Rubizhne – Technical Education Centre of Ukraine
In the Luhansk region of Ukraine, you will find a mid-sized city by the name of Rubizhne. For those living in the area, the city plays several important roles in the economy of Ukraine. It serves as a center of technical education and has a massive engineering industry. But, at the heart of it all, Rubizhne in Ukraine is home for thousands. There are approximately 65,000 people living in Rubizhne today – many of whom work in industry or attend school in the city.
The city of Rubizhne started life as a Ukrainian settlement during the 18th century. The Russian name for the city is ‘Rubezhnoye’, but the city’s name may also be spelt ‘Rubeznoje’ or ‘Rubezhnoe’. Currently, the town covers an area that is some 3376 hectares in size and there are both Ukrainians and Russians living in Rubizhne. The town really started life with the building of a railway line between Licichansk and Kupiaynsk. This construction took place between 1894 and 1895 and the settlement between the two cities came to enjoy some importance now that it could be more easily accessed by means of the railway. Between 1915 and 1917, a settlement called Rusko-kraska was built nearby to support the Rusko-kraska plant and this was really the beginning of the town. By 1934 the town had grown enough to receive city status.
Today, Rubizhne is a massive industrial engineering center in the Luhansk oblast. Combined with the cities of Lysychansk and Syeverodonetsk, the three cities form one of the most important chemical centers in the country. The factories in Rubizhne are mainly concerned with the manufacture of aniline dyes and the city has been involved in this industry since World War I. It was during this time in the country’s history that a massive need arose for the industrialization of the coal being mined at the Donets Basin. Rubizhne, Lysychansk and Syeverodonetsk took up the challenge by establishing several chemical production plants which would process the coal and turn it into a variety of commodities. This served to boost the importance and population of the city and continues to play an important role in the economy today. The city of Rubizhne has also become home to several technical colleges and has gained a reputation for good tertiary education. Rubizhne is easily reached by road or rail and makes for an interesting drive through the Luhansk region.