Selydove (Ukrainian: Селидове, pronounced [seˈlɪdowɛ]; Russian: Селидово, romanized: Selidovo), formerly Selydivka, is a city in Pokrovsk Raion, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.

The area where Selydove now stands was historically home to various nomadic tribes, including the Avars, Goths, Huns, Pechenegs, and later the Mongol-Tatars and Nogai Tatars.

[3][4] Intensive settlement of the area began in the second half of the 18th century following the Russo-Turkish wars, which ended Ottoman and Crimean Khanate control over the northern Black Sea region.

The Tsarist Russian Empire distributed land in the newly acquired territories to nobles and settlers, from other regions and various European countries.

[3][4] According to legend, Zaporozhia Cossacks who were moving from Zaporizhia to Kuban had a cart break down while crossing the Solona river [uk].

Since it was difficult to quickly find wood in the steppe, and it was already late autumn, they decided to winter in this place, and then stayed altogether.

[5] Another version, according to the legends of old residents, is that once upon a time the government land surveyor was offered fat for his work, but he did not like such payment, he did not accept it.

[3] The city was founded between 1770 and 1773,[6][7][8] when Moldovan and Wallachian settlers that occupied the banks of the Solona River were resettled, making way for the "Greek Cossacks", i.e. the settled part of the Zaporozhians, the Myrhorod Regiment, but also peasants fleeing serfdom from regions such as Chernihiv and Kharkiv.

During this period, the Russian government was actively settling, developing and russifying the southern steppes, offering land grants and various incentives to settlers, including tax exemptions and monetary loans.

Despite these incentives, the settlement faced challenges, including heavy taxation and feudal obligations, which led to the concentration of land and wealth in the hands of a few local elites.

By the end of the 19th century, the average size of landholdings in Selydivka had decreased significantly, leading to widespread indebtedness and the sale of land by impoverished peasants.

However, the village's economy remained primarily agrarian, and many residents continued to struggle with land scarcity, poverty, starvation and illiteracy.

All village residents aged 14 and older were forced into compulsory labor, working from sunrise to sunset in fields and on military road construction.

During the occupation, German forces killed and tortured 6,918 Soviet civilians and prisoners of war in the Selidiv district, and 1,250 people were thrown into the shaft of the former "Katerynivka" mine.

By 1947, the collective farms in Selydivka had regained 97% of their pre-war sown area, and the village's industrial and agricultural enterprises were restored and expanded.

[3][4] On December 1, 1991, 83.90% of residents of the city of Selydove voted "For" the independence of Ukraine and separation from the Soviet Union at the All-Ukrainian Referendum.

[27] On October 22, the commander of the Aidar's 24th Separate Assault Brigade, Stanyslav Bunyatov, announced that half of the city was captured by Russian forces, citing lack of manpower as an issue.

[31][32] On October 26, Russian forces advanced to the outskirts of the village of Vyshneve, further deterioating the control over supply lines to the city.

[27] By October 27, DeepStateMap.Live showed that Russian forces had advanced and occupied most of the city, with the north-western outskirts remaining disputed territory.

[35] On October 29, DeepState reported Russian advances in the north-western portions, leaving the city nearly fully occupied.

[40] Ukraine's Prosecutor General Office launched an investigation into the reported murder of two women in a residential sector that likely was under Russian control, the shooting of a civilian car that caused injury,[41][42] and the execution of four Ukrainian National Guard POWs.

Courage lessons, meetings with war veterans, ATO, Afghans, celebrations of the liberation of the city and the Donbas, Victory Day, and the Revolution of Dignity are held here.

Conversations of young men with representatives of the military committee "Service in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine", meetings with graduating soldiers are held regularly.

[46] The museum has an open room of Ukrainian life "Svitlitsa", where exhibitions of Easter eggs, spring flowers, drawings, Cossack and folklore holidays are held.

In 1965, in Selidovo, when the first secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine was Petro Shelest, it was planned to build a stele dedicated to the Zaporizhia Cossacks.

In its place, in 1977, on the initiative of the first secretary of the Selydiv Communist Party Yuriy Yakimovich Burgas and the head of the executive committee of the city council of workers' deputies Anatoly Dmytrovych Kladko, who were not afraid of the harassment of the higher authorities, the monument "A Cossack on guard" by Donetsk sculptor Pavlo Heveke [uk] was erected: A mustachioed sentinel leaned on a high stone pillar with his right hand clutching the handle of a saber.

The first is set on the Mediterranean island of Malta in one of the ruler's palaces: The throne on which the prince sits is supported by a negro and a Cossack with a herring.