Donetsk Oblast (Ukrainian: Доне́цька о́бласть, Donets'ka oblast'; also referred to as Donechchyna – Ukrainian: Донеччина Donechchyna; Russian: Доне́цкая о́бласть, Donetskaya oblast [dɐˈnʲɛtskəjə ˈobləsʲtʲ]) is an oblast (province) of eastern Ukraine. It is the most populated oblast, with around 4.5 million residents. Its administrative center is Donetsk; however, its Regional State Administration was relocated to Mariupol, a temporary measure due to the ongoing crisis in Donetsk. Historically, the region is an important part of the Donbas region. Until November 1961, it bore the name Stalino Oblast, as its capital Donetsk was named Stalino in honour of Joseph Stalin at that time.

The oblast is known for its urban sprawl and is often associated with mining industry.

On April 7, 2014, following the 2014 Crimean crisis, separatists occupying the Donetsk Oblast administrative building declared independence from Ukraine and held a referendum on separating from Ukraine on May 11, 2014. Subsequently, the War in Donbass started. After Donetsk was under control of the separatist government, the Donetsk Oblast administration was relocated to Mariupol, and later to Kramatorsk.

Donetsk (Ukrainian: Донецьк Ukrainian pronunciation: [doˈnɛt͡sʲk], translit. Donets’k; Russian: Доне́цк, tr. Donetsk; IPA: [dɐˈnʲɛtsk]; former names: Aleksandrovka, Yuzovka, Stalino (see also: cities' alternative names)) is an industrial city in Ukraine on the Kalmius River. The population was estimated at 953,217 (2013 est.) in the city, and over 2,000,000 in the metropolitan area (2011). According to the 2001 Ukrainian Census, Donetsk was the fifth-largest city in Ukraine. Since April 2014, the city is the administrative centre of and effectively administered by the Donetsk People's Republic.

Administratively, it has been the centre of Donetsk Oblast, while historically, it is the unofficial capital and largest city of the larger economic and cultural Donets Basin (Donbas) region. Donetsk is adjacent to another major city of Makiivka and along with other surrounding cities forms a major urban sprawl and conurbation in the region. Donetsk has been a major economic, industrial and scientific centre of Ukraine with a high concentration of companies and a skilled workforce.

The Donetsk People's Republic (DPR or DNR) (Russian: Доне́цкая Наро́дная Респу́блика, tr. Donétskaya Naródnaya Respúblika; IPA: [dɐˈnʲɛtskəjə nɐˈrodnəjə rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə], Ukrainian: Донецька Народна Республіка, Donets'ka Narodna Respublika) is an unrecognized state, supported by several rebel groups based in the Donetsk oblast of Ukraine, where it controls territory. In Ukraine, it is considered to be a terrorist organisation. The Donetsk People's Republic is a self-proclaimed state whose existence is unrecognized by the international community, which receives humanitarian and military support from Russia. It was also a constituent state of the self-proclaimed confederation of Novorossiya (referencing the corresponding historical region and its name), and since February 2015 assigned itself the status of successor to the historic self-declared Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic. On 20 May 2015 the leadership of the Federal State of Novorossiya announced the termination of the confederation 'project'.

Donetsk may refer to:

See also