Sloboda Ukraine (Slobozhanshchyna) is a historical region located in the northeast of present Ukraine and the southwest of the Central Chernozem economic region of Russia. In the 16th-18th centuries, it was a border region, which was actively settled with the support of the Russian government to protect the state from the raids of the Crimean Tatars.

The settlers took over the guard service and military protection of the frontier, their settlements called “sloboda” enjoyed more freedoms. Today, the term “Slobozhanshchyna” is actively used as an informal collective name of the Kharkiv, Sumy regions of Ukraine and the Belgorod region of Russia.

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Izyum (literally meaning “raisins”), first mentioned in 1571, is a city with a population of about 50,000 people located in the southeast of the Kharkiv region, about 124 km from Kharkiv.

This city, standing on the banks of the Siverskyi Donets River and surrounded by forests, is the third largest city of the Kharkiv region. Mount Kremyanets located on the territory of Izyum is the highest point of the region (218 m).

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Sivershchyna, a historical region named after the Siverians, an East Slavic tribe, is located in northern Ukraine, eastern Belarus and southwestern Russia.

Here is a nice presentation of the Ukrainian part of Sivershchyna that includes the Chernihiv, Sumy, Poltava, and Kharkiv regions (turn the subtitles on).

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The former estate of Sharivka, located in the south-west of the Kharkiv region on the bank of the Merchyk River, is one of the most beautiful palace and park complexes in Ukraine.

The main attraction is the Sharivka Palace – a white stone manor house built in the neo-Gothic style. Locals also call it the “White Swan”. Sharivka Palace on Google Maps.

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Sharovka, a former manor house built in neo-Gothic style, is located in an urban village of Sharovka in Bogodukhov district of the Kharkiv region.

This manor, founded in the beginning of the 19th century, is a monument of architecture of national importance. Unfortunately there are no funds for maintenance of the complex today, and it gradually falls into decay.

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And here’s another beautiful autumn landscape of Ukraine. This pictures was taken near Gineevka village in Kharkov region by Sergey Stepanenko

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What a beautiful landscape! Early morning on the small river of Udy near Vodyane village located to the south of Kharkov city. Photo by Sergey Stepanenko

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Kharkiv oblast, the fourth largest region of Ukraine, is located in the northeast of the country. Steppe occupies most of the territory of the region.

Today, steppe in its original form survived almost nowhere in the region. It is plowed up under endless fields of wheat, corn, sunflower, sugar beet and other crops. Kharkiv region produces about 5% of the gross agricultural output of Ukraine.

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In Ukraine, it is the midst of the so-called “golden autumn” now. It is a relatively short time of the year when the trees already have a characteristic yellow-red autumn color and the weather is still sunny and clear. A great time for landscape photography!

This beautiful photo was taken near the village of Gineevka located to the south of Kharkov, the capital city of Kharkov region. Photo by Sergey Stepanenko

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Beautiful sunrise on one of the rivers of Kharkiv region. Great atmosphere and very nice photo made by Yuriy Shevchenko.

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