Kharkov (rus: Ха́рьков) or Kharkiv (ukr: Ха́рків) is the second largest city in Ukraine, a center of Kharkivs'ka oblast'. It is situated in the northeast of the country and has a population of two million. It is one of the main industrial, cultural and educational centres of Ukraine.

Kharkov's industry and research specialize on arms production and machinery. There are hundreds of industrial companies in the city. Among them are world famous giants Zavod Malysheva (a leader of former Soviet tank building), Hartron (aerospace and nuclear electronics) and Turboatom (turbines producer).

There is a metro system of 34 km with 26 stations.

History

Founded in the middle of 17th century, the city has had a university since 1805. During the early years of the Soviet Union, Kharkov was the capital of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (from 1917–1934).

In the early 1930s, the Ukrainian famine drove many people off the land into the cities, to Kharkiv in particular, in search of food. Some of them died and were secretly buried in one of the city's cemeteries.

During World War II Kharkov was the site of several military engagements. The city was captured by Nazi Germany and its military allies, recaptured by the Red Army, captured again twice by the Nazis and then finally liberated on August 23, 1943. Seventy percent of the city was destroyed and tens of thousands of the inhabitants were killed. Before the occupation, Zavod Malysheva tank building company was evacuated to Siberia with all its equipment and became the heart of Red Army's tank programs (particularly, producing the legendary T-34 tank earlier designed in Kharkov).

• First Battle of Kharkov
• Second Battle of Kharkov
• Third Battle of Kharkov