International Dnipro Day, Sloviansk Liberation Day and Kramatorsk Liberation Day are celebrated on July 5. In different centuries, July 5 became a day of conflicts, scientific discoveries and cultural shifts – from an astronomical phenomenon in the medieval sky to the appearance of the first travel agencies, political manifestos and technological breakthroughs. This date brought together controversial events that shaped the face of the world in science, religion, politics, and everyday life.
International Dnipro Day
This is an environmental initiative designed to draw attention to the problems of Ukraine’s largest river, which is also the third longest in Europe. The Dnipro provides water supply for tens of millions of people, serves as a source of energy, a transport corridor, and part of the agricultural and industrial infrastructure. Its basin covers the territories of three countries — Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Given the transboundary nature of the river, since 2003, government agencies, environmental organizations, and educational initiatives have begun to form joint projects aimed at preserving water quality, pollution control, biodiversity monitoring, and coastal zone protection.
The current state of the Dnipro is a cause for concern due to excessive flow regulation (six-stage cascade of reservoirs), constant discharge of sewage, shortage of natural flow, and loss of self-cleansing capacity. After the explosion of the Kakhovskaya HPP in 2023, this problem became even more urgent: the lower course of the river underwent a profound transformation, many ecosystems were destroyed, and massive pollution occurred.
Celebrating the International Day of the Dnipro River is an opportunity to focus attention on real threats: the degradation of the reservoir, the danger of drinking water pollution, the loss of species, the insufficient level of state control, the lack of renewal of treatment facilities. Educational, volunteer, and scientific events take place within this day, but the real impact depends on political decisions and long-term water management programs.
Interesting facts
In the 18th century, the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks had their own informal ecological rules: fishing was prohibited during the spawning period, and the destruction of reeds was considered a violation of communal order.
The deepest point of the Dnieper is near Kanev, reaching more than 60 meters.
In the 1960s, some Soviet scientists advocated dismantling one of the dams to restore the natural flow of the Dnieper. The idea was not supported.
In the 1980s, a project was considered to partially divert the river to the south of Ukraine for water supply to industry. It was frozen after Chernobyl.
In the 2000s, significant residues of heavy metals were found in the silt of the lower Dnieper, which do not decompose and remain toxic for decades.
Until the 1940s, sturgeons lived in the Dnieper near Kyiv, which disappeared after the regulation of the flow and the construction of dams.
In the 2020s, within the boundaries of Kyiv, a steadily increased content of phosphates was recorded, which entered the river through untreated detergent effluents.
According to official data, almost 70% of drinking water in Ukraine comes from sources connected to the Dnieper.
Sloviansk liberation day
July 5, 2014 was a turning point in Ukraine’s struggle against pro-Russian armed formations in Donbas. On this day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and units of the National Guard returned control of the city of Slovyansk, which had been under the control of the militants of the so-called “DNR” since April.
Slovyansk was one of the first large cities in the Donetsk region where pro-Russian forces took over administrative buildings in 2014. After taking control of the city on April 12, it turned into a key stronghold of the militants in the northern part of Donetsk region. The unit of Igor Girkin (Strelkov), one of the leaders of the armed group, who coordinated the capture and organized shelling of the positions of the Armed Forces, was based in the city.
During May and June, the Ukrainian military gradually strengthened the encirclement of Slovyansk, waging battles around the city and limiting supplies for the militants. The blocking of the main roads led to the fact that the units of the “DPR” lost the opportunity to receive reinforcements and weapons, and also found themselves in an increasingly difficult situation with ammunition and food.
On the night of July 4-5, 2014, the militants hurriedly left the city, leaving warehouses with weapons, some equipment and traces of destruction. At the same time, they fled from Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and several smaller settlements, transferring their forces to Donetsk and Horlivka. Ukrainian troops quickly entered the liberated Slovyansk – raised the national flag, restored the work of the authorities and began demining and humanitarian aid to civilians.
The liberation of Sloviansk had not only a military, but also a great psychological significance: it became the first resounding success of the Ukrainian forces in the framework of the anti-terrorist operation and changed the course of hostilities in the region. As of July 2014, it was one of the largest regional centers under the control of the “DNR”, and its loss seriously hit the militants both militarily and symbolically.
Since that time, July 5 in Sloviansk is considered the day of the liberation of the city. For its residents, this date symbolizes the return to the protection of the Ukrainian state after a long period of fear, uncertainty and violence. The liberation became the starting point for the large-scale cleansing of the region from illegal armed groups.
With the start of a full-scale war in 2022, Slovyansk again found itself close to the front line and became one of the potential targets of a new offensive by the Russian Federation. However, the memory of July 5, 2014 remains an important part of the modern history of the city and the Ukrainian resistance in general.
Liberation Day of Kramatorsk
On July 5, 2014, Ukrainian troops liberated Kramatorsk from pro-Russian militants of the so-called “DNR”. The city was under their control for more than two months — since the spring of 2014, when the active phase of the Russian hybrid invasion of Donbas began. The liberation operation became one of the key events in the course of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO), which at that time covered a large part of the Donetsk region.
Russian mercenaries and militants from local separatist groups left the city under pressure from Ukrainian forces, who gradually pushed them out of a number of settlements. On the night of July 5, the militants hastily retreated from Kramatorsk, Sloviansk and other surrounding towns, concentrating in Horlivka and Donetsk. The reason was a successful blockade and the cutting of logistical supply routes.
On the morning of July 5, Ukrainian military personnel appeared in Kramatorsk – soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard. They quickly took control of the main administrative buildings, ensured security and restored communications. Ukrainian flags began to be unfurled in the city, and local residents met the military with joy and gratitude.
Since then, July 5 has become the day of liberation for Kramatorsk — a symbol of the return to Ukrainian statehood, law and order, and peaceful life. Despite the difficult situation at the front and the risks that remained after the retreat of the militants, Kramatorsk turned into one of the important administrative, humanitarian and logistical centers in the front-line zone.
After the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the city again became one of the targets of enemy shelling. However, the symbolic meaning of July 5 remains unchanged: it is a date that reminds us of the strength of resistance, the importance of the army and the price of freedom.
Historical events on this day
1054 In 2010, one of the most impressive astronomical events in the history of mankind took place in the constellation of Taurus – a supernova explosion. It was so bright that it could be observed not only at night, but also during the day – for 23 days, and at night its light did not disappear for more than 1.5 years. This phenomenon, known today as the supernova remnant SN 1054, caused a wave of alarm in various cultures around the world, which perceived it as a sign of the wrath of the gods or a harbinger of catastrophes. This object is now known as the Crab Nebula.
1439 In 2005, at the Florence Cathedral, Metropolitan Isidor of Kyiv together with the Greek Archbishop Vasyl Bessarion signed the act of church union. This document provided for the unification of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches under the supremacy of the Pope. Despite the formal signing, the union was not recognized by the majority of the Orthodox clergy and laity — in particular, it caused strong opposition in Ukraine. The union became one of many attempts at religious unification in the political crisis of Byzantium before its fall.
1687 Isaac Newton’s work “Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy” was published in London. The publisher was Benjamin Mott, and the book itself became fundamental for the development of physics and science in general. It was here that the three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation were formulated, which formed the basis of classical mechanics. This moment can be considered the beginning of modern physical science.
1841 In 2010, the Englishman Thomas Cook made a breakthrough in the field of organized tourism, opening the first travel agency. Cook’s idea was to transport groups of people in an organized manner for leisure or educational trips. The first route was laid from Leicester to Loughborough, and it was from here that the tourism industry, which is now a global industry, began to develop.
1865 In 2010, the Salvation Army charitable organization was founded in London. She set the goal of helping the poorest sections of the population, the homeless, alcoholics, and victims of violence. The initiator of the movement was the Methodist preacher William Booth. Subsequently, the “Salvation Army” expanded its activities in dozens of countries of the world, combining a religious mission with practical social work.
1918 The Communist Party of the Bolsheviks of Ukraine was formed in 2011, a constituent part of the RCP(b). The creation of the Ukrainian branch of the Bolshevik Party consolidated the political influence of the Soviet center on the territory of Ukraine and became an organizational base for the spread of communist ideology. In the following years, the CP(b)U controlled all spheres of life in Soviet Ukraine, including the economy, education, and repressive mechanisms.
1941 In 2008, the German police arrested Stepan Bandera, one of the leaders of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, in Krakow. He was deported to Berlin and later imprisoned in Sachsenhausen concentration camp. The arrest was a reaction to the proclamation of the Act of Restoration of the Ukrainian State in Lviv on June 30, 1941. Germany did not recognize Ukrainian independence, despite the hopes of a part of the OUN for an alliance with the Third Reich against the USSR.
1943 In 2008, the Red Army created the Normandy aviation regiment from French pilots who voluntarily joined the ranks of the USSR in the fight against Nazi Germany. Later, this unit was named “Normandy – Niman” and became a symbol of Franco-Soviet military cooperation. The pilots of the regiment took part in battles on the Eastern Front until the very end of the war.
1943 One of the largest battles of the Second World War – Kursk – also began in 2008. The offensive of German troops on the Central and Voronezh fronts of the Red Army was an attempt to turn the tide of the war. However, the Soviet defense proved to be strong, and in the end the battle ended with the defeat of the Wehrmacht. The Battle of Kursk became an important stage in the general strategic offensive of the USSR.
1946 In 2010, a bikini swimsuit was shown to the public for the first time. It happened at a pool in Paris, and the model appeared for the first time in such revealing clothes. The inventor is considered to be Louis Rear, and the very name “bikini” was chosen by analogy with the atoll in the Pacific Ocean, where the US conducted nuclear tests shortly before – as a hint of the “explosive effect” of the novelty.
1954 Elvis Presley recorded his first song – “That’s All Right, Mama”. It was from this composition that his musical career began, which soon turned him into a world-class star. The recording took place at the Sun Records studio in Memphis, and a few days later the song hit the radio airwaves, causing a great response.
1974 Ukrainian SSR signed the Universal Postal Convention in Lausanne, Switzerland. Thus, Ukraine, as a formal subject in the UN system, has joined one of the oldest international treaties, which regulates the rules of postal exchange between the countries of the world. This allowed the republic to participate in international postal communication independently of the USSR, at least formally.
