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Russian-Occupied Territories — Ukraine

Russia currently occupies approximately 99,600 km² of Ukrainian territory — about 16.5% of Ukraine's internationally recognized area. This includes Crimea (since 2014) and four oblasts illegally annexed in September 2022.

16.5%
of Ukraine occupied
~100k km²
total occupied area
~7M
Ukrainians under occupation
Kherson
City liberated Nov 2022

Region-by-Region Breakdown

Crimea (Крим)

Occupied since: February–March 2014

Illegally Annexed 2014
27,000 km²
Occupied area
100%
of oblast occupied
2.3 million
Pre-war population
Simferopol, Sevastopol
Key cities
0%100% occupied100%

Occupied and illegally annexed in 2014 following a disputed referendum. Home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet (Sevastopol). International Court of Justice has jurisdiction over related disputes. Physical connection to Russia via Kerch Bridge (2018), partially damaged in Oct 2022 / Jul 2023 Ukrainian strikes.

View Crimea region details →

Donetsk Oblast (Донецька область)

Occupied since: Partially since 2014; fully claimed Sep 2022

Illegally Annexed 2022
16,700 km²
Occupied area
63%
of oblast occupied
4.2 million (pre-2014)
Pre-war population
Mariupol (occupied), Bakhmut (occupied)
Key cities
0%63% occupied100%

Site of some of the war's bloodiest battles: Mariupol siege (Feb–May 2022), Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Chasiv Yar. Russia controls ~65% as of early 2026; active front line still shifting toward Pokrovsk. Donetsk city itself has been Russian-proxy-controlled since 2014.

View Donetsk Oblast region details →

Luhansk Oblast (Луганська область)

Occupied since: Partially since 2014; fully claimed Sep 2022

Illegally Annexed 2022
25,700 km²
Occupied area
96%
of oblast occupied
2.2 million (pre-2014)
Pre-war population
Luhansk city, Sievierodonetsk (occupied)
Key cities
0%96% occupied100%

Russia controls ~96% of the oblast as of early 2026. Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk fell in summer 2022 after intense fighting. Luhansk city has been under Russian proxy ("LNR") control since 2014. Limited frontline activity compared to Donetsk.

View Luhansk Oblast region details →

Zaporizhzhia Oblast (Запорізька область)

Occupied since: Partially from March 2022; claimed Sep 2022

Illegally Annexed 2022
14,900 km²
Occupied area
55%
of oblast occupied
1.7 million
Pre-war population
Melitopol (occupied), Berdyansk (occupied)
Key cities
0%55% occupied100%

Oblast capital Zaporizhzhia city remains Ukrainian-controlled, though Russia claims the entire oblast. Site of Europe's largest nuclear plant (ZNPP), occupied since March 4, 2022. Melitopol serves as a key Russian logistics hub. Active front line in western sections.

✅ Oblast capital and ~45% of territory remain under Ukrainian control

View Zaporizhzhia Oblast region details →

Kherson Oblast (Херсонська область)

Occupied since: Partially; right bank liberated Nov 2022

Illegally Annexed 2022
15,300 km²
Occupied area
54%
of oblast occupied
1.0 million
Pre-war population
Kherson city (liberated), Nova Kakhovka (occupied)
Key cities
0%54% occupied100%

Kherson city — the only oblast capital Russia captured — was liberated on November 11, 2022. Russia destroyed the Nova Kakhovka dam on June 6, 2023, flooding vast downstream areas. Russia still holds the left (east) bank of the Dnipro River; front line runs along the river.

✅ Kherson city liberated Nov 11, 2022. ~46% of territory back under Ukrainian control

View Kherson Oblast region details →

International Legal Status

All Russian annexations are illegal under international law. UN General Assembly Resolution ES-11/4 (October 2022) was adopted by 143 states, demanding Russia immediately reverse its annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. No UN member state other than Russia, North Korea, Belarus, Nicaragua, and Syria has recognized the annexations.

Feb–Mar 2014

Russia occupies and annexes Crimea; disputed referendum held

Apr 2014

"Donetsk People's Republic" and "Luhansk People's Republic" proclaimed with Russian support

Mar 2014

UN General Assembly Resolution 68/262: 100 states affirm Crimea is part of Ukraine

Feb 24, 2022

Full-scale invasion: Russia occupies additional parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia

Sep 30, 2022

Russia illegally annexes Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson oblasts in violation of international law

Oct 12, 2022

UN General Assembly Resolution ES-11/4: 143 states condemn annexations, demand Russia reverse them

Nov 11, 2022

Ukraine liberates Kherson city — largest liberation of the war

2023–2024

Active frontline fighting, incremental Russian gains in Donetsk; Ukraine's Kursk incursion (Aug 2024)

2025–2026

Russia captures Kurakhove (Jan 2025), Chasiv Yar (Apr 2025); presses toward Pokrovsk. Frontline ~1,000 km active. US-mediated diplomacy intensifies but no ceasefire reached.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much Ukrainian territory is under Russian control?
Russia controls approximately 112,000 km² — about 18.6% of Ukraine's internationally recognized territory. This includes Crimea (27,000 km², occupied since 2014), most of Luhansk Oblast, and large parts of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts (occupied since 2022).
When did Russia first occupy Ukrainian territory?
Russia first occupied Crimea in February–March 2014, then helped establish proxy republics in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk in April 2014. The large-scale invasion on February 24, 2022 dramatically expanded Russian-occupied territory across five oblasts within weeks.
Is Russian annexation of Ukrainian territories legal?
No. All Russian annexations are illegal under international law. UN General Assembly Resolution ES-11/4 (adopted 143–5) demanded Russia reverse its 2022 annexations of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. Only Russia, North Korea, Belarus, Nicaragua, and Syria have recognized the annexations.
How many people live under Russian occupation?
Estimates suggest 3–5 million Ukrainians remain in Russian-occupied territory (excluding Crimea's ~2 million pre-war population). Millions have been displaced or fled. Russia has also conducted forced deportations — the ICC estimates 19,000+ Ukrainian children were forcibly transferred to Russia.
Has Ukraine liberated any occupied territory?
Yes. The largest liberation was Kherson city and right-bank Kherson Oblast in November 2022. Ukraine also liberated the entire Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy oblasts in March 2022, and recovered most of Kharkiv Oblast in September 2022. Ukraine's August 2024 Kursk incursion temporarily occupied ~1,300 km² of Russian territory itself.

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