A fortress with Cossack genes

Kherson region is a part of the legendary “Wild Fields”, where the most diverse peoples have lived, fought, and traded since ancient times. For centuries, Scythians, Sarmatians, Huns, Greeks, Khazars, and Mongols passed through, and the Black Sea grasslands became a geolocation of audacity, danger, and free life. And, of course, Ukrainians have always been here. For example, in 1851, the Russians conducted a census in Kherson region, where nationality was determined by language. Ukrainians made up the vast majority of the population — more than 700,000. The second-largest nation was the Moldovans, with 75,000, followed by Jews, Germans, and then Russians.
The first mention of the Cossacks in history is precisely related to the Kherson region: in 1492, they attacked a ship here, which the Crimean Khan later complained about in his letters. Later, the Cossacks began to build fortifications and settlements in the Wild Field. They mastered not only the steppe but also the sea — whole flotillas of Cossack boats called chaikas sailed from the mouth of the Dnipro and were a formidable threat to Turkish cities.
Most likely, the Kherson fortress was built on the site of the old Cossack outpost at the end of the 18th century. For its time, it was a rather powerful and innovative structure that towered menacingly on the bank of the Dnipro, ready to meet the enemy with a volley of 220 cannons.
