Headlines
Russia says Ukraine controls 15–17% of donetsk region
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 10, 2026
1 min readLast updated: March 10, 2026
Quick Summary
Russian-installed Donetsk leader Denis Pushilin told Putin that Ukraine controls roughly 15–17% of Donetsk, a claim diverging from previous estimates of Ukraine holding about 25–30% of the region.
Russia says Ukraine controls 15–17% of Donetsk region
Current Situation in Donetsk Region
Russian Claims and Statements
MOSCOW, March 10 (Reuters) - The Russian-installed head of Ukraine's Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, told Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting shown on state TV on Tuesday that Ukraine controls around 15-17% of the region.
Russia claims the whole of the Donetsk region as part of Russia and says it is protected by Russia's nuclear umbrella.
Ukrainian Response
Ukraine says it will never recognise Russia's control over parts of Donetsk and other Ukrainian regions partially or fully held by Russia.
Details on Territorial Control
Russia rarely gives specific details of exactly how much territory it controls in Ukraine.
The figures given by Pushilin indicate that Russia controls 83% to 85% of Donetsk and therefore more than 90% of the Donbas region, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Gleb Stolyarov; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Aidan Lewis)
Key Takeaways
- •Pushilin’s 15–17% figure marks a significant recalibration compared with August 2025 estimates that Ukraine held around 30% of Donetsk region (apnews.com).
- •Independent assessments like ISW previously estimated Ukraine controlled about 25% of Donetsk, underscoring contested data and fluctuating front‑line dynamics (foreignpolicy.com).
- •Russia continues to claim the entire Donetsk region as its territory under its “nuclear umbrella,” while Ukraine firmly rejects recognition of Russian control over any part of its sovereign regions (lemonde.fr).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Russia says Ukraine controls 15–17% of Donetsk region
1What percentage of Donetsk does Ukraine currently control?
According to Russian sources, Ukraine controls about 15–17% of the Donetsk region.
2Does Russia claim all of Donetsk as Russian territory?
Yes, Russia claims the entire Donetsk region as part of its territory.
3What is Ukraine's position on Russian control of Donetsk?
Ukraine refuses to recognize Russian control over any part of Donetsk or other occupied regions.
4Who is Denis Pushilin?
Denis Pushilin is the Russian-appointed head of Ukraine's Donetsk region.
5How does Russia justify its claim over Donetsk?
Russia claims Donetsk is under its sovereignty and protected by its nuclear umbrella.
