A Whole Village in Vinnytsia Region Has Practically Vanished: The Story of Shchuri

The Disappearance of Shchuri Village and Its Consequences

According to Главком: Shchuri, a village in the Kopiivka Starosta District of the Tulchyn Hromada in Vinnytsia Oblast, has essentially ceased to exist. Once known as the Shchurivka farmstead, it is now home to just one resident: 76-year-old Halyna Maister. Although three people are officially registered, she is the only one actually living there. Born and raised in this village, which once consisted of ten houses, Halyna has spent her entire life in this now-deserted place.

The village lacks any infrastructure today-no gas, central water supply, shops, or schools. Halyna recalls that residents used to walk to the neighboring village of Zarichne for school and work. 'There were ten houses, ten homes. And people lived here. We walked to school in Zarichne across the Hrebli. We also went to work in Zarichne,' she says. The last neighbors left several years ago, and one neighbor who got married moved away about ten years ago. That neighbor's son also found a wife in Nestervarka and relocated there.

Modern Challenges for Halyna Maister

Halyna Maister has a daughter, Zoia Temna, who helps with household chores, but her mother's health condition makes it difficult for her to manage alone. 'It's far to get here: no way to drive in or out. There are no shops, nothing. You have to ask for help. Bring everything each time,' notes Zoia Temna. Halyna gets water from a well, and orders food through a social worker or relatives.

Her house is heated by a stove, with firewood delivered by the starosta office. She receives her pension on a card, and her family or social workers assist her with withdrawing cash.

Halyna admits that what she misses most is having people around: 'There's a bench and a table in the yard, but there's no one to talk to anymore.' Despite her circumstances, she has no plans to leave the home where she was born and has lived her whole life. Meanwhile, starosta Olena Chorna has expressed a willingness to accept internally displaced persons who have lost their homes due to the war.

It is worth noting that the other yards in the village are overgrown, as there is no one to maintain them. 'Because it's far from settlements where you can study, there haven't been children here for a long time,' adds the starosta. Shchuri, once a lively community, now remains only a memory of past prosperity.

This situation in Shchuri highlights a broader demographic shift in Ukraine, where many small settlements are disappearing due to population migration, especially among young people moving to larger cities in search of better living conditions. The lack of infrastructure and social services makes life in such villages increasingly difficult, potentially leading to further population decline. At the same time, initiatives to support internally displaced persons could be an important step in addressing this issue and help revive fading communities.