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Russia: Moscow Says Ukraine Controls 15-17% of Donetsk Region

Published March 10, 2026, 17:10
Russia: Moscow Says Ukraine Controls 15-17% of Donetsk Region

The Russian-appointed head of Ukraine's Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, told Russian President Vladimir Putin during a meeting shown on state television that Ukraine controls 15-17% of the region. Russia claims the entire Donetsk region is part of Russia and says it is protected by Russia's nuclear umbrella. Ukraine says it will never recognize Russia's control over parts of Donetsk and other Ukrainian regions that are partially or fully occupied by Russia. Moscow rarely gives specific details about what areas it controls in Ukraine. The figures provided by Pushilin indicate that Russia controls 83% to 85% of Donetsk and therefore more than 90% of the Donbas region, which consists of Donetsk and Luhansk.