Khortytsia Island

Khortytsia Island (Ukrainian: Хортиця) is a long river island in the Dnieper River within the city limits of Zaporizhzhia and forms the core of the Khortytsia National Reserve / National Park. The island is the largest on the Dnieper (approximately 12.5 km long and up to 2.5 km wide) and contains archaeological and historic landmarks tied to Zaporizhian Cossack history, including named features like Dumna Skala (Council Rock). Its cultural status is often described in source materials as sacred or central to regional identity and Cossack heritage. In the 20th century the island also hosted modern infrastructure: a sanatorium-resort (Profilaktoriy) belonging to the Dniprospetsstal electrometallurgical plant was established mid-century, with construction beginning in 1955 and an official opening in 1958. The sanatorium was sited near historic landmarks and featured therapeutic facilities and introduced flora. Contemporary reporting and archival descriptions state that the Dniprospetsstal sanatorium has been non-operational since February 2022 and that at least one residential building was heavily damaged by a direct Russian missile strike. Since 2022 Khortytsia and the surrounding Zaporizhzhia area have been affected by wartime activity (strikes, drones, frontline operations), which has damaged parts of modern infrastructure on the island and led to restricted or dangerous access. The island remains a protected national reserve and a focus of conservation and heritage concern, with international media coverage urging protection of exposed or damaged sites.