Zaporizhia

Zaporizhia (: Запоро́жье, : Запорізька, : Запорийчхоь, : Запорижжя, : ზაპორიოზია), also called Zaporizhzhya, officially the Republic of Zaporizhia (: Республика Запоро́жье,, : Республіка Запорізька, : Республика Запорожчйн, : Република Запорижжя, : ზაპორიჟის რესპუბლიკა), is a   located in Eastern Artemia. Zaporizhia is a relatively young country, formed out of the United Provinces of Rovsnoska and Zaporizhia in 1994. Zaporizhia possesses sizeable agricultural areas, heavy industries and strategic commercial seaports essential to Eastern Artemian trade with Kesh. In comparison to some of its neighbouring states, there is a considerable scarcity of natural resources in Zaporizhia and it depends on service exports to sustain its economic stability. Owing to its recent involvement in a crippling, Zaporizhia's industry continues to suffer. Zaporizhia shares a border with Yarova to the north, Poja to the south, Tethys coastline to the east, and Rovsnoska to the west.

Etymology
"Zaporizhia" derives its name from the Peremorovkan beyond the rapids, which references its geographic situation in regards to the River Alegiyev which spans across much of the Far East of Artemia.

Antiquity and early history
Evidence of  settlement in Zaporizhia can be seen in archaeological sites near the capital of Sosnivika (approximately 42,000 BCE) which include discoveries of remains. The territory of modern-day Zaporizhia is also widely thought to be the likely location for the human domestication of the horse. The region was largely dominated by the in a time frame from the late-6th century CE to the mid-to-late-9th century CE. Subsequent to this, the advent of the led to the creation of the East Slavic confederacy of Ljudia. The confederacy, which is estimated by historians to have existed from the late-9th century to the mid-13th century CE, included territory now part of Yarova. Ljudia derives its name from the ljudьje meaning “men” or “people.”

In 988 CE, Pyotr the Pious of Ljudia introduced to the  Ljudians. The administrative structure of the confederacy became increasingly decentralised over time and eventually disintegrated by the 12th century CE, with the emergence of several distinct East Slavic nations. Zaporizhia surfaced as a separate nation in spite of its cultural closeness to the other ethnic Yarovar tribes to the north of the River Alegiyev. With respect to this, in the ethnolinguistic sense, Zaporizhians are occasionally referred to as 'south-eastern Yarovars'. During the, Zaporizhia was a of the Tsardom of Yarova, maintaining a strong association with its northern brethren but simultaneously cultivating its own identity with its centre of government in the fortified city of Sosnivika.

Governorate of Zaporizhzhya (1743-1926)
Following the extensive and unprecedented territorial expansion of the Yarovan Vojiskiy Empire throughout the 18th century CE, as part of the manifest destiny policy of Vostochnoye Gospodstvo (‘Eastern Domination’), the Protectorate of Zaporizhzhya was directly annexed in 1743. Along with the neighbouring ethnic territory of Rovsnoska, Zaporizhia was reorganised as a Governorate of the Vojiskiy Crown (guberniya). The Governorate served as a crucial asset to the Empire’s carrying out of international trade and aided in its colonial expansion into Kesh, with the conquest of Tolima in 1786. A substantial number of ethnic Peremorovkars settled in the Governorate and established fishing villages on the Vasylivka Peninsula, accentuating the already-stark contrast between the Zaporizhians and their northern counterparts in Yarova Proper.

In the latter part of the 19th century, Zaporizhian, and communism caught traction in the Governorate. Zaporizhia birthed notable communist figures Igor Schrebina and Vladimir Kurchatov, who would go on to collaborate with Rovsnoskan separatists of a shared communist persuasion to secede from the Vojiskiy Empire following its collapse in 1926. Schrebina particularly advocated unity with Rovsnoska but separation from Greater Yarova. Similar to the union of the and  in the United Socialist Boreal Republics of Aukalnia and Sartland, which was also founded in 1926, the United Provinces of Rovsnoska and Zaporizhia was considered a temporary measure. An attempt was made by the first President of the United Federated Districts of Yarova, Vladimir Simakin, to reunify the ethnic Yarovar regions, however, this was foiled following his passing away in September 1926. The communist one-party system of the United Provinces impacted the diplomatic relationship with the newly-democratised Yarova, however, relations rarely strayed beyond neutral.

United Provinces of Rovsnoska and Zaporizhia (1926-1994)
After the two states were formally unified, Vladimir Kurchatov was inaugurated as the first president of the new, socialist United Provinces, which he ruled through the Supreme Soviet. Once a predominantly agricultural country, the United Provinces was transformed into a mid-range industrial state, and acquired an international reputation due to its manufacturing of s. The United Provinces was established as a comprising two republics, from west to east: Rovsnoska and Zaporizhia. In 1943, Andre Marchotov, the then-leader of the opposing party, was kidnapped, beaten and shot. This sparked nationwide outrage and almost ignited into a civil war. However, this was successfully prevented due to a declaration of, which was utilised as a mechanism to swiftly repress all opposition before it could organise. In 1968, reserves of were discovered in swathes of territory situated between Rovsnoska and Zaporizhia and the country enjoyed an economic boom owing to this. With its new-found wealth, two major companies where formed: Zapoatom, which was tasked with constructing and operating s, and Rosuran, which carried out. In 1972, the first excavation was completed at Cherkasy Nuclear Power Station. By 1980, the plant officially commenced operations and began to supply power to Sosnivika.

In the late-1970s, Zaporizhia's oil resources were beginning to decrease at an accelerating rate and, by 1984, exploration and production had virtually ceased. The termination of this industry, which played a central role in the economic output of the United Provinces, had a devastating impact on the state's economy. The failure of the government to prepare for such adversity resulted in a famine and in 1993 which, according to some estimates, claimed the lives of over 40,000 Rovsno-Zaporizhians. The following year, in 1994, a nonviolent demonstration in Sosnivika was met with brutality by government forces. This sparked the Rovsnoskan-Zaporizhian Civil War. For the duration of the conflict, the communists retained control over Zaporizhia, whereas much of Rovsnoska was captured by fascist separatist rebels. After heavy fighting and profound loss of life, the conflict concluded with the secession of Rovsnoska.

Contemporary history
Following the civil war, the diminished Zaporizhia initially struggled to regain a stable footing, with soaring levels of unemployment. Allegations of corruption at government-level and within the Armed Forces came to a head in 2005, when dramatic, sweeping reforms were implemented, which involved the removal of almost half of the army personnel and government staffers. Later that year, the nuclear power plant in Ivankov was reopened, which restored electricity to much of the country's deprived rural areas. In 2006, in further efforts to stabilise the economy, dozens of factories were expanded and the road and rail network was rebuilt. By 2009, the national economy started to display signs of growth, the first time since the 1970s. This was seen as a major victory.

In 2010, modernisation efforts were underway which involved the country's movement towards democracy and a mixed, transitional economy. Today, Zaporizhia is still recovering from the civil war. Recently, the government announced plans to build a "closed city" with another nuclear power plant to replace the deteriorating-Cherkasy. The Armed Forces still boast a sizeable quantity of employees, with around 30,000 active personnel and an additional 400,000 in reserve. The majority of the state's former infrastructure remains in ruins but, gradually, the situation is improving with a reconstruction program in progress. In 2013, Alexander Ilyamin took over the Zaporizhian National Party and now leads the government. Zaporizhia nurtures an increasingly-sophisticated secret police force.

Geography
Zaporizhia has a strategic position in Eastern Artemia: lying on the shores of the Zaporizhian Sea and the Tethys Ocean, it borders the Artemian countries of Yarova to the north, Poja to the south and Rovsnoska to the west. The total geographic area of Zaporizhia is 95,036 square kilometres (36,694 sq mi). The land border of Zaporizhia totals 3,448 kilometres (2,080 mi). The border lengths with each country are: Poja 552 kilometres (343 mi), Rovsnoska 1,064 kilometres (661 mi), and Yarova 1,832 kilometres (1,138 mi). Zaporizhia is also bordered by 2,488 kilometres (1,546 mi) of coastline.

The Zvinyacheye Steppe (Cтепь Звіняче) dominates the landscape of much of the country's northern region and is divided from Yarova's Dzyunakaz Steppe by the River Alegiyev. In the north-west, along the border with Rovsnoska, lies the Rosnoskaya mountain range (Росноська гора), which includes Zaporizhia's highest mountain Zapormorn (Запорморна), which stands at 1,445 metres above sea level. Whereas central and southern Zaporizhia features vast unforested grasslands and fertile plains, stretching as far as the southern tip of the Vasylivka Peninsula. The climate of Zaporizhia is mostly, with the exception of the Vasylivka Peninsula which has a. The country has two sizeable lakes located in the south, Beregovaya (284 km2) and, the largest, Ingur (516 km2).

Climate
With the use of the system, Zaporizhia may be primarily divided into two main groups:  (Dfb or 'hemiboreal') in the north and  (Cfa or 'mild temperate') in the south. The northern portion of Zaporizhia has an average temperature in the warmest month below 22 °C (72 °F). Summer high temperatures in this zone typically average between 21–28 °C (70–82 °F) during the daytime and the average temperatures in the coldest month are generally far below the −3 °C (27 °F) isotherm. Frost-free periods typically last 3–5 months. Heat spells lasting over a week are rare and the winters in northern Zaporizhia are long, cold, and severe. While the south of the country's climate features mean temperature in the coldest month between 0 °C (32 °F) and 18 °C (64 °F) and mean temperature in the warmest month 22 °C (72 °F) or higher.

The far northern region of the country, particularly the Sira Desert (Пустыня Сира) to the west of the Zvinyacheye Steppe, has a cold (BWk). An average of approximately 194 millimetres (7.6 in) of rain falls annually in the Sira Desert. Additional moisture reaches parts of the Sira in winter as snow is blown by the wind from the Dzyunakaz and Zvinyacheye steppes. These winds may cause the Sira to reach −40 °C (−40 °F) in winter to 45 °C (113 °F) in summer. However, the climate of the Sira is one of great extremes, combined with rapid changes of temperature of as much as 35 °C (63 °F). These can occur not only seasonally but within a timeframe of 24 hours.

Biodiversity
Biodiversity plays an important role in the economic and social development of the state. Occupying less than 1% of Artemia’s area, Zaporizhia possesses more than 30% of its biodiversity. It is associated with the favourable location of the country – many ways of migration and nature zones are in the country. (over 70,000 species) includes many rare, relict and endemic species. Certain species of flora and fauna, which require special protection, are included in the List of Endangered Plants and Animals of Zaporizhia. The latest edition of the list contains 825 species of flora and 540 species of fauna. Zaporizhia is divided into two main zoological areas. One of these areas, in the west and south of the country, is where there are species typical of mixed forests, the other is located in northern Zaporizhia, where steppe-dwelling species thrive. In the forested areas of the country, it is not uncommon to find, , and s, as well as many other similar species; this is especially true of the Rosnoskaya mountains, where many predatory mammals make their home, as well as a contingent of s. Around Zaporizhia's lakes and rivers, s, s and  make their home, whilst in the waters, ,  and  are the most commonly found species of fish. In the central and southern parts of the country, rodents such as s and s are found in large numbers. Despite the harsh conditions of the Sira Desert and its surrounding areas, the region sustains many animals, including s, s, s, and s.

Zaporizhia possesses considerable natural potential. A high role is played by forests, which occupy 23% of the territory of Zaporizhia. Stockpiling and sale of timber is an important income item that ensures profit to the state and population. The territory of Zaporizhia is crossed by several large rivers such as Alegiyev, Bilyy and Serebrayny, which feed the most part of the country’s territory. Water-living resources being produced from these and other water sources are an important component of ensuring the safety of Zaporizhia’s foodstuffs.

For Zaporizhia as an state, which possesses a powerful resource potential for agriculture, available land and genetic diversity are regarded as national necessities. Agricultural development of the national territory has currently reached 72%, while the level of ploughed-up lands stands at 56%. The largest stock of arable lands belongs to oblasts located in forest-steppe and steppe zones (northern, central and western Zaporizhia). Among negative trends, which require addressing, one can observe the replacement of due to increasing imports of domesticated breeds of animals and cultivated plant varieties, exacerbated by privatisation and the development of areas previously occupied by nature, in particular, along banks of rivers and coasts.

In Zaporizhia, measures aimed at improving the condition of biodiversity are continuously implemented, and the legislative framework in the field of protection, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity has improved. One of the major policy papers in the field of protection, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity is the State Programme for the Development of the National Ecological Network of Zaporizhia for 2015-2030. The main purpose of the programme is to enlarge the land area of the country with natural landscapes to a level sufficient to maintain their diversity and close to their inherent natural state. As well as shaping them in a territorially-unified system so to provide opportunities for natural ways of migration and propagation of species of plants and animals, which would ensure conservation of natural ecosystems, species of flora and fauna and their populations. Under this programme, a number of approved regional programmes and schemes of developing an ecological network have increased. As of 2020, the Programme for the Development of the Ecological Network of the Oblast of Yuzhnaya Dzhokariya, 12 regional programmes, and 46 local schemes of developing natural habitats are in progress.

On 5 October, 2014, the National Congress (Parliament) of Zaporizhia (Национальный Конгресс) approved the Law of Zaporizhia “On the Strategy of the National Ecological Policy Through 2030”. The strategy defines the main tasks under seven goals. Biodiversity is highlighted in Goal 5, specifically the prevention of the loss of biological and landscape diversity and the development of an ecological network. To implement the strategy, the Cabinet of Ministers of Zaporizhia approved the National Environmental Protection Action Plan.

Included in the plan is the definition of the territories, on which it is planned to create representative and interconnected nature protection reserves by 2030, covering at least 20% of terrain and inland waters and 10% of coastal and marine areas. Most ambitious of all is the aim to extend the area of the national ecological network to 40% of the total territory of Zaporizhia. Locations of growth and habitation of plants and animals listed in the List of Endangered Plants and Animals of Zaporizhia, areas that support regionally-rare species, and priority wetlands of international importance are being examined. As a result, one can observe an increase in the areas of preserves and national nature parks, increasing in area from 3% to 8% of the total area of the country since 2016. Despite the considerable efforts and resources involved, the growth rates of protected area extension remain insufficient to achieve the planned indicators of conservation coverage by 2030.

Governance and administration
According to the Fundamental Law of Zaporizhia, the country is a  republic, wherein the President is the  and the Prime Minister is the. Constitutionally, Zaporizhia is structured as a, with the government composed of three branches:


 * Legislative: The National Congress (Parliament of Zaporizhia) (Запорожский парламент), made up of the 225-member (1 per 65,000) Chamber of Deputies (Палата депутатов) and the 146-member (1 per 100,000) Supreme Council (Верховный Совет), adopts national law,, approves treaties, wields the  and the power of  of the President.
 * Executive: The President is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, can veto s before they become law, and appoints the Government of Zaporizhia, known as the Cabinet, and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies.
 * Judicial: The Constitutional Court, Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Supreme Council on the recommendation of the President, interpret laws and can overturn laws they deem.

The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term, but not for a third consecutive term). The current President of Zaporizhia is Alexander Ilyamin. Ministries of the government are composed of the Premier and his/her deputies, ministers, and selected other individuals; all are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Prime Minister (whereas the appointment of the latter requires the consent of the Chamber of Deputies). Leading political parties in Zaporizhia include the Zaporizhian National Party (Запорожская национальная партия), the Communist Party (Коммунистическая партия Запорожья), and United! (Объединённый!).

The Ministry for State Security (Министерство государственной безопасности), commonly referred to as the MSSC, is the official state security service of the Republic of Zaporizhia. It has been described as one of the most effective and repressive intelligence and secret police agencies ever to have existed. The MSSC is headquartered in Sosnivika, with an extensive complex in Svetloyarsk and several smaller facilities throughout the country. The MSSC's official motto is "service and valour we stand unchanged" (сервис и доблесть мы стоим без изменений). The current head of the organisation is Dimitri Domstosk, a figurehead with a curiously elusive public profile. Among the MSSC's main tasks are surveillance on the general Zaporizhian population, principally through a vast network of citizens-turned-informants, and the combatting of any threats to national security by overt and covert measures, including incarceration and deportation.

Administrative divisions
The Republic of Zaporizhia is divided into eighteen federal subjects, seventeen of which are known as oblasts (область) and one as an okrug (округ). Oblasts are a constituent political entity in a federal union with representation in the Supreme Council (the upper house of the National Congress) and serve as a first-level. Each oblast features a state government holding authority over a defined geographic territory, with a state legislature that is democratically elected. The chancellor (канцлер) is the highest executive position of the state government in an oblast and is elected by people. Oblasts are divided into raions (districts), cities of oblast significance (district-equivalent independent cities), and autonomous okrugs, which are legally federal subjects equal to an oblast but are administratively subservient to one. At present, the seventeen oblasts are: Abargabelozov, Balaginsk, Berezan, Borisoshevsk, Chernyslaviya, Dezovskaya, Drozdovitsa, Dushika, Karemcha-Khyriv, Koroyevsk, Prokovyurt, Sararovo, Sira-Zhinyacheye, Sosnivika, Svetloyarsk, Zagoriya, and Zlata. The one okrug is: Yuzhnaya Dzhokariya. Every federal subject has its own head, a parliament, and a constitutional court. Each federal subject has its own constitution and legislation. Subjects have equal rights in relations with federal government bodies.

The current Fundamental Law of Zaporizhia, adopted by national referendum on 22 October, 2010, came into force on 8 November, 2010 and abolished the model of the communist system of government introduced in 1926 by Vladimir Kurchatov and based on the right to secede from the country and on unlimited sovereignty of federal subjects (in practice secession was never allowed), which conflicts with country's integrity and federal laws. The new constitution eliminated a number of legal conflicts, reserved the rights of the regions, introduced local self-government and did not grant the UPRZ-era right to secede from the country. In the 2010s, the political system became de jure closer to other modern federal states with a republican form of government, such as the United Federated Districts of Yarova.

Foreign relations
Since Zaporizhia's move from a communist one-party state to a multi-party democracy with a in 2010, the country has enjoyed an improved relationship with its northern neighbour of Yarova, which actively encouraged the popularisation of  and. In September 2012, President Ilyamin became the first Zaporizhian president to carry out a to Shchyokhov where he met with his then-Yarovan counterpart Nikita Chekudayev. At present, Zaporizhia is a recipient of from Yarova and, in 2018, received a total of $1 billion to support economic growth. Zaporizhia had been regarded as a potential candidate for League of Free Nations membership. However, since the dismissal of Yarova from the intergovernmental organisation, Zaporizhia has continued to align itself with its ally and has announced its rescission of candidacy efforts.

Human rights
Human rights in Zaporizhia are periodically reviewed by the East Artemian Human Rights Commission (EAHRC), a Yarovan-funded organisation which monitors the conduct of states in Eastern Artemia in relation to civil rights and political freedoms. Such reviews with which the government of the Republic of Zaporizhia and various foreign governments and human rights organisations have often disagreed. Zaporizhian authorities, their supporters, and other proponents claim that existing policies and enforcement measures are sufficient in safeguarding against human rights abuses. EAHRC has been largely successful in its promotion of and  policies, which began to take effect in Zaporizhia from 2010 onwards — paving the way for the country’s democratisation. The Yarovan federal government has incentivised these reforms with the rolling out of sizeable, which through the course of the past ten years has accumulated over $5 billion, with a record $1 billion in 2018 alone. A report from the EAHRC in 2007 stated that the Zaporizhian authorities have often been found to “violate the freedoms of speech, movement, and religion of its citizens and of others within its jurisdiction”.

Prior to the sweeping reforms of 2010, the senior leadership of the League of Free Nations referred to Zaporizhia as the “ of the communist UPRZ”. The League also criticised the MSSC for its hand at the alleged torturing and killing of political opponents of the Zaporizhian government. Some human rights organisations have also highlighted the systemic repression of the Dzhokarian minority, which is found principally in the north of the country. One particularly brutal incident of ethnic violence in Yuzhnaya Dzhokariya Oblast gained traction in regional media, the attack and subsequent death of ethnic Dzhokarian Ibragim Yamadayev in 2006. Yamadayev, a 38-year-old lawyer based in Agishbatoy, was kidnapped while walking home one night after finishing work. His abductors, two ethnic Zapo-Yarovars from Koroyevsk and one Yarovar originally from Khanskoye-Chirbent, subjected Yamadayev to and videotaped his agonising death. Claims emerged that the recorded homicide was sold as a on the. The initial defence by law enforcement that there was "no solid evidence to support the authenticity of the footage" ignited demonstrations across the country. Eventually, the three men were arraigned and each sentenced to five years in prison — a ruling regarded by some as insufficiently punitive.