The village of Kochetok is located on the right bank of the Seversky Donets River on two cliffs, between which the small Tetlega River is barely visible. At the entrance to Kochetok, you are greeted by a sculpture of a handsome rooster, made and painted by folk craftsmen from the Giglav family. Like every town or village in Ukraine, Kochetok has several legends about its name, so this sign already points to one of them. When you look from Chuguev, from Repinskaya Mountain, to our places, it seems that the tops of the forest, cut by a deep ravine, resemble the head and tail of a rooster - "kocheta".
Perennial oak and mixed forests surrounded the village on all sides, making it attractive for travelers, hunters, and mushroom pickers.
If you come to Kochetok, you will definitely fall in love with it at first sight, like many people who came from other regions and no longer wanted to leave this comfortable place to live.
Once upon a time the land was rich
And the ponds are not silted up,
Oaks at least three girths,
Catfish in Dinka, wolves in the forest.
These villages were attacked
Khanabatian Horde,
People were taken into slavery
And burned everything to the ground.
We tasted the Cossack freedom
There are Tatar soldiers here.
In rivers, lakes, ravines
And their bones still smolder.
And for the tract, for the beam,
Across the street and across the forest
Deadly battles were fought
And for our charming Kochetok.
They also endured Soviet shackles,
The Holodomor was endured,
Fascist exorbitant hardship –
They destroyed everything that God sent.
What was, all has passed,
Only the earth's language is imperishable,
Where they worked, where they defended themselves
Our great-great-grandfathers, grandfathers.
The date of foundation of the village of Kochetok is officially recognized as September 19, 1641. But the history of the village goes back to ancient times. This is evidenced by archaeological research and finds at its location. You can learn more about this from historical sources, as well as from the book «Kochetok in the Past and Present» by the teacher of Ukrainian language and literature at the Kochetok secondary school, Strelyana Antonina Mykhailivna, who devoted many years of her life to studying the history and traditions of Kochetok, and was engaged in the search for people who made a significant contribution to the development of the village.
Before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, 6 industrial enterprises operated in the village. Currently, some private enterprises have either ceased operations or are not operating at full capacity.
The largest enterprise is the Production Department of the Donets Water Supply Company, which provides drinking water to the city of Kharkiv, Chuguiv and Rohansk communities. And today, despite missile attacks from the aggressor country, the enterprise works so that people do not experience disruptions in water supply. We respectfully recall Nikolaenko Mykhailo Vasilyevich, the director of Donets, who made a significant contribution to the development of the enterprise.
The Chuguevo-Babchansky Forestry Farm branch of the State Enterprise Forests of Ukraine ensures the revival and protection of our forests. In this difficult time, it is harvesting wood, meeting the needs of the community's population with firewood for heating.
The health of local residents is taken care of by 2 family doctors who provide quality medical services. This year, the reconstruction of the former outpatient clinic was completed and a gynecologist's office and an operating room were additionally opened.
The administrator of the Central Social Assistance Center works in the premises of the starostat, which makes it possible to receive a package of social services in the settlement.
Over the past 2 years, 4 individual entrepreneurs have opened in the village, which provide the population with food and industrial goods. During the acute phase of the war, entrepreneurs, in communication with representatives of local government, organized the delivery of food and essential goods, and built a temporary road to the village.
Branches of Ukrposhta, Novaya Poshta, and post offices provide the population with goods delivery services.
A children's library has been opened. A playground has been opened. A shopping pavilion has been equipped.
And this is not a complete list of services that you can get in our Kochetok.
Our village is a real center of education, because the Chuhuyevo-Babchansky Forestry Vocational College, the municipal institutions "Kochetotsk Gymnasium" and Kochetotsk Sanatorium School, and the Kochetotsk Preschool Education Institution operate here.
Chuhuyevo-Babchansky Forestry College trains forestry specialists for all of Ukraine.
Until March 8, 2022, the institution was headed by Roman Fedorovych Khvorostyany, who volunteered to go to the front. Together with her husband, Roman's wife Lyubov also went to defend the country from the Russian occupiers. Roman Fedorovych died on December 13, 2022 during enemy assault operations near the village of Ploshchanka, Krasnorechynsky district, Luhansk region. He was awarded the Order "For Courage" of the 3rd degree (posthumously), an honorary distinction and a breastplate "Forester of Ukraine - for courage and heroism" (posthumously).
Together with Roman Fedorovych, college graduate Politsynsky Serhiy fought, who heroically died in December 2022.
In the battle for our freedom, a graduate of the Kochetok Secondary School, Baklanov Ivan, died.
Let us remember all those who gave their lives for their native village, for Ukraine. Most of the teachers and employees of the Kochetok Gymnasium have not left the territory of the village since February 24, 2022. Everyone works harmoniously, teaches children remotely, eliminates the consequences of enemy shelling, and helps the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Thanks to the care and support of local authorities, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and international organizations, each student and teacher of the gymnasium is provided with personal laptops for organizing the educational process.
Children from all over the region study at the Kochetotsk Sanatorium School. The institution has its own history, traditions, and achievements. The school has a very creative and powerful team.
Our kindergarten is a place where all the conditions are created for the upbringing and development of children, unfortunately, it also operates remotely today.
It should be noted that all educational institutions located in the village, regardless of their subordination, participate in the life of the village and the community. Internally displaced persons from the occupied territories temporarily live in the college dormitory free of charge. They are provided with humanitarian assistance at the expense of the community and international organizations.
The tourist and local history opportunities of Kochetok are truly extensive and we have something to tell and show.
The first hydrotherapy resort in the Kharkiv region was opened in Kochetka in 1840, and a hydropathic institution opened here in 1846. Unfortunately, these historical monuments were destroyed.
The pride and decoration of the village is the blue-and-white beauty of the icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir, which was restored by the workers of the Kochetotsk water supply station with the support of the regional and local authorities. The group for the restoration of the temple was headed by a great enthusiast, a man with a delicate artistic taste, Komarov Sergey Lukyanovich. The church was consecrated in 1987. Today it is operational and provides shelter to believers.
Before the war, our village was included in the tourist routes of the Kharkiv region. The church and the unique water museum of the Donets State Historical and Cultural Heritage Center were open to tourists.
To this day, the village of Tsat has preserved unique natural springs. Near the post office there is an oak tree that is over 300 years old. On the territory of the college there is an arboretum with rare species of trees.
You can also walk the paths of our forest and gain life-giving strength from the trees.
The heart of Kochetok is its people, honest, hardworking, and creative.
These are masters of art: talented artists, sculptors, restorers Giglavy Petro, Giglavy Artem, Giglavy Semen; artist Fedorchenko Gennady.
Master embroideries: Pryimak Galyna Alekseevna, Putivska Inna Nikolaevna, Lysiak Iryna Vasylivna.
Knitting masters: Kolisnychenko Nadiya Semenovna, Pozdnyakova Lyudmila Ivanivna.
No holiday in Kochetok is complete without songs. For many years, the folk choir "Donets" of the water supply station, led by Teremets Viktor Dmitrovich, was famous for its creativity.
And today you can see and hear wonderful performances by the vocal and dance ensemble "Kalinonka" under the direction of Shulga Alexandra Ivanovna.
Culinary masters: Grosheva Marina, Volkova Natalia.
It is impossible to list all the talents of our fellow villagers who dream of living in peace and passing on their experience to their children and grandchildren.
We invite everyone to our charming Kochetok to enjoy its views.
We wish everyone peaceful days and nights! Victory and peace to us and our Ukraine!