Smila

Smila (Сміла, ) is a city located on Dnieper Upland near the Tyasmyn River, in Cherkasy Raion, Cherkasy Oblast of Ukraine. The Tiasmyn River, a tributary of the Dnieper River, flows through the city. In January 2022, the estimated population was 65 675, a 1.2% decrease from 2021.

Climate
The climate in Smila is moderately continental. Winters are cold with frequent snow. Summers are warm and can be hot in July, with little rain. Periods of temperatures higher than +10 last up to 170 days. The average annual precipitation is 450–520 mm.

Population
In 1989 the population of Smila was 77,500.

In January 2022, the estimated population was 65,675, a 1.2% decrease from 2021.

Language
Distribution of the population by native language according to the 2001 census:

History
Smila arose from an early Cossack settlement founded in the late 16th century. It later came under Polish rule.

In 1881, 1883, and 1904 there were pogroms in Smila (Smela), during which several Jews lost their lives and much Jewish property was looted or destroyed. Jews had settled in Smila since the 18th century and at the turn of the 20th century they made up over half the population and owned most of the shops. Only a handful of Jews remain in Smila today.

The construction of the Fastiv-Znamianka railway line spurred industrial growth in Smila- in 1910, the town had 23 factories and a population of 29 000.

During the Second World War, the Wehrmacht deployed Stalag 345 near Smila to hold Soviet prisoners of war. The camp was kept near Smila from early 1941 until December 1943, when the camp was moved to Zagreb.

In 1957, a machine repairs factory established in 1930 was repurposed to produce new machinery. The plant produced machines for food and transportation industries, and in 1972 it employed over a thousand workers.

Until 18 July 2020, Smila was designated as a city of oblast significance and served as the administrative center of Smila Raion though it did not belong to the raion. The settlements of Ploske and Irdynivka were subordinated to Smila city council. As part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Cherkasy Oblast to four, the city was merged into Cherkasy Raion.

During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian air strikes started a large fire within the city in October, 2022. Air raid sirens sounded in the city as early as March, 2022. A nearby Ukrainian fuel depot containing 100,000 tonnes of fuel was blown up the next day.

Economy
The economic emphasis is on mechanical engineering, and the food industry is also important. However, the town's population has generally declined since the 1980s.

Smila is the transport hub for the surrounding region. Smila is where the Kyiv–Dnipro and Odesa–Russia rail routes cross, making Smila one of the most important railway junctions in Ukraine. The large station at the junction is named after Ukraine's national poet and artist, Taras Shevchenko.

Notable people

 * Samuel (Shmuel) Malavsky – сantor.
 * Oleksandr Kovpak – football player.
 * Genia Averbuch – architect.

International relations
Sister cities:
 * 🇺🇸 Newton, Iowa, United states
 * 🇺🇦 Vatutine, Ukraine
 * 🇺🇦 Irpin, Ukraine
 * 🇷🇺 Rzhev, Russia