What is "melitopol"

Melitopol (, translit. Melitopol’, ) is a city in Zaporizhia Oblast (region) of the southeastern Ukraine. It is situated on the Molochna River that flows through the eastern edge of the city and into the Molochnyi Liman, which eventually joins the Sea of Azov. Population: . Melitopol is incorporated as a city of oblast significance and is the second largest city in the oblast after Zaporizhia. It serves as the administrative center of Melitopol Raion, though it does not belong to the raion.

Geographically, the city is in the south-eastern Ukraine, at the crossing of two major European highways E58 Vienna - Uzhhorod - Kiev - Rostov-na-Donu and E105 Kirkenes - St. Petersburg - Moscow - Kiev - Yalta. The electrified railway line of international importance goes through Melitopol. 80% of passenger train lines go through toward their destination of Crimean cities. Melitopol is also called "the gateway to the Crimea", because in the summer time the road traffic in the city reaches the level of 45,000 vehicles per day, heading for the coast of Sea of Azov and Black Sea.