in the living history of both the Ukrainian and Russian peoples. Regardless of what is happening or what may happen to it in this tragic year, Kherson is greater than the war, and its story cannot be reduced to conflict alone.
The city of Kherson is the administrative center of the eponymous region in southern Ukraine and is one of the country’s major economic hubs. It is an important port on both the Black Sea and the Dnipro River. Naturally, Kherson is currently discussed only in a wartime context, since the city has been under Russian control since March 2022, and is now a key target of Ukraine’s much-anticipated counteroffensive. But today, we will not talk about that war-torn Kherson—we’ll go back in time and explore the history of this important city.
If you’ve read our piece on the Greek names of Ukrainian cities, then you probably already guessed that this city was also one of many founded by the Russian Empress Catherine the Great in 1778. It was part of the so-called “Greek Project,” in which Catherine and her favorite, Grigory Potemkin, gave a number of cities Greek names. Kherson was named after the ancient Greek colony of Chersonesus, which existed in Crimea around 2,500 years ago. The ruins of Chersonesus can still be seen near Sevastopol in Crimea.
Kherson, located north of the Crimean Peninsula, was the first settlement established as part of Catherine’s “Greek Project.”
Does this mean there was nothing here before her decision? Not exactly. On old maps, there are hints of a place called Belhovichi, but by the time Catherine set out to enrich this part of what is now southern Ukraine, that settlement had long vanished—if it ever existed at all.
And so, in 1778, a new city was born: Kherson. Initially built as a military base and shipyard, it was granted city status in 1783 and began to grow rapidly, especially around its shipbuilding industry.
By the end of the 18th century, the new city and port of Kherson had already established trade relations with France, Italy, Spain, and other European countries.
One notable fact: in 1791, Catherine’s beloved field marshal, Potemkin, was buried in Kherson—in the newly built St. Catherine’s Cathedral.
By the mid-19th century, various industries began developing in the city, including breweries, tanneries, and agricultural processing plants.
The 1897 census provides an interesting snapshot. Kherson had 59,076 residents at the time. Based on the languages spoken, about 50% were classified as “Great Russians,” 30% were Jews, and 20% as “Little Russians”—a term then used for Ukrainians.
Kherson became the cradle of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, as the first naval military base was established here.
A defensive rampart was built around the city, and the Dnipro River could be redirected to flood a moat around it, creating an extra obstacle for potential enemies. Inside the city-fortress were an arsenal, military cathedral, Potemkin’s palace, an admiralty headquarters, and more. In 1790, the first cannon foundry on the entire Black Sea coast was opened here.
In 1813, the city’s first elementary school opened. Two years later, a gymnasium (secondary school), and by 1834 a trade school followed—later joined by an agricultural school. Around that time, the first daily newspaper was published: Kherson Gubernskie Vedomosti.
In the latter half of the 19th century, significant civic progress took place. A theater, a library, and museums of archaeology and natural sciences were built.
Then came revolutions. During the 1905 uprising, workers went on strike, and even soldiers rebelled.
News of the great 1917 revolution reached Kherson in March of that year—the Russian Empire had fallen. A provisional workers’ council was quickly formed in the city to safeguard “the political and economic demands of the proletariat.”
Between 1917 and 1920, control over the city changed several times. In 1918, Kherson was even occupied by German and Austro-Hungarian forces. But by February 1920, the city was firmly under Soviet control.
After the Russian Civil War (1917–1922), efforts to rebuild Kherson’s industry and economy began. The city also became a vital transport hub following the construction of a railway line to Merefa, near Kharkiv.
Kherson’s importance increased even more after a hydroelectric plant was built on the Dnipro.
By 1933, the first steamships were operating here, and local buses had already been running since 1927.
During Soviet industrialization, Kherson became a major industrial center on the Black Sea.
In mid-1941, the Nazi invasion of the USSR began. Soon, enemy forces reached Kherson. The city’s defense held until August 19, when it fell—but resistance continued through the Soviet partisan movement.
Over the following years, Nazi intelligence tried to track down partisan networks and frequently subjected locals to brutal punishments “as examples to others.”
Besides the partisans, a nationalist opposition movement also operated underground in Kherson—specifically the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), led by Bohdan Bandera, brother of Stepan Bandera.
The Red Army finally liberated the city in March 1944.
After WWII, Kherson saw another wave of industrial development and a population boom—its population doubled by 1970 to around 261,000. New factories, new production facilities, and renewed shipbuilding activity brought prosperity. A textile factory built here became one of the largest in the entire Soviet Union. All the while, Kherson remained a key grain export center.
This industrial growth created a high demand for labor, which led to a significant demographic shift. The Ukrainian share of the population rose from 36% in 1926 to 63% in 1959, while the Russian population dropped from 36% to 29%. The Jewish community, however, never recovered from the Holocaust during the Nazi occupation. In 1926, Jews made up about 26% of Kherson’s population; by 1959, only 6%.
Until the very end of the USSR, Kherson continued to develop and expand. In 1989, the large Fregat Hotel was opened.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, Kherson became part of independent Ukraine. The population declined sharply from 1992 to 2004 but has been slowly recovering since. Cargo traffic at the city port has also been gradually increasing—until the current tragedy struck: war.
On March 2, Russian forces entered the city and took control the next day. Kherson became the first—and so far the only—regional capital captured by Russian forces in the early phase of the invasion. The Russian assault began on February 24, 2022, meaning Kherson fell just a few days later.
What happened? According to the 2001 census, 76.6% of Kherson’s residents identified as Ukrainian, and only 20% as Russian. It wasn’t expected that such a city would fall so quickly to Russian forces. But chaos seemed to reign on the ground. The defense was unprepared, and the regional governor, Hennadiy Lahuta, simply abandoned his post and fled.
Of course, Kherson’s story is not yet fully written—it is unfolding right now. Will the Ukrainian counteroffensive succeed in retaking the city? Or will Russian forces hold it, possibly annexing it as they did with Crimea? There is already talk of a referendum.
The next chapters of Kherson’s history are being written before our eyes.
About the Author
