11 Facts About Izium

Izium or Izyum is a city on the Donets River in Kharkiv Oblast of eastern Ukraine.

Izium is about 120 kilometres southeast of the oblast capital, Kharkiv.

In 1765, Izium became a city, and in 1780 became an administrative center of Izyumsky Uyezd, one of the subdivisions of the Kharkov Governorate of the Russian Empire.

Izium was occupied by the German Army from 24 June 1942 until it was liberated on 5 February 1943.

Izium expanded rapidly in the 20th century due to its importance as a junction between Kharkiv and the Donets Basin.

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Until 18 July 2020, Izium was incorporated as a city of oblast significance and served as the administrative center of Izium Raion, though it did not belong to the raion.

In July 2020, the city of Izium was merged into Izium Raion, as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Kharkiv Oblast to seven.

Izium was the site of sporadic fighting during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in 2014.

An operation by Ukrainian forces to remove these forces bogged down and checkpoints around Izium were formed to stop a possible intrusion into the city.

European route E40 passes through Izium, connecting Luhansk-Sloviansk-Kharkiv, three important cities to both pro-Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Sloviansk-Izium highway was referred to as the "highway of death" by locals during the summer of 2014.