Area Code 572 – Merefa/Kharkiv, Kharkiv

Geographic Coverage and Administrative Jurisdiction

The area code 572 is a geographic National Destination Code (NDC) within the Ukrainian national numbering plan, assigned to the city of Merefa and its surrounding district in the Kharkiv Oblast. Administratively, Merefa is part of the Kharkiv Raion, and the code serves the city's fixed-line PSTN subscribers. The code is operated by Ukrtelecom and other licensed fixed-line operators, and it is used for traditional copper-line and fiber-optic telephony services.

Primary Cities and Coverage Area

Besides Merefa, the code 572 covers several adjacent settlements within the Kharkiv district, including Pokotylivka, Vysokyi, and Baby. The area is part of the larger Kharkiv metropolitan region, but it is distinct from the city of Kharkiv itself, which uses the area code 57. This distinction is important for dialing purposes, as calls between Kharkiv city and Merefa require the full national trunk prefix and area code.

Dialing Formats

For local calls within the 572 area, subscribers can dial the local subscriber number directly, but for calls from other Ukrainian regions, the trunk prefix 0 must be used, followed by the area code and the subscriber number. The national significant number (NSN) length for geographic numbers in Ukraine is typically 9 digits, including the leading '0' of the area code. Thus, a typical number in Merefa would be formatted as 0 572 XX XX XX when dialed domestically.

For international callers, the Ukrainian country code +380 is used, and the trunk prefix '0' is omitted. Therefore, an international caller would dial +380 572 XX XX XX. For example, if a local number is 1234567, a domestic call from Kyiv would be 0 572 1234567, while an international call from the United States would be +380 572 1234567.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

Currently, there is no overlay code for the 572 area, meaning that the area code is unique to this geographic region. However, as part of the ongoing evolution of Ukraine's numbering plan, subscribers may be able to retain their numbers when switching fixed-line operators (number portability). It is also important to note that while the code is geographic, some VoIP providers may assign numbers with this code to customers outside the physical area, but such usage is subject to regulatory approval and may affect emergency call routing.

Caller Instructions

For local callers within the 572 area, simply dial the 7-digit subscriber number. For callers from other regions in Ukraine, always include the trunk prefix '0' and the area code. For international callers, replace the trunk prefix '0' with the country code +380. Ensure you have the correct number of digits; if you are unsure, contact your service provider or consult the national telephone directory.