Volzhsky, Volgograd Oblast

There was no indigenous population on the site of the communist settlement of Volzhsky until the 18th century. The first settlers were fugitives who called themselves bezrodnye (безродные, "without kith or kin") and the village they set up had the name Bezrodnoye. In 1720, Peter the Great, noting the abundance of mulberry forests in the area, ordered building a state-run silk factory there.

Modern Volzhsky was founded in 1951.^[2] It had a population of about 10,000 at that time.^[13] On July 22, 1954, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, the village of Volzhsky was transformed into the city of Volzhsky of regional subordination, in connection with the construction of the Stalingrad HPP (1950-1961).^[14] Its biggest upsurge of population came for the construction of the Volga Hydroelectric Station.

Volzhsky grew around a hydroelectric power station which was built by Komsomol volunteers and by civil convict labor, who numbered almost 27,000 by 1953.^[15] Volzhsky was a city planned in a modern style with courtyard apartment blocks angled to deter hot summer winds off the steppes.^{[citation needed]}

In April 2012, the work settlementofKrasnooktyabrsky, administratively subordinated to Volzhsky, and the rural locality (a settlement) of Uralsky from Sredneakhtubinsky District were merged into Volzhsky.^[16]

Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is incorporated as the city of oblast significance of Volzhsky—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts.^[1] As a municipal division, the city of oblast significance of Volzhsky is incorporated as Volzhsky Urban Okrug.^[5]

The main enterprises in the city are Volga GES (a hydroelectric station), Volzhsky Trubny Zavod (producing steel pipes), Volzhsky Khimvolokno (chemical fibers), Volzhsky Orgsintez (chemical products), Volzhskrezinotekhnika (rubber products), Volzhsky Shinny Zavod (tires), Volzhsky Podshipnikovy Zavod (bearings), and JSC Zavod Meteor (electronic components).

Volzhsky is twinned with:^[17]

•   Cleveland Heights, United States
•   Mönchengladbach, Nord-Rhein Westfalia, Deutschland
•   Collegno, Italy
•   Lianyungang, China
•   Shaker Heights, United States

• Волгоградская областная Дума. Закон №139-ОД от 7 октября 1997 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Волгоградской области», в ред. Закона №107-ОД от 10 июля 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в отдельные законодательные акты Волгоградской области в связи с приведением их в соответствие с Уставом Волгоградской области». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Волгоградская правда", №207, 1 ноября 1997 г. (Volgograd Oblast Duma. Law #139-OD of October 7, 1997 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Volgograd Oblast, as amended by the Law #107-OD of July 10, 2015 On Amending Various Legislative Acts of Volgograd Oblast to Ensure Compliance with the Charter of Volgograd Oblast. Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
• Волгоградская областная Дума. Закон №1032-ОД от 25 марта 2005 г. «Об установлении границ и наделении статусом города Волжского Волгоградской области», в ред. Закона №106-ОД от 10 октября 2012 г. «О внесении изменения в статью 1 Закона Волгоградской области от 25 марта 2005 г. №1032-ОД "Об установлении границ и наделении статусом города Волжского Волгоградской области"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Волгоградская правда", №60, 6 апреля 2005 г. (Volgograd Oblast Duma. Law #1032-OD of March 25, 2005 On Establishing the Borders and Granting the Status to the City of Volzhsky of Volgograd Oblast, as amended by the Law #106-OD of October 10, 2012 On Amending Article 1 of the Law of Volgograd Oblast #1032-OD of March 25, 2005 "On Establishing the Borders and Granting the Status to the City of Volzhsky of Volgograd Oblast". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).