Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine are areas of

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

that are currently ''

de facto ''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with ''de jure'' ("by la ...

'' controlled by the Russian government in the course of the

Russo-Ukrainian war The Russo-Ukrainian War; uk, російсько-українська війна, rosiisko-ukrainska viina. has been ongoing between Russia (alongside Russian separatists in Ukraine) and Ukraine since February 2014. Following Ukraine's Rev ...

. In Ukrainian law, they are defined as the "temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine" ( ua, Тимчасово окупована територія України, translit=Tymchasovo okupovana terytoriia Ukrainy). Ukrainian law made no distinction between Russian and "pro-Russian" administrations before the Russian government claimed to "annex" them in September 2022. The occupation started in 2014 following the Russian invasion and annexation of the

Crimean peninsula Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...

, along with the mostly unrecognized

Donetsk Donetsk ( , ; uk, Донецьк, translit=Donets'k ; russian: Донецк ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin and Stalino (see also: cities' alternative names), is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine loca ...

and

Luhansk Luhansk (, ; uk, Луганськ, ), also known as Lugansk (, ; russian: Луганск, ), is a city in what is internationally recognised as Ukraine, although it is administered by Russia as capital of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR). A ...

People's Republics capturing parts of the

and

Oblasts during the

War in Donbas War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

. In 2022, Russian forces initiated a full-scale invasion of the nation and successfully occupied more territory throughout the country. However, due to continued fierce Ukrainian resistance, coupled with logistical challenges (''e.g.'' a column of stalled Russian convoy heading to Kyiv),

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

announced its withdrawal from its occupations of

Chernihiv Chernihiv ( uk, Черні́гів, , russian: Черни́гов, ; pl, Czernihów, ; la, Czernihovia), is a city and municipality in northern Ukraine, which serves as the administrative center of Chernihiv Oblast and Chernihiv Raion within ...

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Kyi ...

Sumy Sumy ( uk, Суми ) is a city of regional significance in Ukraine, and the capital of Sumy Oblast. The city is situated on the banks of the Psel River in northeastern Ukraine with a population of according to the 2021 census, making it the 23 ...

, and

Zhytomyr Zhytomyr ( uk, Жито́мир, translit=Zhytomyr ; russian: Жито́мир, Zhitomir ; pl, Żytomierz ; yi, זשיטאָמיר, Zhitomir; german: Schytomyr ) is a city in the north of the western half of Ukraine. It is the administrative ...

Oblasts in early April. On 30 September 2022,

Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts On 30 September 2022, Russia, amid an ongoing invasion of Ukraine, unilaterally declared its annexation of areas in and around four Ukrainian oblasts – Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. The boundaries of the areas to be annexed an ...

was announced, even though many of these areas were not under its full control, but was rejected by international community and did not stop the war. The Ukrainian southern and eastern counteroffensive allowed it to recapture parts of its territory, including Kherson city on 11 November. Before 2022, Russia occupied of Ukrainian territory (Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk), and occupied an additional in its full-scale invasion by March 2022, a total of or almost 27% of Ukraine's total territory. However, by 11 November, the

Institute for the Study of War The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) is a United States–based think tank founded in 2007 by Kimberly Kagan, providing research and analysis regarding issues of defense and foreign affairs. It has produced reports on the Syrian War, the Wa ...

calculated that Ukrainian forces liberated an area of from Russian occupation.

Background

With the Euromaidan and

Revolution of Dignity The Revolution of Dignity ( uk, Революція гідності, translit=Revoliutsiia hidnosti) also known as the Maidan Revolution or the Ukrainian Revolution,

since November 2013, popular protests across

led to the dismissal of pro-Russian Ukrainian president

Viktor Yanukovych Viktor Fedorovych Yanukovych ( uk, Віктор Федорович Янукович, ; ; born 9 July 1950) is a former politician who served as the fourth president of Ukraine from 2010 until he was removed from office in the Revolution of D ...

by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine's parliament), as he fled to Russia. The growing pro-European sentiment at the center of this period of upheaval caused unease in

the Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of the kremlins (Ru ...

, and

Russian president The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...

immediately mobilized Russian army and airborne forces to invade

Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a pop ...

, and they swiftly took control of major government buildings and blockaded the Ukrainian military in their bases across the peninsula. Soon after, Russian-installed officials announced and carried out a referendum for the region to join Russia, which western and independent organizations labeled as illegitimate. The Kremlin rejected these claims and soon officially annexed Crimea into Russia, with western nations issuing sanctions against Russia in response. In addition, with pro-Russian counter-protests across Eastern and Southern Ukraine in response to the ousting of Yanukovych, Russia allegedly supported Russian and pro-Russian militant separatists in the Donbas region in taking control of major government buildings. These separatists eventually created the

and

People's Republics, and have since been at conflict with the now-pro-European Ukrainian government, known as the

(Russia announced their "annexation" after the

2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. ...

). In response to Russian military intervention, the

Parliament of Ukraine The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, translit=, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy, translation=Supreme Council of Ukraine, Ukrainian abbreviation ''ВРУ''), often simply Verkhovna Rada or just Rada, is the ...

adopted government laws (with further updates and extensions) to qualify the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and parts of

and

regions as temporarily occupied and uncontrolled territories: # Autonomous Republic of Crimea: #* Law of Ukraine No. 1207-VII (15 April 2014) "Assurance of Citizens' Rights and Freedom, and Legal Regulations on Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine". # Separate

Raions A raion (also spelt rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French (meaning 'honeycomb, department'), and is co ...

and

Oblasts: #* Order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine No. 1085-р (7 November 2014) "A List of Settlements on Territory Temporarily Uncontrolled by Government Authorities, and a List of Landmarks Located at the Contact Line". #* Law of Ukraine No. 254-19-VIII (17 March 2015) "On Recognition of Separate Raions, Cities, Towns and Villages in Donetsk and Luhansk Regions as Temporarily Occupied Territories".

Petro Poroshenko Petro Oleksiyovych Poroshenko ( uk, Петро́ Олексі́йович Пороше́нко, ; born 26 September 1965) is a Ukrainian businessman and politician who served as the fifth president of Ukraine from 2014 to 2019. Poroshenko se ...

, one of the opposition leaders during Euromaidan, won a landslide victory in the

election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has opera ...

to succeed interim president Turchynov, three months after the ousting of Yanukovych.

Before February 2022

Since Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014, it administers the peninsula under two

federal subjects The federal subjects of Russia, also referred to as the subjects of the Russian Federation (russian: субъекты Российской Федерации, subyekty Rossiyskoy Federatsii) or simply as the subjects of the federation (russian ...

: the

Republic of Crimea The Republic of Crimea, translit. ''Respublika Krym'' ; uk, Республіка Крим, translit. ''Respublika Krym'' ; crh, , is an unrecognized federal subject ( republic) of Russia, located in the Crimean Peninsula. Its territory ...

and the

federal city The term federal city is a title for certain cities in Germany, Switzerland, and Russia. Germany In Germany, the former West German capital Bonn has been designated with the unique title of federal city (''Bundesstadt''). Since 28 April 1994, it ...

Sevastopol Sevastopol (; uk, Севасто́поль, Sevastópolʹ, ; gkm, Σεβαστούπολις, Sevastoúpolis, ; crh, Акъя́р, Aqyár, ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea, and a major port on the Black Sea ...

. Ukraine continues to claim the peninsula as an integral part of its territory, which is supported by most foreign governments through the

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/262 United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/262 was adopted on 27 March 2014 by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly in response to the Russian annexation of Crimea and entitled "territorial integrity of Ukraine ...

, even though

and some other UN member states have expressed support for the

2014 Crimean referendum The Crimean status referendum of 2014 was a disputed referendum on March 16, 2014, concerning the status of Crimea, in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the local government of Sevastopol (both subdivisions of Ukraine) after Russian force ...

, implying recognition of

as part of the

Russian Federation Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

. In 2015, the

Ukrainian parliament The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine ( uk, Верхо́вна Ра́да Украї́ни, translit=, Verkhovna Rada Ukrainy, translation=Supreme Council of Ukraine, Ukrainian abbreviation ''ВРУ''), often simply Verkhovna Rada or just Rada, is the ...

officially set 20 February 2014 as the date of "the beginning of the temporary occupation of Crimea and Sevastopol by Russia". The uncontrolled portions of the

and

Oblasts are commonly abbreviated as "ORDLO" from

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

, especially among Ukrainian news media. ("certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts", uk, Окремі райони Донецької та Луганської областей, translit=Okremi raiony Donetskoi ta Luhanskoi oblastei) The term first appeared in Law of Ukraine №1680-VII (October 2014). Documents of the

Minsk Protocol The Minsk agreements were a series of international agreements which sought to end the Donbas war fought between armed Russian separatist groups and Armed Forces of Ukraine, with Russian regular forces playing a central part. The first, known ...

and the OSCE refer to them as "certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions" (CADLR) of Ukraine. The Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories is the Ukrainian government ministry that oversees government policy towards the regions.The Cabinet decided to create the Ministry of temporarily occupied territories and internally displaced persons
,

Ukrayinska Pravda ''Ukrainska Pravda'' ( uk, Українська правда, lit=Ukrainian Truth) is a Ukrainian online newspaper founded by Georgiy Gongadze on 16 April 2000 (the day of the Ukrainian constitutional referendum). Published mainly in Ukrai ...

(20 April 2016) , the government considered 7% of Ukraine's territory to be under occupation. The United Nations General Assembly resolution 73/194, adopted on 17 December 2018, designated Crimea as under "temporary occupation". The Ukrainian army was concerned in 2019 about the deployment of 3M-54 Kalibr cruise missiles on Russian naval and coast guard vessels operating in the Sea of Azov, which is adjacent to the temporarily occupied territories. As a result,

Mariupol Mariupol (, ; uk, Маріу́поль ; russian: Мариу́поль) is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is situated on the northern coast ( Pryazovia) of the Sea of Azov, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Prior to the 2022 Russia ...

and

Berdiansk Berdiansk or Berdyansk ( uk, Бердя́нськ, translit=Berdiansk, ; russian: Бердя́нск, translit=Berdyansk ) is a port city in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast (province) in south-eastern Ukraine. It is on the northern coast of the Sea of ...

, two main

Pryazovia Pryazovia ( uk, Приазов'я, sometimes spelled Приозів‘я, Pryozivia; russian: Приазовье, Priazovye) or literally Cis-Azov region is usually used to refer to the geographic area of the north coast of the Sea of Azov. It i ...

n seaports, suffer from an increase in insecurity (both cities were captured in 2022).

Temryuk Temryuk ( rus, Темрю́к, p=tʲɪmˈrʲʉk) is a town and the administrative center of Temryuksky District in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Taman Peninsula on the right bank of the Kuban River not far from its entry into the Temr ...

and

Taganrog Taganrog ( rus, Таганрог, p=təɡɐnˈrok) is a port city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, on the north shore of the Taganrog Bay in the Sea of Azov, several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: History of Taganrog Th ...

, two other ports on the Sea of Azov, have allegedly been used to disguise the provenance of anthracite coal and

liquefied natural gas Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas (predominantly methane, CH4, with some mixture of ethane, C2H6) that has been cooled down to liquid form for ease and safety of non-pressurized storage or transport. It takes up about 1/600th the vol ...

(LNG) from the temporarily occupied territories.

Territories affected

Since the start of the

Russo-Ukrainian War The Russo-Ukrainian War; uk, російсько-українська війна, rosiisko-ukrainska viina. has been ongoing between Russia (alongside Russian separatists in Ukraine) and Ukraine since February 2014. Following Ukraine's Rev ...

in 2014, the Government of Ukraine is issuing (as extension to government order no. 1085-р and law no. 254-VIII) up-to-date "List of Temporarily Occupied Regions and Settlements" and a "List of Landmarks Bordering the Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone". As of 16 September 2020, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has made four updates to order no. 1085-р and law no. 254-VIII: * Addendum No. 128-р as of 18 February 2015 * Addendum No. 428-р as of 5 May 2015 * Addendum No. 1276-р as of 2 December 2015 * Addendum No. 79-р as of 7 February 2018 * Addendum No. 410-р as of 13 June 2018 * Addendum No. 505-р as of 5 July 2019 * Addendum No. 1125-р as of 16 September 2020 Some settlements' names are the result of 2016 Decommunization in Ukraine. The list below is based on the extension as of 7 February 2018. The borders of some raions have changed since 2015. * Autonomous Republic of Crimea (entire region) * Donetsk Oblast ** Cities of regional importance and nearby settlements: ***

***

Horlivka Horlivka ( , ; uk, Го́рлівка ), or Gorlovka (russian: link=no, Горловка ), is a city of regional significance in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. In 2001, the city's population was 292,000, and it was estimated as Economic activi ...

***

Debaltseve Debaltseve or Debaltsevo ( uk, Деба́льцеве ''Debálʼtseve'', ; russian: Деба́льцево ''Debálʼtsevo'') is a city of regional significance in the ''de facto'' Donetsk People's Republic; ''de jure'' Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. T ...

***

Dokuchaievsk Dokuchaievsk or Dokuchaevsk (, ; Russian language, Russian: Докучаевск) is a City of regional significance (Ukraine), city of regional significance in the ''de facto'' Donetsk People's Republic; ''de jure'' Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. The c ...

***

Yenakiieve Yenakiieve ( uk, Єна́кієве, ''Yenákiieve'', ; russian: Ена́киево, ''Yenákiyevo'') is a city in the Donetsk Oblast (province) of eastern Ukraine. It is incorporated as a city of oblast significance (a special status within t ...

*** Zhdanivka *** Khrestivka (before 2016: Kirovske) ***

Makiivka Makiivka ( uk, Макіївка, Makíyivka, ; russian: Макеевка, Makeyevka, ), formerly Dmytriivsk, is an industrial city in Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. Located from the capital Donetsk, the two cities are practically a conurbati ...

***

Snizhne Snizhne or Snezhnoye ( uk, Сніжне́, ; russian: Снежное; until 1864 — Vasylivka — uk, Василівка) is a city in Horlivka Raion, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. The eastern edge of Snizhne is adjacent to administrative border ...

***

Chystiakove Chystiakove ( uk, Чистякове, ), formerly Torez ( uk, Торез), is a city of regional significance in the Donetsk Oblast in Ukraine. The city is a center of the regional coal industry and much of its economy relies on mining indust ...

(before 2016: Torez) *** Khartsyzk ***

Shakhtarsk Shakhtarsk (, ) or Shakhtyorsk (russian: Шахтёрск) is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. Regionally, the city is an administrative urban enclave also consisting of cities Torez and Snizhne and surrounded by Shakhtarsk Raion. It serves ...

**** Ridkodub ***

Yasynuvata Yasynuvata ( uk, Ясинува́та, ; russian: Ясиноватая — Yasinovataya) is a city in Donetsk Oblast (province) of south-eastern Ukraine. Administratively, it is incorporated as a city of oblast significance. It also serves as th ...

*** Amvrosiivka Raion (all settlements) ***

Bakhmut Raion Bakhmut Raion ( uk, Бахмутський район, Bakhmutskyi raion) is a raion (district) within the northeastern part of Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. Its administrative center is Bakhmut. Its area is , and its population is approximat ...

(before 2016: Artemivsk Raion): **** Bulavynske ****

Vuhlehirsk Vuhlehirsk (, ; , Uglegorsk) is a city in Horlivka Raion, Donetsk Oblast (province) of Ukraine. The city's population was 10,309 in 2001. More recently, the population has been estimated to be . Vuhlehirsk is a district-level city in the Donet ...

**** Oleksandrivske **** Olenivka **** Vesela Dolyna **** Danylove **** Illinka **** Kamianka **** Bulavyne **** Hrozne **** Kaiutyne **** Vozdvyzhenka (before 2016: Krasnyi Pakhar) **** Stupakove (before 2016: Krasnyi Pakhar) **** Savelivka **** Debaltsivske (before 2016: Komuna) **** Kalynivka ****

Lohvynove Lohvynove ( uk, Логвинове; russian: link=no, Логвиново) is a village in Horlivka Raion (district) in Donetsk Oblast of eastern Ukraine, at 58.6 km NE from the centre of Donetsk city, at about 4 km NW from Debaltseve ...

**** Novohryhorivka **** Nyzhnie Lozove ****

Sanzharivka Sanzharivka ( uk, Санжарівка; russian: link=no, Санжаровка) is a village in Horlivka Raion (Raions of Ukraine, district) in Donetsk Oblast of eastern Ukraine, at 67.1 km Points of the compass#Compass point names, NE fro ...

**** Olkhovatka **** Pryberezhne **** Dolomitne ****

Travneve Travneve ( uk, Травневе; russian: link=no, Травневое) is a rural settlement in Bakhmut Raion (district) in Donetsk Oblast of eastern Ukraine, at about 50 km NNE from the centre of Donetsk city. The settlement was taken under ...

**** Lozove *** Volnovakha Raion: **** Andriivka **** Dolia **** Liubivka **** Malynove **** Molodizhne **** Novomykolaivka **** Nova Olenivka **** Petrivske **** Chervone ****

Pikuzy Pikuzy ( uk, Пікузи; russian: link=no, Пикузы), also called Kominternove, is a village in Mariupol Raion (district) in Donetsk Oblast of eastern Ukraine, at about 23 km ENE from Mariupol and at about the same distance WNW from N ...

*** Mariinka Raion: **** Kreminets **** Luhanske **** Oleksandrivka ****

Staromykhailivka Staromykhailivka ( uk, Старомихайлівка), sometimes transcribed as Staromikhailovka (russian: Старомихайловка), is an urban-type settlement in the Donetsk Raion, Donetsk Oblast. Due to occupation of the settlement and ...

**** Syhnalne ***

Novoazovsk Raion Novoazovsk Raion ( uk, Новоазовський район, link=no, ; russian: Новоазовский район, link=no, ) was one of the administrative raions (a ''district'') of Donetsk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. The raion was abolished ...

(all settlements) *** Starobesheve Raion (all settlements) *** Boikivske Raion (before 2016: Telmanove Raion) (all settlements) ***

Shakhtarsk Raion Shakhtarsk Raion ( uk, Шахтарський район) was one of the raions of Donetsk Oblast, located in eastern Ukraine. The administrative center of the raion was the city of Shakhtarsk, which was incorporated separately as a city of obla ...

(all settlements) ***

Yasynuvata Raion Yasynuvata Raion ( uk, Ясинуватський район, ) was one of the administrative raions (a ''district'') of Donetsk Oblast, located in southeastern Ukraine. The administrative center of the district was the city of Yasynuvata, which ...

: **** Vesele **** Bétmanove (before 2016: Krasnyi Partyzan) ****

Mineralne Mineralne ( uk, Мінеральне; russian: link=no, Минеральное) is a rural settlement in Yasynuvata urban hromada, Donetsk Raion (district in Donetsk Oblast of Ukraine, at 11.3 km NNE from the centre of Donetsk city, on the ...

**** Spartak **** Yakovlivka **** Kruta Balka ****

Kashtanove Kashtanove ( uk, Каштанове; russian: link=no, Каштановое) is a rural settlement in Yasynuvata Raion (district) in Donetsk Oblast of eastern Ukraine, at 16.2 km NNE from the centre of Donetsk city. The settlement was take ...

**** Lozove **** Vasylivka *

Luhansk Oblast Luhansk Oblast ( uk, Луга́нська о́бласть, translit=Luhanska oblast; russian: Луганская область, translit=Luganskaya oblast; also referred to as Luhanshchyna, uk, Луга́нщина) is the easternmost oblast ...

** Cities of regional importance and nearby settlements: ***

***

Alchevsk Alchevsk ( uk, Алчéвськ, translit. ''Alchevs'k''; russian: Алчéвск) is a city of significance in the Luhansk Oblast of Ukraine. It is located approximately from the oblast capital, Luhansk. Alchevsk is one of the largest indus ...

***

Antratsyt Antratsyt or Antratsit (; ) is a city in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. Until 1962 it was known as Bokove-Antratsyt. The city is located in the southern part of the Luhansk Oblast (region). Antratsyt is incorporated as a city of oblast significa ...

***

Brianka __NOTOC__ Brianka ( uk, Брянка) is a city in Luhansk Oblast (region) of Ukraine. It is incorporated as a city of oblast significance. Population: , . It is located between cities of Kadiivka and Alchevsk. History The settlement traces i ...

*** Holubivka (before 2016: Kirovsk) *** Khrustalnyi (before 2016: Krasnyi Luch) *** Sorokyne (before 2016: Krasnodon) *** Pervomaisk (known as Oleksandrivka) ***

Rovenky Rovenky ( uk, Ровеньки, translit. ''Roven’ky'', russian: Ровеньки, translit. ''Rovenki'') is a coal mining city in Luhansk Oblast (region) of south-eastern Ukraine. Before 2020 it was incorporated as a city of oblast signifi ...

*** Dovzhansk (before 2016: Sverdlovsk) ***

Kadiivka Kadiivka (), or Stakhanov (; ), is a city in the Luhansk Oblast (region) of eastern Ukraine occupied by Russia. The city is incorporated as a city of oblast significance. Its population is approximately . The city has been under the control of th ...

(before 2016: Stakhanov) ***

Antratsyt Raion Antratsyt Raion or Antratsit Raion (; russian: Антрацитовский район) was a raion (district) in Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which red ...

(all settlements) *** Sorokyne Raion (before 2016: Krasnodon Raion) (all settlements) ***

Lutuhyne Raion Lutuhyne Raion () was a raion (district) in Luhansk Oblast of Eastern Ukraine. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Luhansk Oblast to eight. However, since 2 ...

(all settlements) ***

Novoaidar Raion Novoaidar Raion () was a raion (district) in Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine. The administrative center of the raion was the urban-type settlement of Novoaidar. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Uk ...

: **** Sokilnyky ****

Perevalsk Raion Perevalsk Raion () was a raion (district) in the eastern Ukrainian province of Luhansk. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Luhansk Oblast to eight. Howeve ...

(all settlements) ***

Popasna Raion Popasna Raion () was a raion (district) in Luhansk Oblast of eastern Ukraine. The administrative center was the town of Popasna. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of ...

: **** Berezivske **** Holubivske **** Zholobok ****

Kalynove Kalynove ( uk, Калинове; russian: link=no, Калиново) is a rural settlement in Alchevsk Raion (district) in Luhansk Oblast of eastern Ukraine, at about 62 km WSW from the centre of Luhansk Luhansk (, ; uk, Луганс ...

**** Kalynove-Borshchuvate **** Kruhlyk **** Molodizhne **** Mius **** Novooleksandrivka ****

Chornukhyne Chornukhyne ( uk, Чорнухине) is an urban-type settlement in Alchevsk Raion of Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine, but was formerly in Popasna Raion and then Perevalsk Raion. In the 2001 Ukrainian census, the town's population was 7,782. T ...

****

Zolote Zolote ( uk, Золотé; russian: Золотóе; lit. «Golden») is a city in Sievierodonetsk Raion, Luhansk Oblast (region) of Ukraine. Population: . The town consists of villages that were merged to create Zolote. Currently these villages a ...

(except Zolote-1,2,3,4) *** Dovzhánsk Raion (before 2016: Sverdlovsk Raion) (all settlements) ***

Slovianoserbsk Raion Slovianoserbsk Raion () was a raion (district) in Luhansk Oblast of eastern Ukraine. It was named after Slavo-Serbia, an imperial Russian province that existed between 1753–64. The raion was abolished on 18 July 2020 as part of the administrativ ...

(all settlements) *** Stanytsia Luhanska Raion: **** Burchak-Mykhailivka **** Lobacheve **** Mykolaivka **** Sukhodil *

(entire city)

Since 2022 Invasion

After Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, the

Russian military The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (, ), commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military forces of Russia. In terms of active-duty personnel, they are the world's fifth-largest military force, with at least two m ...

and Russian proxy forces further occupied additional Ukrainian territory. By early April, Russian forces withdrew from Northern Ukraine, including the capital

, after stagnating progress amid fierce Ukrainian resistance in order to focus on consolidating control over Eastern and Southern Ukraine. On June 2, 2022,

Zelenskyy Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, ; russian: Владимир Александрович Зеленский, Vladimir Aleksandrovich Zelenskyy, (born 25 January 1978; also transliterated as Zelensky or Zelenskiy) is a Ukrainian politicia ...

announced that Russia occupied approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Kharkiv Oblast

: ''Read more:

Russian occupation of Kharkiv Oblast The Russian occupation of Kharkiv Oblast, officially the Kharkov Military–Civilian Administration, known in Ukrainian as Kharkiv Military–civilian administration, is an ongoing military occupation that began on 24 February 2022, after Rus ...

'' The occupation began on February 24, 2022, immediately after Russian troops invaded Ukraine and began seizing parts of the Kharkiv Oblast. Since April, Russian forces tried to consolidate control in the region and capture the major city of

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.withdrawal from Northern Ukraine. However, by mid-May, the Ukrainian forces pushed the Russians back towards the periphery of the Russian border, indicating that Ukrainians continue to garner stiff resistance against Russian advances. In early September 2022, Ukrainian forces began a major

counteroffensive In the study of military tactics, a counter-offensive is a large-scale strategic offensive military operation, usually by forces that had successfully halted the enemy's offensive, while occupying defensive positions. The counter-offensive i ...

and by 11 September 2022, Russia had retreated from most of the settlements it previously occupied in the oblast, and the Russian Ministry of Defense announced a formal withdrawal of Russian forces from nearly all of Kharkiv Oblast stating that an "operation to curtail and transfer troops" was underway." The last remaining Russian forces fled the oblast on 3 October 2022, though a small portion on the eastern part of the oblast is still controlled by Russia.

Kherson Oblast

: ''Read more:

Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast The Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast is an ongoing military occupation of Ukraine's Kherson Oblast by Russian forces that began on 2March 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine as part of the southern Ukraine campaign. The Russian- ...

'' On February 24, 2022, Russian troops from Crimea invaded

Henichesk Henichesk ( uk, Гені́чеськ, Heniches’k, ; rus, links=on, Гени́ческ, r=Genichesk, p=ɡʲɪˈnʲit͡ɕɪsk) is a port city along the Sea of Azov in the Kherson Oblast of southern Ukraine. It serves as the administrative centre ...

and

Skadovsk Skadovsk ( uk, Скадо́вськ, translit. ''Skadovs’k'', ; russian: Скадовск) is a port city on the Black Sea in the Kherson Oblast of southern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Skadovsk Raion and hosts the administ ...

Raions. During the first days of the offensive, the Russians surrounded most of the cities and towns in the oblast, blocking the entrances to them with roadblocks, but not entering the cities themselves. Significant battles were fought for the Antonivskyi Bridge, which crosses the Dnipro River between Russian positions on the South bank and the Ukrainian city of Kherson on the North bank. The Ukrainian army was eventually forced to retreat under the onslaught of the enemy, and the city fell to Russian control on March 2. On June 29, the Russian occupation authorities in Kherson Oblast announced preparations for holding a referendum of annexation.On July 9, the Ukrainian government announced preparations for an imminent counteroffensive in the South, and urged the residents of occupied parts of Kherson and

Zaporizhzhia Zaporizhzhia ( uk, Запоріжжя) or Zaporozhye (russian: Запорожье) is a city in southeast Ukraine, situated on the banks of the Dnieper River. It is the administrative centre of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Zaporizhzhia has a populat ...

Oblasts to shelter or evacuate to minimize civilian casualties in the operation.

of Kherson Oblast that are occupied: *

Henichesk Raion Henichesk Raion ( uk, Генічеський район) is one of the 5 administrative raions (districts) of Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine. Its administrative centre is located in the city of Henichesk. Population: On 18 July 2020, as pa ...

Kakhovka Raion Kakhovka Raion ( uk, Каховський район) is one of the administrative raions (a ''district'') of Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine. Its administrative center is located in the city of Nova Kakhovka. Population: On 18 July 2020, as ...

Skadovsk Raion Skadovsk Raion ( uk, Скадовський район) is one of the 5 administrative raions (a ''district'') of Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine. Its administrative center is located in the city of Skadovsk. Population: On 18 July 2020, as ...

* Half of

Kherson Raion Kherson Raion ( uk, Херсонський район, russian: Херсонский район) is a raion (district) of Kherson Oblast, Ukraine. It was created in July 2020 as part of the reform of administrative divisions of Ukraine. The cente ...

Zaporizhzhia Oblast

: ''Read more: Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast'' On February 26, 2022, the city of

came under the control of the

, followed by Melitopol on March 1 after fierce fighting between

Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...

and

forces. Russian troops also besieged and captured the city of

Enerhodar Enerhodar (; uk, Енергода́р, translit=Enerhodár, , ; russian: Энергодар, translit=Energodar, literally 'energy giver') is a city and municipality in the north-western part of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast in Ukraine, currently unde ...

, where the

Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station ( uk, Запорізька атомна електростанція, translit=Zaporiz'ka atomna elektrostantsiya, russian: Запорожская атомная электростанция, Zaporozhskaya ...

is located, which came under the control of the Russian Federation on March 4. Since July, there have been increased tensions around the power plant as both Russia and Ukraine accuse each other of missile strikes around the plant, causing fears of a potential repeat of the Chernobyl Disaster.

Zaporizhzhia Oblast Zaporizhzhia Oblast ( uk, Запорі́зька о́бласть, translit=Zaporizka oblast), also referred to as Zaporizhzhia ( uk, Запорі́жжя, links=no), is an oblast (province) of southeast Ukraine. Its capital is Zaporizhzhia. The ...

that are occupied: *

Melitopol Raion Melitopol Raion ( uk, Мелітопольський район) is one of the five raions (districts) of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine under occupation by Russia. The administrative center of the region is Melitopol. Population: . On 1 ...

* Berdiansk Raion * Most of Vasylivka Raion * Most of

Polohy Raion Polohy Raion ( uk, Пологівський район) is one of the 5 raions (districts) of Zaporizhzhia Oblast in southern Ukraine. The administrative center of the region is the town of Polohy. Population: . The district was established in ac ...

Donetsk Oblast

: ''Read more:

Russian occupation of Donetsk Oblast The Donetsk People's Republic ( rus, Донецкая Народная Республика, Donetskaya Narodnaya Respublika, dɐˈnʲetskəjə nɐˈrodnəjə rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə; abbreviated as DPR or DNR, rus, ДНР) is a disputed en ...

'' Since the invasion, the

, along with the Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic, built on territorial gains they have made during the

and captured additional territory, most significantly the port of

after a prolonged siege. By February 24, 2022, the following

raions A raion (also spelt rayon) is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet states. The term is used for both a type of subnational entity and a division of a city. The word is from the French (meaning 'honeycomb, department'), and is co ...

of Donetsk Oblast were occupied: *

Horlivka Raion Horlivka Raion ( uk, Горлівський район, Horlivskyi raion, russian: Горловский район, Gorlovsky rayon) is a prospective raion (district) of Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It was formally created in July 2020 as part of the ...

Donetsk Raion Donetsk Raion ( uk, Донецький район, Donetskyi raion, russian: Донецкий район) is a prospective raion (district) of Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It was formally created in July 2020 as part of the reform of administrative di ...

Kalmiuske Raion Kalmiuske Raion ( uk, Кальміуський район, Kalmiuskyi raion, russian: Кальмиусский район, Kalmiussky rayon) is a prospective raion (district) of Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïn ...

After February 24, 2022, the following

of Donetsk Oblast were captured: *

Mariupol Raion Mariupol Raion ( uk, Маріупольський район, Mariupolskyi raion, russian: Мариупольский район, Mariupolsky rayon) is a raion (district) of Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It was created in July 2020 as part of the refor ...

* Half of Volnovakha Raion * Eastern portions of

Luhansk Oblast

:''Read more:

Luhansk People's Republic The Luhansk or Lugansk People's Republic (russian: Луга́нская Наро́дная Респу́блика, Luganskaya Narodnaya Respublika, ; abbreviated as LPR or LNR, rus, ЛНР) is a disputed entity created by Russian-backed ...

and Russian occupation of Luhansk Oblast'' By February 24, 2022, the following

were occupied: *

Alchevsk Raion Alchevsk Raion ( uk, Алчевський район, russian: Алчевский район) is a prospective raion (district) of Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. It was formally created in July 2020 as part of the reform of administrative divisions of U ...

Dovzhansk Raion Dovzhansk Raion ( uk, Довжанський район, russian: Должанский район) is a prospective raion (district) of Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. It was formally created in July 2020 as part of the reform of administrative divisions ...

Luhansk Raion Luhansk Raion ( uk, Луганський район, russian: Луганский район) is a prospective raion (district) of Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. It was formally created in July 2020 as part of the reform of administrative divisions of Uk ...

Rovenky Raion Rovenky Raion ( uk, Ровеньківський район, russian: Ровеньковский район) is a prospective raion (district) of Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. It was formally created in July 2020 as part of the reform of administrative ...

After February 24, 2022, the following

were captured: * Shchastia Raion * Staroblisk Raion * Most of

Svatove Raion Svatove Raion () is a raion (district) in Luhansk Oblast of eastern Ukraine. the administrative center of the raion is the city of Svatove. Population: . On 18 July 2020, as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, the number of raions of Lu ...

* Most of

Sievierodonetsk Raion Sievierodonetsk Raion ( uk, Сєвєродонецький район, russian: Северодонецкий район) is a raion (district) of Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine. It was created in July 2020 as part of the reform of administrative division ...

On July 3, 2022, the Russian military claimed that the entire

has been "liberated", suggesting that Russian forces has succeeded in occupying the entire oblast and marked a major milestone for their goal of capturing the Donbas in Eastern Ukraine. However, by September 19, Ukraine recaptured Bilohorivka. By early October, Ukrainian forces have liberated several more settlements as their counteroffensive operations move into the main territories of the

Mykolaiv Oblast

''Read more:

Russian occupation of Mykolaiv Oblast The Russian occupation of Mykolaiv Oblast is an ongoing military occupation of Ukraine's Mykolaiv Oblast by Russian forces that began on 26 February 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine as part of the southern Ukraine campaign. The Russian ...

'' The occupation of

Mykolaiv Oblast Mykolaiv Oblast ( uk, Микола́ївська о́бласть, translit=Mykoláyivsʹka óblastʹ, ), also referred to as Mykolaivshchyna ( uk, Микола́ївщина, Mykoláivshchyna, ) is an oblast (province) of Ukraine. The administra ...

began on February 26, 2022 with Russian troops crossing into the oblast through the Kherson Oblast from

. In March, Russia attempted to advance towards

Voznesensk Voznesensk ( uk, Вознесенськ, ; russian: Вознесенск) is a city in Mykolaiv Oblast (region) of Ukraine and the administrative center of Voznesensk Raion (district). It hosts the administration of the Voznesensk urban hroma ...

Mykolaiv Mykolaiv ( uk, Миколаїв, ) is a city and municipality in Southern Ukraine, the administrative center of the Mykolaiv Oblast. Mykolaiv city, which provides Ukraine with access to the Black Sea, is the location of the most downriver brid ...

and

Nova Odesa Nova Odesa (, ) is a city in Mykolaiv Raion, Mykolaiv Oblast (region) of southern Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Nova Odesa urban hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The population of Nova Odesa is Until 18 July 2020, Nova Odesa ...

, but were met with stiff resistance and failed. By May, Russia occupied

Snihurivka Snihurivka ( uk, Снігурі́вка, ) is a small city in Bashtanka Raion, Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine. It was occupied by Russia from March 2022 until early November 2022. It hosts the administration of the Snihurivka urban hromada. Population ...

, Tsentralne, Novopetrivka and numerous other small villages within the oblast. All these were retaken on 10-11 November 2022 during the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which followed the withdrawal of Russian troops from the right bank of the Dnieper.

that are occupied: * Extreme southern portion of Mykolaiv Raion ( Kinburn Peninsula)

Formerly occupied territories

After Russia's complete invasion in 2022 February, the Ukrainian military fiercely confronted the threat, and was able to prevent Russian forces from capturing Kyiv and forming a pro-Russian

puppet government A puppet state, puppet régime, puppet government or dummy government, is a state that is ''de jure'' independent but ''de facto'' completely dependent upon an outside power and subject to its orders.Compare: Puppet states have nominal sover ...

. In addition to the failed offensive to the capital, by late March, Russian forces were also stalled in advances in other major cities like

Kharkiv Kharkiv ( uk, wikt:Харків, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest List of cities in Ukraine, city and List of hromadas of Ukraine, municipality in Ukraine.Mariupol Mariupol (, ; uk, Маріу́поль ; russian: Мариу́поль) is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is situated on the northern coast ( Pryazovia) of the Sea of Azov, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Prior to the 2022 Russia ...

. As a result, the

Russian Ministry of Defence The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (russian: Министерство обороны Российской Федерации, Минобороны России, informally abbreviated as МО, МО РФ or Minoboron) is the govern ...

decided to withdraw its military from the Northern and

Northeastern The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A compass rose is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each se ...

offensives, instead focusing on consolidating control over Southern and

Eastern Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai *Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 *Eastern Air Li ...

Ukraine. By early April, both sides have confirmed the partial Russian withdrawal.

Chernihiv Oblast

''Read more:

Russian occupation of Chernihiv Oblast The Russian occupation of Chernihiv Oblast was a military occupation that began on 24 February 2022, the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Steadily, Russian troops started capturing large parts of the Chernihiv Oblast to try to take the ...

'' Russia started the occupation as part of the Northeastern offensive in the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The occupying forces occupied a large part of the

oblast An oblast (; ; Cyrillic (in most languages, including Russian and Ukrainian): , Bulgarian: ) is a type of administrative division of Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Ukraine, as well as the Soviet Union and the Kingdo ...

, and eventually laid siege to the oblast capital, but failed to capture the city. Eventually, the their stagnant progress led to their complete withdrawal from the oblast by early April, ending the occupation.

Kyiv Oblast

''Read more:

Russian occupation of Kyiv Oblast The Russian occupation of Kyiv Oblast was a military occupation that began on the first day of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine; 24 February 2022. The capital, Kyiv was never captured during the invasion and was extensively bombed. However, many ...

'' Russia started the occupation as part of the Northern offensive in the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russian troops occupied a large part of the Kyiv Oblast, oblast, even approaching the borders of Kyiv city proper. However, the invaders' stagnant progress led to their Battle of Kyiv (2022), failure to capture the Ukrainian capital, and eventually led to a complete withdrawal from Kyiv Oblast, the oblast by early April, ending the occupation.

Odesa Oblast

''Read more: 2022 Snake Island campaign'' From 24 February to 30 June of 2022, Russia occupied Snake Island (Ukraine), Snake Island in Odesa Oblast, but then it withdrew.

Sumy Oblast

''Read more: Russian occupation of Sumy Oblast'' Russia started the occupation as part of the Northeastern offensive in the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian military occupied a large part of the Sumy Oblast, oblast, but Battle of Sumy, failed to take the Sumy, oblast capital. Eventually, the stagnant progress of the Russian Ground Forces led to their complete withdrawal from the oblast by early April, ending the occupation.

Zhytomyr Oblast

''Read more: Russian occupation of Zhytomyr Oblast'' Russia started the occupation as part of the Northern offensive in the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The Russians occupied a small portion of the Zhytomyr Oblast, oblast, and never attempted to capture the Zhytomyr, oblast capital. Eventually, the occupiers' stagnant progress led to their complete withdrawal from Zhytomyr Oblast, the oblast by early April, ending the occupation.

International reactions

On 20 April 2016 Ukraine officially established government Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally Displaced Persons. It was subsequently renamed the Temporarily Occupied Territories, IDPs and veterans and then the Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories. The current minister is Iryna Vereshchuk, appointed on 4 November 2021. In March 2014, in a vote at the United Nations, 100 member states out of 193 did not recognize the annexation of the

by Russia, with only Armenia, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua, North Korea, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Zimbabwe voting against the resolution (See

.) A further resolution was passed by the United Nations in December 2016 regarding "human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol", which recognised these as part of Ukraine. Another resolution was passed by the United Nations in December 2017, also regarding "human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol", which recognised these as part of Ukraine. In April 2018 PACE's emergency assembly recognized occupied regions of Ukraine as "territories under effective control by the Russian Federation". Chairman of the Ukrainian delegation to PACE, MP Volodymyr Aryev mentioned that recognition of the fact that part of the occupied Donbas is under Russia's control is so important for Ukraine. "The responsibility for all the crimes committed in the uncontrolled territories is removed from Ukraine. Russia becomes responsible", Aryev wrote on Facebook. United Nations General Assembly resolution A/73/L.47, adopted on 17 December 2018, states: In early March 2022, in response to Russia's invasion, the United Nations General Assembly convened an emergency special session to discuss the latest developments regarding the peace situation in Ukraine, and adopted the United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-11/1 to condemn Russia's invasion and Belarusian involvement in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Belarus's involvement.

References

{{2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine Russian occupation of Ukraine, * War in Donbas Disputed territories in Europe Russia–Ukraine relations History of Donetsk Oblast History of Luhansk Oblast

Background

Before February 2022

Territories affected

Since 2022 Invasion

Kharkiv Oblast

Kherson Oblast

Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Donetsk Oblast

Luhansk Oblast

Mykolaiv Oblast

Formerly occupied territories

Chernihiv Oblast

Kyiv Oblast

Odesa Oblast

Sumy Oblast

Zhytomyr Oblast

International reactions

See also

References