Vyetka

Vyetka
Ветка
Town
Flag of Vyetka
Flag
Coat of arms of Vyetka
Coat of arms
Vyetka is located in Belarus
Vyetka
Vyetka
Coordinates: 52°34′N 31°11′E / 52.567°N 31.183°E / 52.567; 31.183
CountryBelarus
RegionGomel Region
DistrictVyetka District
Population
 (2024)[1]
 • Total
8,599
Time zoneUTC+3 (MSK)
Area code+375 2330
License plate3

Vyetka or Vetka (Belarusian: Ветка, romanized: Vietka; Russian: Ветка; Polish: Wietka) is a town in Gomel Region, Belarus. It is situated on the bank of the Sozh River, and serves as the administrative center of Vyetka District.[2] As of 2024, it has a population of 8,599.[1]

It was established in 1685 by the Old Believer Priest Group (a branch of the Russian Orthodox Church)[3] who were known as the Theodesians and who had migrated from Central Russia. At the time it was founded, Vyetka was on the territory of the Great Duchy of Lithuania.[4]

The town's prosperity brought on the wrath of the Russian Empire and as result, it was gutted twice (1735 and 1764[2]) by the Tsarist army in the 18th century.[5][6] Vyetka is located on the left bank of the Sozh River, in the area which was highly radioactive due to the nuclear fallout of the Chernobyl disaster that occurred on April 26, 1986.[2][3]

  1. ^ a b "Численность населения на 1 января 2024 г. и среднегодовая численность населения за 2023 год по Республике Беларусь в разрезе областей, районов, городов, поселков городского типа". belsat.gov.by. Archived from the original on 2 April 2024. Retrieved 6 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "Vetka District". chernobyl.info. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  3. ^ a b "Vetka". Belarus tourism- A national Tourism Agency. Archived from the original on 2011-07-06. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  4. ^ Leroy-Beaulieu, Anatole (1896). The empire of the tsars and the Russians. G.P. Putnam's Sons. pp. 350–. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  5. ^ Nigel Roberts (13 August 2008). Belarus. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 209–. ISBN 978-1-84162-207-1. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
  6. ^ Daniel H. Shubin (November 2005). A history of Russian Christianity. Algora Publishing. pp. 42–43. ISBN 978-0-87586-426-6. Retrieved 4 February 2011.