Ukraine is divided into several administrative territories, each with its own level of government and authority.
- Regions (Oblasts): Ukraine is divided into 24 regions, known as “oblasts” in Ukrainian. Each oblast has its own governor, or head, who is appointed by the President of Ukraine. The regions are the primary administrative divisions and include:
- Kyiv (Kiev) Oblast
- Lviv Oblast
- Kharkiv Oblast
- Dnipropetrovsk (Dnipro) Oblast
- Odessa Oblast
- Donetsk Oblast
- Luhansk Oblast
- Zaporizhia Oblast
- Mykolaiv Oblast
- Kherson Oblast
- Poltava Oblast
- Sumy Oblast
- Chernihiv Oblast
- Cherkasy Oblast
- Kirovohrad Oblast
- Vinnytsia Oblast
- Khmelnytskyi Oblast
- Ternopil Oblast
- Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
- Zakarpattia (Transcarpathia) Oblast
- Chernivtsi Oblast
- Volyn Oblast
- Rivne Oblast
- Zhytomyr Oblast
- Autonomous Republic of Crimea (disputed): The status of Crimea is a matter of international dispute. While it is an autonomous republic in theory, in practice, Russia controls the region after its annexation in 2014. Ukraine and the international community still consider Crimea to be part of Ukraine.
- Cities with Special Status: Ukraine has two cities that are designated as having special status:
- Kyiv (Kiev): The capital city of Ukraine is also a separate administrative unit and is distinct from Kyiv Oblast.
- Sevastopol: Located on the Crimean Peninsula, Sevastopol is another city with special status. It is also disputed territory, with Russia controlling it since 2014.
- Districts (Raions): Each oblast is subdivided into districts or raions, which are the second level of administrative divisions in Ukraine. These districts are further divided into municipalities and cities.
- Cities and Municipalities: Ukraine’s cities and municipalities are the third level of administrative divisions. They have their own local governments and mayors.
- Territorial Communities (Hromadas): Ukraine has been implementing decentralization reforms, and some areas have merged into territorial communities or hromadas. These are self-governing units that encompass several settlements and villages. They have their own local councils and budgets.
Author: Kirill Shrayber, Ph.D.