Toretsk Municipality

Toretsk Торецьк
Church of St. Macarius in Toretsk
Flag Coat of arms
Coordinates: 48°23′30″N 37°52′24″E / 48.39167°N 37.87333°E / 48.39167; 37.87333Coordinates: 48°23′30″N 37°52′24″E / 48.39167°N 37.87333°E / 48.39167; 37.87333
Country Oblast Raion	Ukraine Donetsk Oblast Toretsk Municipality
Founded	1806
City rights	1936
Government
• Mayor	Volodymyr Sliptsov
Area
• Total	62 km2 (24 sq mi)
Elevation	179 m (587 ft)
Population (2014)
• Total	34,750
• Density	569/km2 (1,470/sq mi)
Postal code	85200—85279
Area code(s)	+380-6247
Climate	Dfb
Website	http://toretsk-rada.gov.ua/

Toretsk (Ukrainian: Торецьк; Russian: Торецк), formerly Dzerzhynsk (Ukrainian: Дзержинськ; Russian: Дзержинск), is a city of oblast significance in Donetsk Oblast (province) of Ukraine. Population: 35,296 (2013 est.).

Toretsk was founded in the 19th century as Shcherbynivka, named after Zaporizhian Cossack Anton Shcherbina, who had settled there. In 1938 the city was renamed Dzerzhynsk, in honor of communist Felix Dzerzhynsky, the founder of the Bolshevik secret police, the Cheka. In 2001, the population was 43,371 people.

Starting mid-April 2014 pro-Russian separatists captured several towns in Donetsk Oblast; including former Dzerzhynsk. On 11 July 2014 Ukrainian forces launched strikes against the separatists. On 21 July 2014, Ukrainian forces secured the city from the pro-Russian separatists. Toretsk is only a few kilometers away from the separatists-controlled Horlivka.

Following the 2015 law on decommunization, the city council has decided on 16 October 2015 to rename the city to Toretsk. The name was approved by the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) on 4 February 2016.

Because of the War in Donbass the city has had its water supply cut multiple times.