Administratively, Donetsk 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.

Dec 27, 2025 · Donetsk, city, southeastern Ukraine, on the headwaters of the Kalmius River. It is the capital of Donetsk oblast (province) and the most prominent city in the Donets Basin industrial region.

6 days ago · What is the Donbas region? Collectively known as the Donbas, the two coal-rich eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk used to be Ukraine’s industrial heartland.

20 hours ago · There is active work under way to reconcile the territorial issue of Donetsk at U.S.-mediated talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on …

17 hours ago · The territorial destiny of Donetsk is the key issue preventing the conclusion of a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday. “The one …

6 days ago · Donetsk once accounted for more than half of Ukraine's coal, finished steel, coke, cast iron and steel production, though many mines and facilities have been destroyed in the war.

For more than a decade, Russian aggression has made Ukraine’s Donetsk region synonymous with war. It’s both a symbol of Kyiv’s resistance and a gauge of the conflict’s progress.

Located on the upper reaches of the Kalmiius River in the steppe region, this industrial settlement (city since 1920) grew to become the largest center of coal mining and metallurgy and the fifth-largest city …

6 days ago · Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine face a major hurdle. The core issue is the disputed Donetsk region. Russia wants Ukraine to cede territory it currently controls. Ukraine insists …

Aug 19, 2025 · (AP Photo/File) The Kremlin is demanding that Ukraine give up the entire Donetsk oblast as part of any ceasefire agreement.