Early history The rural settlement was founded in 1750 by
Zaporizhzhian Cossacks in the
Yekaterinoslav Governorate, and according to
DeepStateMap.Live, is the oldest Cossack settlement of
Pokrovsk Raion. By 1770s, the first settlers were runaway serfs. Local historian
Feodosiy Makarevskyi described the origins of Hrodivka: "In the vast, luxurious, and rich steppes between Torets and Solonenka, Zaporozhian Cossacks often lived and 'warmed their bellies'." In 1750, a place named Kholodna Ravine, which is located on the territory of the modern-day
Hrodivka settlement hromada, was already documented as a Zaporizhzhian Cossack area of settlement. Following the
Liquidation of the Zaporozhian Sich in 1775, the Zaporizhzhian Cossacks living in the area came to an agreement with the sitting governor of the newly established
Azov Governorate, which allowed the settlement of outsiders in the area. In 1788, the number of permanent residents of Hrodivka exceeded 800 people, who were overwhelmingly of
Ukrainian (Little Russian) ethnicity.
20th century At the start of the 20th century, it had a population of about 5,700 people and was part of
Bakhmutsky Uyezd,
Yekaterinoslav Governorate within the
Russian Empire. On October 27, 1938, Grodovka received the status of an
urban-type settlement. The town was occupied by
Nazi Germany during
World War II from November 1941 until 8 September 1943. The Germans operated a subcamp of the Stalag 378
prisoner-of-war camp in Hrodivka. Prior to the liberation of the settlement, 1,012 of the area's inhabitants fought to recapture Hrodivka, of whom 204 died.
21st century Russian invasion of Ukraine During the
Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia has increasingly threatened Hrodivka as their forces
advance towards the city of
Pokrovsk, the main attack direction in the
Donbas theatre of the war. The settlement is under constant shelling, causing the death of a civilian and damage to infrastructure, and these attacks have increased as Russia draws closer to the settlement. In early August 2024, the
Donetsk Oblast Military Administration ordered an evacuation of families and children in Hrodivka as well as other settlements in the region in the threat of impeding Russian advances. Immediately prior to the evacuation order, an estimated 70 people were still remaining in the town. On 13 August, Russian forces entered the town, and following then continued to advance through the south-eastern portion of it. By 17 September, Russian forces captured most of the town, with the exception of the northwestern outskirts. Russia claimed full control over the town on 7 October. The town's capture was confirmed on 21 October. ==Demographics==