Soledar

Soledar
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Ukraine
Oblast	Donetsk Oblast
Raion	Bakhmut Municipality
Elevation	100 m (300 ft)
Population (2013)
• Total	11,708

Soledar (Ukrainian: Соледар) is a city in Bakhmut municipality, Donetsk Oblast (province) of Ukraine. Population: 11,708 (2013 est.). In 2001, the population was 13,151. The name of the town stands for 'gift of salt' both in Russian and Ukrainian. In Soviet times, until 1991, the city was known as Karlo-Libknekhtivsk (Ukrainian: Карло-Лібкнехтівськ), named after Karl Liebknecht. The main enterprises of the city are related to mining and processing industries: State Enterprise Association Artyomsol is mining and processing rock salt and Knauf Gips Donbass (a subsidiary of a German gypsum producer KNAUF). The first settlement in the area of the town appeared not later than in 1881, with the start of commercial salt production.

The town has a major tourist attraction: the underground galleries and chambers of salt mines, which are also used extensively for speleo (cave) treatment of asthma and other lung diseases.

Starting Mid-April 2014 pro-Russian separatists captured several towns in Donetsk Oblast; including Soledar. On 21 July 2014, Ukrainian forces reportedly secured the city from the pro-Russian separatists. On 2 August 2014 the identification team and OSCE observers dealing with the MH17 crash set up base in Soledar, because from there it was easier to get to the crash site.

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