ip ro ) ▁River ▁since ▁the ▁times ▁imm em orial . ▁The ▁oldest ▁objects ▁exc av ated ▁on ▁the ▁territory ▁of ▁the ▁region ▁date ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁Stone ▁Age ▁– ▁the ▁Pala e ol ith ic ▁period . ▁ ▁Administr ative ▁divisions ▁ ▁Ch erk asy ▁O blast ▁is ▁administr atively ▁sub div ided ▁into ▁ 2 0 ▁ra ions ▁( d istrict s ), ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ 6 ▁cities ▁( m unicip al ities ) ▁which ▁are ▁directly ▁sub ordinate ▁to ▁the ▁ob last ▁government : ▁V at ut ine , ▁Z ol ot on os ha , ▁Kan iv , ▁Sm ila , ▁U man , ▁and ▁the ▁administrative ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁ob last , ▁Ch erk asy . ▁There ▁are ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 5 ▁cities , ▁ 3 4 ▁towns , ▁and ▁ 8 3 8 ▁villages . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁data ▁incorpor ates ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁each ▁type ▁of ▁administrative ▁divisions ▁of ▁Ch erk asy ▁O blast : ▁▁ ▁Administr ative ▁Center — 1 ▁( Ch erk asy ); ▁ ▁Ra ions — 2 0 ; ▁ ▁City ▁ra ions — 2 ; ▁ ▁S ett lement s — 8 5 5 , ▁including : ▁ ▁Vill ages — 8 2 4 ; ▁ ▁C ities / T own s — 3 1 , ▁including : ▁ ▁Urban - type ▁settlement s — 1 5 ; ▁ ▁C ities — 1 6 , ▁including : ▁ ▁C ities ▁of ▁ob last ▁sub ordin ance — 6