Donbas
Sign in to saveright|thumb|250px|A map showing the present-day definition of the Donbas within Ukraine right|thumb|250px|Map of the historical region of Donbas, within modern-day Ukraine and the Rostov Oblast of Russia right|thumb|250px|Geology of Ukraine The Donbas (, ; ) or Donbass ( ) is a historical, cultural, and economic region on the Russia–Ukraine border, lying predominantly in Ukraine. The vast majority of the Donbas is occupied by Russia as a result of the Russo-Ukrainian war, as the Russian Armed Forces control about 90% of the region as of October 2025. At the last census in 2001, the population
AI overview
The Donbas is a historical region straddling the Russia-Ukraine border that has been predominantly controlled by Ukraine but is largely occupied by Russian forces following the Russo-Ukrainian war. It matters because it is a significant cultural and economic area whose control has become central to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Settlement <! See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions >.name
- Donbas
- Settlement <! See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions >.image_map
- Donetsian Region in Ukraine.svg
- Settlement <! See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions >.map_alt
- Map indicating the location of Donbass within Ukraine
- Settlement <! See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions >.map_caption
- Location of Donbas (here understood as the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts) within Ukraine
- Settlement <! See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions >.subdivision_type
- Country
- Settlement <! See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions >.subdivision_name
- Ukraine and Russia
- Settlement <! See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions >.seat_type
- Largest city
- Settlement <! See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions >.seat
- Donetsk
- Settlement <! See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions >.area_total_km2
Article
19 sectionsContents
- History
- Ancient, medieval and imperial Russian periods
- Russian Civil War and Soviet period (1918–1941)
- Nazi occupation (1941–1943)
- Soviet period (1943–1991)
- In independent Ukraine (from 1991)
- Russo-Ukrainian War (2014–present)
- War in Donbas
- Full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Demographics and politics
- Religion
- Economy
- Occupational safety in the coal industry
- Environmental problems
- Culture and religion
- See also
- Notes
- References
- External links
right|thumb|250px|A map showing the present-day definition of the Donbas within Ukraine right|thumb|250px|Map of the historical region of Donbas, within modern-day Ukraine and the Rostov Oblast of Russia right|thumb|250px|Geology of Ukraine The Donbas (, ; ) or Donbass ( ) is a historical, cultural, and economic region on the Russia–Ukraine border, lying predominantly in Ukraine. The vast majority of the Donbas is occupied by Russia as a result of the Russo-Ukrainian war, as the Russian Armed Forces control about 90% of the region as of October 2025. At the last census in 2001, the population of the Donbas region of Ukraine was about 58% ethnic Ukrainian and 38% ethnic Russian.
There are several definitions of the region's extent. In modern geopolitics, the Donbas usually refers to Donetsk Oblast and Luhansk Oblast in Ukraine. The Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine defines the "small Donbas" as the northern part of Donetsk and the southern part of Luhansk oblasts in Ukraine, and the attached part of Rostov Oblast in Russia. The historical coal mining region excluded parts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, but included areas in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and Southern Russia. The Euroregion of Donbas is composed of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in Ukraine and Rostov Oblast in Russia.