city, eastern Ukraine, on the Donets River. In 1721 the first discovery of coal in the Donets Basin was made there at the Cossack village of Lisya Balka, which dated from 1710. It was not until 1795, however, that Lysychansk was established as the first coal-mining settlement of the region. In addition to coal mining, industries have included the underground gasification of coal, chemical production (especially soda making), glassmaking, and petroleum refining. The city is part of a metropolitan area that includes Syeverodonetsk and Rubizhne; the three towns together constitute one of Ukraine's largest chemical complexes. Pop. (2001) 115,229; (2005 est.) 111,451.