Village Strilky, Sambir Raion, Lviv Oblast. Aerial view.

The Strilky rural hromada is a mountainous rural hromada in Sambir Raion, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine. Located in the western part of the Sambir Raion, its territory is entirely within the Upper Dniester Beskids (Carpathian Mountains), covering an area of 320.4 km² (9.9% of the raion's area). The community comprises 21 villages with a population of 14,349 residents (6.2% of the raion's population), and 10,822 adults.^[1] The population density is 44.78 people/km².

It borders the Staryi Sambir urban hromada to the north, the Turka urban hromada to the south, the Skhidnytsia urban hromada of the Drohobych Raion to the east, and the Republic of Poland to the west. The hromada was recently established, at the end of 2020.

On the territory of the Strilky hromada are the Royal Beskids National Nature Park and the "Upper Dniester Beskids" Regional Landscape Park.

Formed based on the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine decree dated June 12, 2020, 'On determining administrative centers and approving the territories of territorial hromadas.' The first elections of the village head and village council deputies took place on October 25, 2020. The first solemn meeting was held on November 26, 2020.

The head is Mykola Drozd.^[2]

The governing body is the Strilky village council.^[3]

Council address: Ukraine, 82092, Lviv Oblast, Sambir Raion, Strilky, o. M. Verbicky Street, 10. KATO code: UA46080170000064605.^[4]

Official website: https://strilky-gromada.gov.ua

Hromada composition

The hromada consists of 21 villages (all with mountainous status):

Hromada Center

1. Strilky (2,333)

Starosta Vasyl Mykhailovych Hrytsak:

1. Babyno (377)
2. Vytsiv (77)
3. Halivka (97)
4. Hvozdets (94)
5. Holovetsko (1,058)
6. Hroziovo (609)
7. Dnistryk (310)
8. Mshanets (296)
9. Ploske (149)
10. Ripiana (630)
11. Smerechka (267)

Starosta Volodymyr Romanovych Chuplak:

1. Busovysko (949)
2. Verkhnii Luzhok (1,167)

Starosta Tetiana Ivanivna Demian:

1. Velyka Volosianka (329)
2. Lopushanka-Khomyna (495)
3. Tysovytsia (592)
4. Yasenytsia-Zamkova (1,270)

Staorsta Lesya Yaroslavivna Nalyvaiko:

1. Nedilna (197)
2. Topilnytsia (1,473)
3. Turie (1,225)

Population

In 2021, the hromada had a population of 13,994 people (males - 6,829, females - 7,165). Age distribution: up to 15 years - 2,338, 16–59 years - 8,431, 60 years and older - 3,321.

History

The hromada is situated in a picturesque area in the Carpathians, within the Upper Dniester Beskids, in the region known as Boikivshchyna.

It's difficult to determine when the first settlements were founded here, but there is reliable evidence of the existence of a Rus hillfort on Mount Magura as far back as the 11th-13th centuries, along with other castles on mountain peaks dating back to the times of Kievan Rus.

During that period, hillforts were strategically built on heights to create a defensive network and quickly transmit danger signals using a system of bonfires. Today, mobile towers stand in the locations of ancient hillforts and castles.

The famous "Rus Road" (more precisely, a network of trade routes) passed through these mountains.

Starting from the 15th century, the first written mentions of these villages in their modern locations have been preserved: Busovysko – 13th century, Babyna – 1407, Strilky – 1437, Mshanets – 1446, Turie – 1473, Hrozova – 1492.

There was never serfdom here, which significantly influenced the character of the local residents. The villages had "Vlach law" (or "shepherd law"): the villagers freely used the land and pastures under the authority of community elders (initially called "knyaz" and later "viyt" and "soltys"). The elders paid taxes to the royal treasury, determined who would go to the army (at that time – the Austrian army), and, crucially, had their own court.

Thanks to Father Mykhailo Zubrytskyi, a priest and scholar who served in the village of Mshanets for 30 years, a wealth of unique information (and artifacts) about the history of these villages has been preserved. This includes details about the system of community justice, which is truly an interesting 'case' and a brick in understanding the local mentality and the community's ability to resolve matters. Very rarely did legal cases escalate to higher authorities.

The system worked as follows: the headman ("viyt"), through a sworn juror (community policeman), summoned people. The most important feature was that anyone who came to court, regardless of whether they belonged to the 'council,' participated, and decisions were made collectively. The plaintiff would place 5-10-20 Austrian gold guilders on the table and command, "My five, ten under forfeiture, if this is proven against me!" The defendant was obliged to provide evidence (if, before that, he publicly accused the plaintiff of some dishonest act). If he proved it, the money placed on the table was forfeited, but if not, he had to pay the same amount that the plaintiff had put on the table. Officials ("kraynyky") usually confirmed the community's decision, and often ordered the jurors and headmen from other communities to go to Mshanets and settle disputes.

The system of punishment was also interesting when people were seated on a wooden horse in the yard of one of the landlords for guilt.

In the second half of the 19th century, the situation with alcohol in these villages was simply sad. People drank everything: fields, houses, remnant – everything was left in the tavern. In the evening, you couldn't walk through the village without stumbling upon a brawl. Moonshine was the main drink at lunches, weddings, funerals, in agreements of buying and selling, for example, sheep, and so on. Only during Christmas holidays did the village spend as much on moonshine as the annual salary of the priest.

But during this time, thanks to young Greek-Catholic priests, the situation changed drastically. In 20 years, they managed to sober up the people. Of course, they also made mortal enemies – local Jewish tavern keepers.

Geography

Strilky rural hromada

The hromada is situated in the basin of the Dniester River, more precisely in its source. It is located in the southwestern part of the Lviv Oblast, where its western boundaries coincide with the state border of Ukraine and the Republic of Poland. The hromada shares borders with the Staryi Sambir urban hromada to the north, the Turka urban hromada to the south, and the Pidbuzh settlement hromada of Drohobych Raion to the east.

The entire hromada is situated in the massif of the Upper Dniester Beskids (Carpathians). Two natural parks, the Regional Landscape Park "Upper Dniester Beskids" and the National Natural Park "Royal Beskids," partially cover the territory of the hromada.

The hromada is located in the foothills of the Outer Carpathians and the San-Dniester watershed elevation, within the basins of the Black and Baltic Seas. It is part of two physiogeographic zones: the Subcarpathians and the Ukrainian Carpathians, which are called the Beskids in this region. These mountains are formed from flysch, sandstones, shales, and various mountain rocks. The solid rocks, which are less prone to erosion, form elevated sharp relief features, while less resistant rocks, which erode more quickly, create softer, rounded relief forms, resulting in many peaks and depressions in the mountainous area.

The mountainous relief is characterized by the rounded forms of the Carpathian ridges, whose peaks reach 800 meters and more above sea level. The highest peak is Mount Magura-Limnianska, located near the village of Hrozovo, rising to 1022 meters above sea level.

The hromada is located in a zone with an Atlantic-continental climate, characterized by low pressure, high air humidity, and cool summers. This transitional climate characteristic is influenced by the geographical location of the territory at the crossroads of migration paths of air masses, as well as the specific features of its surface (presence of marshy plains, sandy areas, plateaus, and mountains).

The geographical latitude of the region allows for the incidence of solar radiation at an average angle of 41°, observed during noon in the spring and autumn equinoxes. The maximum angle of solar radiation is reached during the summer solstice (62°), and the minimum during the winter solstice (17°).

Economy

"Mshanets Huts" and the Chapel of St. Nicholas. Aerial view. Village Mshanets, Sambir Raion, Lviv Oblast.

The hromada hosts 40 enterprises, including 15 private enterprises, 15 limited liability companies, 3 farms, 1 communal enterprise, 4 agricultural cooperatives, 1 consumer cooperative, and 1 law firm.

The most prevalent types of activities are wholesale and retail trade, logging, and wood processing.

Eparchial Retreat Center "Emmaus," village Strilky.

Additionally, there are enterprises engaged in:

• Electrical installation works
• Electricity production
• Telecommunications
• Repair of household electronic equipment for receiving, recording, and reproducing sound and images
• Construction of residential and non-residential buildings
• Rental of construction machinery and equipment
• Production of underwear
• Manufacturing of paper products for household and sanitary-hygienic purposes
• Milk processing and cheese production
• Flour-milling and cereal production
• Manufacturing of products from bark, straw, and plant materials for weaving
• Travel organization services

Restaurant and Recreation Complex "Striletskyi Zamok" in the village of Strilky, Lviv Oblast

Due to the specific mountainous soils, traditional agriculture in the hromada is not as effective as in other regions of Ukraine. However, the hromada provides favorable conditions for industrial cultivation of blueberries, blackberries, hazelnuts, strawberries, wild strawberries, sea buckthorn, lavender, and more.

Restaurant and Recreation Complex "Striletskyi Zamok" in the village of Strilky, Lviv Oblast

Thanks to its natural location, the hromada has significant tourist potential. Developing a strategy for socio-economic development, the focus is on green and agritourism, along with cultural, historical, and sports tourism. The first successful steps in this direction have already been taken.

Tourist Infrastructure

Prominent figures

• Fr. Mykhailo Zubrytskyi (Greek Catholic Priest). Fr. Mykhailo Zubrytskyi was not only a priest but also an ethnologist, historian, politician, public figure, reformer, publicist, and a full member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society (since July 29, 1904). He can be considered the founder of trends in historical science that emerged in the 20th century, such as oral history and, to some extent, microhistory. He was the first scholar in the world to choose the life and customs of peasants as the subject of scientific research. Thanks to his works, Mshanets, where he served for 31 years, is the most researched village in terms of historical and ethnographic dimensions in all of Central and Eastern Europe.
• Fr. Mykhailo Verbytskyi was a priest in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) and the composer of the music for the national anthem of Ukraine. From 1853 to 1856, he served in the village of Strilky at the Church of St. Great Martyr Eustathius (1792).
• Frank Edward Sysyn is an American and Canadian historian, science organizer, and expert in the history of Ukraine. Frank Sysyn is also the head of the CIUS department at the University of Toronto. His scholarly interests primarily focus on Ukrainian studies of the early modern Cossack era, political and religious history. He also teaches courses in history at Stanford and Columbia Universities.
• Andriy Verhovynets (writer) was born in the village of Mshanets in 1877 (the year of death and place are unknown). His real surname was Parashchak. He also used pseudonyms such as Brodyaga, Andriy, and Komar. He is the author of novellas, short stories, and sketches. One separate work, "Descendants of Mars: Pictures from Military Life," was published in New York by the Ukrainian Bookstore named after T. Shevchenko.
• Hryhoriy Piznak was an artist and iconographer born in the village of Mshanets. He was repressed along with his family by the Soviet regime. Piznak was known for his skills in iconography, painting, and portraiture.
• Stepan Vovkaniach was an economist born in the village of Mshanets (1936-2019). He held a Doctor of Economic Sciences degree, was a professor, and a corresponding member of the NGO "Ukrainian Academy of Informatics." Stepan was a leading research fellow at the Institute of Regional Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. He was honored as a distinguished figure in science and technology in Ukraine for his significant personal contribution to the socio-economic and cultural development of the city of Lviv. Additionally, he was a member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society (NTSh) and a former member of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (1994-2004).
• Mykola Dudych - a leader of the OUN (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists), serving as a district guide for the OUN and a county leader in the Staryi Sambir Raion. He used pseudonyms such as "Zalizniak" and "Adamchuk." Born in the village of Holovetsko on December 19, 1914. Mykola Dudych authored the song "Povstanska mohyla" (Insurgent Grave) and wrote verses and music for songs that gained popularity among insurgents and the general population. He actively participated in the defense of the Constituent Assembly of the Ukrainian Supreme Liberation Council, which took place from July 11 to 15, 1944, near the village of Sprynia in the Sambir Raion. He passed away on May 4, 1947.
• Vasyl Sygin, also known as "Monakh" (Monk), was a peasant and a native of the village of Hrozovo. He is recognized as the first enlightener of the region. In the 1870s, he visited the Pochaiv Lavra and returned with a stack of books in Church Slavonic and Russian languages. He also obtained a spiritual rank, which the official authorities did not recognize because the Russian Empire considered it hostile. Sygin, or "Monakh," was the first to start teaching children Church Slavonic literacy since, up to that point, the population was largely illiterate.
• Ivan Kopach (pseudonyms and cryptonyms: Narodovets, H. Kychun, I. K., K. I., I. K-ch; 1870–1952) was a Ukrainian religious and public figure, educator, linguist, and literary scholar. He held a Doctor of Philosophy degree (1901) and was a professor. He was one of the representatives of the Galician intelligentsia who dedicated his entire life to science and the Ukrainian people.
• Joseph Kit, also known by pseudonyms "Denys," "Osyp," "Sichen" (January), born in the village of Dnistryk (1920-1951), was a senior messenger of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). He served as a courier for the leader of the Drogobych District Leadership of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), Volodymyr Frayt, also known as "Zhara." Kit was the commander of the security detachment for the leader of the Carpathian Regional Leadership of the OUN, Stepan Slobodyan, also known as "Yefrem." He was a member of the courier group led by Ivan Khoma, known as "Bohdan," which delivered underground mail from Ukraine to the Foreign Representation of the Ukrainian Supreme Liberation Council (5.09.-10.10.1950). Kit attended the American intelligence school in West Germany (01.-05.1951).
• Ivan Hudz (Engineer). Born in the village of Ploske. Military engineer and inventor in the Austrian army (prior to World War I).
• Andriy Luzhetsky (Biochemist, Geneticist). Born in the village of Busovysko (1978), Ukrainian biochemist, geneticist. Candidate of Biological Sciences (2003). From 2000, he worked as the head of the laboratory at Albert Ludwig University in Frankfurt. In 2007, his scientific work was recognized as the "best scientist in Germany." He leads a scientific group in the field of metabolic engineering of actinobacteria at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research in Saarland. He has received awards from the University of Freiburg and the biotechnology society "Dechema."
• Ivan Paslavsky (Philosopher, Historian). Born in the village of Velyka Volosianka (1945), Ukrainian philosopher, historian, leading researcher at the Department of the History of the Middle Ages at the Ivan Krypiakevych Institute of Ukrainian Studies of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, candidate of philosophical sciences. He researches the history of Ukrainian philosophy and religious-church life in Ukraine during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. Author of over 200 scientific and popular science works.
• Anton Knyazhytsky (Writer). Born in the village of Tysovitsya (1893-1960), literary critic, military man, educator, and public figure. He held a Ph.D., was a professor, director of the Kolomyia Gymnasium, a Sich Riflemen, and a political prisoner in Bolshevik camps.

Festival "Visiting the Boykos and Fr. Mykhailo Zubrytskyi." Village: Mshanets, 2021.

He was one of the founders of the "Boikivschyna" Museum in Sambir. He was persecuted by the Gestapo, spent time in Soviet concentration camps, escaped, and passed away in Philadelphia. He authored memoirs "Na dni SSSR" (1959, posthumously published in 2001) and "V kraini nevoli"; literary-critical works "Tvorchyi shlyakh Lesi Ukrainky," studies "Dukh natsii" (1959), and articles.

• Omelyan Kaluzhnyatsky (Educator, Slavist). Born in the village of Turie (1845-1914), Ukrainian scholar (philologist, Slavist, paleographer, folklorist), and public figure in Bukovina.

References