oblast

[ob-last, -lahst, aw-bluhst]

noun

plural

oblasts ,

plural

oblasti .

1. (in Russia and the Soviet Union) an administrative division corresponding to an autonomous province.

2. region; province.

oblast

/ ˈɒblɑːst /

noun

1. an administrative division of the constituent republics of Russia

2. an administrative and territorial division in some republics of the former Soviet Union

Word History and Origins

Origin of oblast¹

1885–90; < Russian óblast', Old Russian oblastĭ, equivalent to ob- against, on + vlastĭ authority, power; volost

Word History and Origins

Origin of oblast¹

from Russian, from Old Slavonic, vlast government

Example Sentences

A trigger for the oil sanctions may have been a phone call this week in which Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Russia still wants all of Donetsk oblast in Ukraine—a nonstarter with Kyiv.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

For Russia to gain all of Donetsk would cement its internationally unrecognised claim to the oblast as well as avoiding further heavy military losses.

Read more on BBC

If it is asked to give up the remaining 30 per cent of Donetsk Oblast that Russia has yet to occupy then does that leave the path westwards to Kyiv dangerously under-defended?

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Imagery provided by Planet Labs from this morning shows the entirety of Belaya airbase in Irkutsk Oblast, nearly 3,000km from the Ukrainian border.

Read more on BBC

Dramatic footage has emerged purportedly showing a drone attack at Belaya airbase in Irkutsk oblast, Siberia, thousands of miles from Ukraine.

Read more on BBC