Pochep, Bryansk Oblast

Pochep (Russian: По́чеп) is a town and the administrative center of Pochepsky District in Bryansk Oblast, Russia, located 84 kilometers (52 mi) southwest of Bryansk, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 14,991 (2021 Census);^[7] 17,161 (2010 Census);^[3] 17,064 (2002 Census);^[8] 16,868 (1989 Soviet census).^[9]

Pochep Почеп
Town[1]
Coat of arms
Location of Pochep
Pochep Location of Pochep Show map of Russia Pochep Pochep (Bryansk Oblast) Show map of Bryansk Oblast
Coordinates: 52°56′N 33°27′E
Country	Russia
Federal subject	Bryansk Oblast[1]
Administrative district	Pochepsky District[2]
Urban Administrative Okrug	Pochepsky[2]
First mentioned	15th century
Elevation	150 m (490 ft)
Population  (2010 Census)[3]
• Total	17,161
Administrative status
• Capital of	Pochepsky District,[1] Pochepsky Urban Administrative Okrug[2]
Municipal status
• Municipal district	Pochepsky Municipal District[4]
• Urban settlement	Pochepskoye Urban Settlement[4]
• Capital of	Pochepsky Municipal District,[4] Pochepskoye Urban Settlement[4]
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK [5])
Postal code(s)[6]	243400, 243402, 243449
Dialing code(s)	+7 48345
OKTMO ID	15644101001
Website	www.admgorodpoc.ru

History

Historical affiliations

Poland–Lithuania 15th cent.–1503
Grand Duchy of Moscow 1503–1547
Tsardom of Russia 1547–1618
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 1618–1667
Tsardom of Russia 1667–1721
Russian Empire 1721–1917
Ukrainian People's Republic 1917-1918
Soviet Russia 1918–1922
Soviet Union 1922–1991
Russian Federation 1991–present

The origin of Pochep is unknown but it was mentioned in the 15th century as an important town of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.^{[citation needed]} It fell into the hands of the Grand Duchy of Moscow in 1503. Pochep was returned to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth under the terms of the Truce of Deulino. It was part of the Smolensk Voivodeship.

From 1654, the town became part of the Cossack Hetmanate, initially within the Nizhyn Regiment and later the Starodub Regiment. In 1668, during the Russo–Ukrainian War, the town withstood a month-long siege by Russian forces under Prince K. Shcherbatov.^[10]

Pochep remained of little significance until 1709, when Hetman Ivan Skoropadsky made a grant of it to Alexander Menshikov. The latter founded the fort of Alexandropolis in the vicinity and launched manufacture of sails for Russian ships in Pochep.

The industry declined following Menshikov's downfall and the town stagnated until 1750, when it passed to another Hetman, Kirill Razumovsky, who planned to build his summer residence there. The only monument to these plans is the Resurrection Church, built in the 1750s to a confident Baroque design and often attributed to Antonio Rinaldi.^{[citation needed]}

Resurrection Church in Pochep

During World War II, Pochep was occupied by the German Army from August 22, 1941 to September 21, 1943. According to the Soviet archives, 1,875 Jews, including men, women, and children, were murdered during the Holocaust, mainly in the shootings of March 1942.^[11]

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Pochep serves as the administrative center of Pochepsky District.^[1] As an administrative division, it is incorporated within Pochepsky District as Pochepsky Urban Administrative Okrug.^[2] As a municipal division, Pochepsky Urban Administrative Okrug is incorporated within Pochepsky Municipal District as Pochepskoye Urban Settlement.^[4]

Notable people

• Pavel Axelrod, Russian Menshevik, was born here in 1850.
• Matvey Blanter, Russian composer, famous for the song "Katyusha", was born here in 1903.
• Roman Konoplev, Russian politician and publicist, was born here in 1973.

See also

Vialky