Historical records indicate that a settlement named Druzhkivka was established in this area by 1781. From the late 19th through the 20th century, Druzhkivka grew into a mid-size industrial city with several large factories producing mining equipment and machinery, hardware, kitchen stoves, china tableware and bricks, as well as several clay-extracting quarries in the city's vicinity. The economic collapse that resulted from the breakup of the Soviet Union resulted in the rapid decline of local industries, with factories closing or barely functioning—a condition that led to high unemployment and a population exodus.
Historical records indicate that a settlement named Druzhkivka was established in this area by 1781. From the late 19th through the 20th century, Druzhkivka grew into a mid-size industrial city with several large factories producing mining equipment and machinery, hardware, kitchen stoves, china tableware and bricks, as well as several clay-extracting quarries in the city's vicinity. The economic collapse that resulted from the breakup of the Soviet Union resulted in the rapid decline of local industries, with factories closing or barely functioning—a condition that led to high unemployment and a population exodus.