oblast

American  

[ob-last, -lahst, aw-bluhst] / ˈɒb læst, -lɑst, ˈɔ bləst /

noun

PLURAL

oblasts,

PLURAL

oblasti

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

2. region; province.

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oblast British  

/ 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

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Etymology

Origin of oblast

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

Example Sentences

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

From BBC

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

From BBC

This is a reference to the Chelyabinsk meteor that entered Earth's atmosphere over Russia's Chelyabinsk Oblast in 2013.

From Salon

Two wounded North Korean soldiers have been captured as prisoners of war by Ukrainian troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday.

From BBC

Oleksandr Tymchyk, who played in the game against Romania on Monday, lost a brother when he was killed in action in Donetsk Oblast in August 2023.

From New York Times