Vasylkiv (Ukrainian: Васильків, IPA: [wɐsɪlʲˈk⁽ʲ⁾iu̯], Russian: Васильков, Vasilkov) is a city on the Stuhna River in Obukhiv Raion, Kyiv Oblast, central Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Vasylkiv urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine.^[1] First mentioned in the 10th century, Vasylkiv was incorporated as a city in 1796.

Quick Facts Василькiв, First mentioned ...

Vasylkiv Василькiв
Flag Coat of arms
Vasylkiv Location of Vasylkiv Show map of Kyiv Oblast Vasylkiv Vasylkiv (Ukraine) Show map of Ukraine
Coordinates: 50°10′42″N 30°18′57″E
Country Oblast Raion	Ukraine  Kyiv Oblast Obukhiv Raion
First mentioned	988
Magdeburg law	1586
Area
• Total	29.6 km2 (11.4 sq mi)
Population  (2022)
• Total	37,068
Postal code	8600 — 8612
Area code	+380 4571

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The city hosts Vasylkiv Air Base and is an industrial centre, producing electrical appliances and leather goods. Population: 37,068 (2022 estimate).^[2]

Vasylkiv was founded in 988 CE, and fortified in the 11th century.^[3] According to the Primary Chronicle, it was the place where Vladimir the Great's numerous wives lived. After the Christianization of Kyiv, Vladimir built there a fortress and named it Vasilev, after his patron saint, Saint Basil (Vasily).^[4]

In the early 11th century, it was the birthplace of Saint Theodosius of Kiev.^[5] The Anthony and Theodosius Pechersky Church, built in the Ukrainian baroque style in the 1750s, commemorates both Theodosius and Anthony of Kiev.^[4][6]

In 1240, the city was destroyed by the invading Mongol Empire. It slowly recovered, and was incorporated as a city in 1796.^[3]

In 1658, the Russian military commander Yuri Baryatinsky defeated the army of hetman Ivan Vyhovsky's brother Konstantin near Vasylkiv, after the Ukrainian hetman switched sides in favour of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.^{[citation needed]}

The first medical quarantine house in Ukraine was established in Vasylkiv in 1740.^[6]

Through the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, Vasylkiv remained an obscure place, almost forgotten in spite of the glorious history and connection to many earlier historic events, it was put back on the map by an anecdotal story related to Catherine II of Russia. As per legend, while passing through it during the night, the carriage lost one wheel. Catherine II woke up from the sudden jerk, and asked the name of the town. When she fell asleep again, her servants repaired the wheel and the carriage moved again. She woke up again and upon learning that it is still Vasylkiv, she remarked : "A large town, indeed".^{[citation needed]}

Russian troops in the city took part in the failed Decembrist revolt against the Russian Empire in 1825.^[3]

In 1918-1919, the city was liberated from Bolshevik control by the Ukrainian army several times, on February 28 the Battle of Vasylkiv took place. On April 5, the city was occupied by Ataman Zeleny's rebels, and the villagers of 7 surrounding villages joined these forces.^[7] During the liberation struggle, Marko Shlyakhovy, aka Ataman Karmelyuk, based a rebel-peasant unit in the Kladova tract near the village of Dzvinkova, which conducted combat operations against the occupiers together with Ataman Zeleni's units.^[8] Since 1920 - under Bolshevik rule. On August 24, 1919, during the offensive on Kyiv, Vasylkov was approached by units of the UNR Army. According to patrol reports, the city was occupied by enemy infantry. After the battle of Vasylkiv, the Black Zaporizhzhya Cavalry Regiment was freed from the occupying Russian troops.^[9]

Until 18 July 2020, Vasylkiv was incorporated as a city of oblast significance and served as the administrative center of Vasylkiv Raion even though it did not belong to the raion. In July 2020, as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Kyiv Oblast to seven, the city of Vasylkiv was merged into Obukhiv Raion.^[10][11]

In the early morning of 26 February 2022, Russian invasion forces landed near the city in an attempt to capture the Vasylkiv Air Base, resulting in the Battle of Vasylkiv.^[12] According to the city's mayor Natalia Balasinovich [uk], the fighting had died down by later that day, with Ukraine still in possession of the city.^[13]

Claims have been made that Ukrainian aircraft shot down two Russian Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft transporting assault troops.^[14][15][16] According to Ukrainian accounts, the first plane was reportedly shot down at Vasylkiv airbase, “killing upwards of 250 elite Russian paratroopers with a single missile.” A second plane was also claimed to have been shot down over Bila Tserkva, which was allegedly carrying over 100 paratroopers.^[17][18] As of 18 January 2024, claims that Ukraine had killed 350 paratroopers in the downed planes were still unconfirmed by independent sources.^[19]

In the morning of 27 February 2022, Russian forces struck an oil depot in the city, leading to large explosions and fires.^[20]

• A street in downtown Vasylkiv.
• City panorama.
• Remnants of the medieval defensive walls in the city.
• Sts. Anthony and Theodosius Cathedral in Vasylkiv (18th-century architecture).
• St. Nicholas church in Vasylkiv (18th-century architecture).
• Former synagogue, later "Vasylkiv-2" rail station terminal (19th-century architecture).
• Stugna River in Vasylkiv.
• Vasylkiv Air Force College building.
• One of Vasylkiv's schools.
• Children dance studio lesson in Vasylkiv's Culture House.

• Jerry Heil (born 1995) – singer, songwriter, and YouTuber
• Mykola Melnychenko (born 1966) – security services and politics personality