Nikolai Zherdev
Encyclopedia
Mykola Olehovych "Nikolay" Zherdev is a Ukrainian-Russian
professional ice hockey
right winger
who currently plays for Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League
(KHL). He previously played in the National Hockey League
(NHL) for the Columbus Blue Jackets
, New York Rangers
and Philadelphia Flyers
.
, Zherdev began playing hockey at the age of four. He began his training with the Sokil Kyiv junior hockey affiliate. Due to complications with organizing a team for his age group, he was pushed to play a year ahead with the 1983 born players; a group which included fellow future Ukrainian NHLer Anton Babchuk
. While participating in an overseas peewee tournament in Quebec, Canada
, Zherdev's team found itself competing against a team from Elektrostal, Russia
. The rival team's coach, Ravil Iskhakov, took note of both Zherdev and Babchuk, and invited the pair to further their development with the Elemash Elektrostal
hockey club of the Russian Major League, to which they accepted together. The desire to play at a higher level came at a price: his nationality. In order to play in Russia, he would be forced to apply for Russian citizenship.
, Ak Bars Kazan, and CSKA Moscow
for Zherdev's services. He would accept an invitation for Elektrostal to loan him to the latter team, CSKA, citing a desire to train under esteemed coach Viktor Tikhonov
.
Following being drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets
, Zherdev spent the entire 2002–03 season with CSKA, but in a controversial decision, he left for the NHL half way through the 2003–04 season. He would, however, return to the Russian club during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, making peace.
with the fourth overall pick. At the time, Columbus general manager
Doug MacLean
stated that the team had Zherdev ranked number one on their draft list.
The 2005–06 NHL season was a breakout year for Zherdev, who scored 27 goals and notched 27 assists in 73 games. He was the Blue Jackets' most potent offensive threat while Rick Nash
recuperated from injury, and played most of the season on the team's first line.
The 2006–07 NHL season was a low point for Zherdev, as he struggled to score consistently and frequently clashed with the Jackets' coaching staff, leading to repeated rumors that he might be traded before the 2007–08 NHL season began. In response, Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson
and then-coach Ken Hitchcock
met Zherdev in a "clean-the-slate" meeting. Following the meeting, Zherdev rediscovered success on the ice.
to the New York Rangers
for defencemen Fedor Tyutin
and Christian Bäckman
. In his first season with the Rangers, Zherdev tied for the team lead in points with Scott Gomez, scoring 58 points.
As a restricted free agent, Zherdev was tendered a qualifying offer of $3.25 million by the Rangers before the start of the 2009 free agency period so the team could retain his rights as the two sides negotiate. He has been rumored to be potentially signing with Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Kontinental Hockey League
, of whom he formerly played with in 2006–07. Zherdev was awarded $3.9 million (USD) in arbitration, however, the New York Rangers chose to let Zherdev go.
, and his lack of effort. When put on waivers, no one claimed him, and when returning to the Flyers, putting up a few points, and notably scoring the game winning goal in Game 2 against the Buffalo Sabres
, in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs
.
, helping that country to a silver medal. He finished the tournament with 6 goals, 5 assists, 11 points in 8 games (third best on his team, behind only Alexander Ovechkin
and Alexander Semin
).
Zherdev also played at the 2003 U-20 World Junior Championships
, registering only one assist in six games, playing a minor role in Russia's quest for the gold medal.
He was named captain of Team Russia for the 2004 World Juniors
, but did not play after departing for the NHL.
and Russian
, and can speak limited English
. His family lives in Kiev
.
Ukrainians in Russia
The Ukrainians in Russia make up the largest single Ukrainian diaspora of the Ukrainian people. Officially there are 2,942,961 Ukrainians living in Russia or just over 2% of the total population making them the third largest ethnic group after ethnic Russians and Tatars in the Russian...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
right winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
who currently plays for Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Russian Kontinental Hockey League
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
(KHL). He previously played in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) for the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
and Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
.
Early career
Born in Kiev, UkraineKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Zherdev began playing hockey at the age of four. He began his training with the Sokil Kyiv junior hockey affiliate. Due to complications with organizing a team for his age group, he was pushed to play a year ahead with the 1983 born players; a group which included fellow future Ukrainian NHLer Anton Babchuk
Anton Babchuk
Anton Anatoliiovych Babchuk is a Ukrainian-Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He was a first round selection, 21st overall, of the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, and has played for the Blackhawks,...
. While participating in an overseas peewee tournament in Quebec, Canada
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Zherdev's team found itself competing against a team from Elektrostal, Russia
Elektrostal
Elektrostal , known as Zatishye until 1938, is a city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located east of Moscow. Population: 135,000 ; 123,000 ; 97,000 ; 43,000 . Town status was granted to it in 1938.-Industry:...
. The rival team's coach, Ravil Iskhakov, took note of both Zherdev and Babchuk, and invited the pair to further their development with the Elemash Elektrostal
Kristall Elektrostal
Kristall Elektrostal is an ice hockey team in Elektrostal, Russia. They play in the Pervaya Liga, the third level of Russian ice hockey.-History:The club was created as Khimik Elektrostal in 1949...
hockey club of the Russian Major League, to which they accepted together. The desire to play at a higher level came at a price: his nationality. In order to play in Russia, he would be forced to apply for Russian citizenship.
CSKA Moscow
As his game progressed and professional teams began to take notice, Elektrostal received offers from the likes of Lokomotiv YaroslavlLokomotiv Yaroslavl
Hockey Club Lokomotiv , also known as Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, is a Russian professional ice hockey team based in Yaroslavl. The name of the team is derived from its owner, Russian Railways, the national railroad operator....
, Ak Bars Kazan, and CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow
HC CSKA Moscow is a Russian ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. It is referred to in the West as "Central Red Army" or the "Red Army Team" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army, popularly known as the Red Army...
for Zherdev's services. He would accept an invitation for Elektrostal to loan him to the latter team, CSKA, citing a desire to train under esteemed coach Viktor Tikhonov
Viktor Tikhonov
Viktor Vasilyevich Tikhonov is a Russian former ice hockey player and coach. He was the coach of the Soviet team when it was the most dominant team in the world...
.
Following being drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Zherdev spent the entire 2002–03 season with CSKA, but in a controversial decision, he left for the NHL half way through the 2003–04 season. He would, however, return to the Russian club during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, making peace.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Zherdev was drafted by Columbus in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft2003 NHL Entry Draft
The 2003 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tennessee on June 21, 2003.Marc-Andre Fleury was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins, only the third goalie in NHL history selected as the first overall draft choice...
with the fourth overall pick. At the time, Columbus general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
Doug MacLean
Doug MacLean
Douglas MacLean, is a Canadian sportscaster and former ice hockey coach and general manager...
stated that the team had Zherdev ranked number one on their draft list.
Rick Nash
Rick Nash is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League ....
recuperated from injury, and played most of the season on the team's first line.
The 2006–07 NHL season was a low point for Zherdev, as he struggled to score consistently and frequently clashed with the Jackets' coaching staff, leading to repeated rumors that he might be traded before the 2007–08 NHL season began. In response, Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson
Scott Howson
Donald Scott Howson is a retired ice hockey player. He is currently the general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
and then-coach Ken Hitchcock
Ken Hitchcock
Ken Hitchcock also known as "Hitch" is an NHL hockey coach and pro scout, currently coaching the St. Louis Blues.-Early Years:...
met Zherdev in a "clean-the-slate" meeting. Following the meeting, Zherdev rediscovered success on the ice.
Contract dispute
Contract negotiations with Blue Jackets management following the 2005–06 season became acrimonious. Zherdev threatened to remain in Russia for the season unless his demands were met, while Columbus insisted that Zherdev's salary demands were not commensurate with his accomplishments. On September 28, 2006, the parties finally agreed to a $7.5 million, three-year contract.New York Rangers
On July 2, 2008, Zherdev was traded by the Blue Jackets along with Dan FritscheDan Fritsche
Dan Fritsche is an American professional ice hockey player currently playing for Genève-Servette HC of the Swiss National League A.-Playing career:...
to the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
for defencemen Fedor Tyutin
Fedor Tyutin
Fedor Anatolievich Tyutin is a Russian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League ....
and Christian Bäckman
Christian Bäckman
Christian Bäckman is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenceman, currently playing for Frölunda HC of the Swedish Elitserien.-Playing career:...
. In his first season with the Rangers, Zherdev tied for the team lead in points with Scott Gomez, scoring 58 points.
As a restricted free agent, Zherdev was tendered a qualifying offer of $3.25 million by the Rangers before the start of the 2009 free agency period so the team could retain his rights as the two sides negotiate. He has been rumored to be potentially signing with Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Kontinental Hockey League
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe....
, of whom he formerly played with in 2006–07. Zherdev was awarded $3.9 million (USD) in arbitration, however, the New York Rangers chose to let Zherdev go.
Return to Russia
The aforementioned walkaway made Zherdev an unrestricted free agent. Zherdev signed on September 15, 2009 a one-year contract for Atlant Moscow Oblast.Philadelphia Flyers
On July 9, 2010, Zherdev signed a one-year deal for $2 million with the Philadelphia Flyers, setting up his return to the NHL. With the Flyers, Zherdev scored his one hundredth career goal. He was known in Philadelphia for his disagreements with head coach Peter LaviolettePeter Laviolette
Peter Laviolette Jr. is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman and is the current head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League...
, and his lack of effort. When put on waivers, no one claimed him, and when returning to the Flyers, putting up a few points, and notably scoring the game winning goal in Game 2 against the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, in the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs
2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 13, 2011, after the conclusion of the 2010–11 NHL regular season. Game 1 of the Finals was held on June 1, while Game 7 was held on June 15...
.
International play
Nikolai Zherdev represented Russia at the 2002 U-18 World Junior Championships2002 IIHF World U18 Championships
The 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Piešťany and Trnava, Slovakia. The championships began on April 11, 2002, and finished on April 21, 2002. Games were played at Zimny Stadion in Piešťany and Zimny Stadion in Trnava...
, helping that country to a silver medal. He finished the tournament with 6 goals, 5 assists, 11 points in 8 games (third best on his team, behind only Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Ovechkin
Alexander Mikhaylovich Ovechkin is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League...
and Alexander Semin
Alexander Semin
Alexander Valerievich Semin , also known by fans as The Great 28, The Other Alex, or most commonly known as Sasha, is a Russian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League ....
).
Zherdev also played at the 2003 U-20 World Junior Championships
2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
-Group B:All times local .-Relegation round:Results from any games played during the preliminary round were carried forward to the relegation round.All times local ....
, registering only one assist in six games, playing a minor role in Russia's quest for the gold medal.
He was named captain of Team Russia for the 2004 World Juniors
2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was held between December 26, 2003 and January 5, 2004 in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland...
, but did not play after departing for the NHL.
Awards and achievements
- 2003–04: Played in the NHL YoungStars Game
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... | Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... | A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... | P Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... | +/- | PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | ||
| 1999–00 | Elemash-2 Elektrostal | RUS-3 Pervaya Liga The Russian Hockey League , until 2010 known as the First League , during the 2010–11 season known as the Championship of Russia between the club teams of regions , is an ice hockey league in Russia. It is a feeder league to the Kontinental Hockey League and the Vysshaya Khokkeynaya Liga. Majority... |
21 | 10 | 7 | 17 | — | 26 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01 | Elemash Elektrostal Kristall Elektrostal Kristall Elektrostal is an ice hockey team in Elektrostal, Russia. They play in the Pervaya Liga, the third level of Russian ice hockey.-History:The club was created as Khimik Elektrostal in 1949... |
RUS-2 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 14 | ||||||||||
| 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 2001–02 | Elemash-2 Elektrostal | RUS-3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Elemash Elektrostal | RUS-2 | 53 | 13 | 15 | 28 | ||||||||||
| 62 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 2002–03 | CSKA Moscow HC CSKA Moscow HC CSKA Moscow is a Russian ice hockey club that plays in the Kontinental Hockey League. It is referred to in the West as "Central Red Army" or the "Red Army Team" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army, popularly known as the Red Army... |
RSL | 44 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 6 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | CSKA Moscow | RSL | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 2003–04 | Columbus Blue Jackets Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
57 | 13 | 21 | 34 | ||||||||||
| 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 2004–05 | CSKA Moscow | RSL | 51 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 17 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 73 | 27 | 27 | 54 | ||||||||||
| 50 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Syracuse Crunch Syracuse Crunch The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Khimik Moscow Oblast | RSL | 8 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 71 | 10 | 22 | 32 | ||||||||||
| 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 2007–08 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 82 | 26 | 35 | 61 | ||||||||||
| 34 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
NHL | 82 | 23 | 35 | 58 | 6 | 39 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 2009–10 KHL season The 2009–10 KHL season was the second season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 10 September 2009 to 27 April 2010, with a break for the Olympic winter games from 8 February to 3 March... |
Atlant Moscow Oblast | KHL Kontinental Hockey League The Kontinental Hockey League is an international professional ice hockey league in Eurasia founded in 2008. As of 2009, it is ranked as the strongest hockey league in Europe.... |
52 | 13 | 26 | 39 | 2 | 79 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 56 | 16 | 6 | 22 | 6 | 22 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||
| 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| NHL totals | 421 | 115 | 146 | 261 | -40 | 225 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -4 | 4 | ||||
| RSL totals | 123 | 35 | 39 | 74 | 22 | 120 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Place | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships The 2002 IIHF World U18 Championships were held in Piešťany and Trnava, Slovakia. The championships began on April 11, 2002, and finished on April 21, 2002. Games were played at Zimny Stadion in Piešťany and Zimny Stadion in Trnava... |
Russia | U18 IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... |
8 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 22 | ||
| 2003 2003 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships -Group B:All times local .-Relegation round:Results from any games played during the preliminary round were carried forward to the relegation round.All times local .... |
Russia | WJC | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2009 2009 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2009 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 73rd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 46 countries participated in four levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for the 2010 competition... |
Russia | WC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Junior int'l totals | 14 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 24 | ||||
Personal
Zherdev is fluent in UkrainianUkrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
and Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
, and can speak limited English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. His family lives in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
.