Kremenchuk, Ukraine

Capital City

With a population of just 219,022, Kremenchuk is hardly the bustling metropolis some may envision when moving to Ukraine. In fact, this industrial hub on the Dnieper River lacks much of the architectural charm and distinctly Ukrainian character of other cities in the region. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as the city was once the administrative center of a short-lived Kremenchuk Governorate during a peasant insurgency. And while Kremenchuk has rebounded remarkably from World War II, when over 90% of its buildings were leveled, the scars of that devastation remain visible today. Those seeking the bright lights and cultural vibrancy of a major Ukrainian city would be better off looking elsewhere.