Strilkove

Strilkove (Стрелковое; Çoqraq) is a Ukrainian village in Henichesk raion of Kherson Oblast. It belongs to Henichesk Urban Hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. In 2013 its population was 1,415, and was predominantly ethnic Russian. On June 12, 2020, in accordance with the Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 726-r "On the Determination of Administrative Centers and Approval of Territories of Territorial Communities of the Kherson Region", it became part of the Genichesk City Community. On July 17, 2020, as a result of the administrative-territorial reform and liquidation of the former Genichesk district, it became part of the newly formed Genichesk district.

The village became a focal point in the 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine. The village is located on the Arabat Spit and is geographically part of Crimea, however it falls under the administration of Kherson Oblast. Moreover, the village also housed a gas transit center strategically important for the peninsula. Russian troops occupied parts of the village, this was the first time Russian troops moved into the Kherson Oblast. In December 2014 the Ukrainian Border Guards Service stated Russian troops began a withdrawal from Kherson Oblast ending the 9 month standoff, however although Russian troops left all other positions in Kherson they continued to occupy the gas distribution station located outside the village. Strilkove represented one of the few parts of Crimea that was still under direct Ukrainian control, until it was reoccupied by Russian forces at the onset of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Geography
The village lies on the northern portion of Crimean peninsula's Arabat Spit, though neither Strilkove nor the neighboring village of Shchaslyvtseve are claimed as part of the Crimean Autonomous Republic. It is located 8 kilometers to the north of the border of the Crimean Republic, between the Azov Sea to the east, and Lake Sivash in the west; and is 32 km south from the town of Henichesk.

History
Strilkove was founded under the Russian Empire in 1835 and, until 1945, was named Çoqraq or Chokrak (Чокрак).

Deportation of 1944
In 1944, unlike other Crimean Tatars, inhabitants of Çoqraq were not deported to Middle Asia. The reason is unknown, but there is a popular thought that the village was simply forgotten. However, in June 1945 the whole village population (including people of Slav origin) were put on a barge which was later sunk in Azov sea. "However, in June 1945, the authorities drew attention to this 'flaw' (and Stalin had already been informed about the complete 'purification' of the peninsula), so the villagers (mostly Crimean Tatars, but also some Ukrainians) were loaded onto a barge and taken to the Sea of Azov, where in the middle of the sea the barge was flooded along with all the people... 413 soldiers and commanders received combat orders and medals for the deportation of Crimean Tatars."

Crimea Crisis
During the Russian occupation of Crimea, on 15 March 2014 at about 13:30, Russian Airborne Troops (40 riflemen) advanced on the village. The village is located on the Arabat Spit and is geographically a part of Crimea, however administratively it is in the Kherson Oblast. This marked the first time Russian forces advanced into mainland Ukraine as prior to this Russian troops operated only within the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. The soldiers stated that they missed their landing zone and landed in the village by accident. Also for the first time during the conflict, Ukraine placed its air forces on alert and air lifted its own unit of paratroopers to the area. In response, Russian forces retreated from the center of the village to a nearby gas distribution terminal, claiming that they believed it may be vulnerable to a terrorist attack and needed to be secured.

As of October 2014, Ukrainian border guards and a volunteer territorial defense battalion were stationed in the village. Russian forces maintained a company of 150 troops nearby which were also supported by a gunboat. The area did not experience any fighting after the Russian takeover of the offshore gas platforms near the village. However, the border guards were instructed to not allow people whose Russian passport had been issued in Crimea to pass, as well as to inspect vehicles for possible Russian contraband. The small force deployed to the village was also designated to slow any potential advance of Russian troops deeper into Kherson, while a larger contingent of Ukrainian forces was stationed at Novooleksiivka and Henichesk, about 20 miles north along the Arabat Spit.

On 9 December 2014, the Ukrainian border guards reported that Russian troops had begun withdrawing from southern Kherson Oblast, ending the 9-month-long occupation. Despite their withdrawal from the mainland, Russian troops still occupied the gas distribution center outside the village. The Arabat Spit and the Syvash areas were the sole remaining territories of the Crimean Peninsula that remained under direct Ukrainian control.

Russo-Ukrainian War
Strilkove was captured by Russian ground forces on the first day of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine when they crossed the nearby border of the de facto Republic of Crimea. The invasion was the result of the escalating Russo-Ukrainian War.