Ukraine: Map of Russian Control on Feb. 27, 2022

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Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Contact us for permission to use this map.

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Russian Invasion Map: Ukraine at War

Months of US warnings that Russia was planning to invade Ukraine were proven right last Thursday, as Russian troops, tanks, ships, and aircraft flooded into the neighboring country. Russia had already taken over Ukraine's southern province of Crimea in 2014, and pro-Russia separatists claimed to have split off from eastern Ukraine after seizing much of Donetsk and Luhansk provinces. But Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is a massive new escalation, unprecedented in Europe since World War II.

The above map shows control lines as of Sunday night - just before the first round of ceasefire talks - when Russian forces had captured significant chunks of rural Ukraine, but so far not gained control of any major cities (the situation a day later remains mostly unchanged). The map is based on reporting from various news media on the status of cities and towns, with lines of control in the countryside estimated with the help of other conflict-tracking websites and social media accounts.

Ukraine War Control Map & Report: September 2020

To see other maps in this series, plus a new map of Russian control in the 2022 invasion, view all Ukraine articles on PolGeoNow.

Map by Evan Centanni and Djordje Djukic. Contact us for permission to use this map.

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Donbass Frontline Map

In the four years since PolGeoNow last updated our Ukraine control map, little has changed in terms of territorial boundaries in the region of eastern Europe known as the Donbass. Forces of the Russia-backed self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) and Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) still hold a large chunk of what most of the world considers Ukraine, though their plans of formally uniting into a confederation of "Novorossiya" ("New Russia") have long gone by the wayside. But as attempts at resolving the conflict peacefully grind slowly forward, fighting has continued at a low level along the frontlines, and we have made some small changes to the map where the situation has either changed or been clarified since 2016.

Interactive Maps: Which Places Switched Time Zones in 2016?

This article is a spin-off from our popular yearly review of political geography events. For more on changes to countries and borders in 2016, check out our main 2016 year in review article! 

Free map of world time zones from Wikimedia Commons, up-to-date for the beginning of 2017. See the close-ups below for interactive, before-and-after illustrations of time zone changes during 2016.

Article and additional graphics work by Evan Centanni
 

Who Controls Time Zones?

The system of dividing the world into time zones is accepted all around the world, in principle. It's an organized way of letting clocks in each part of the world hit noon around the middle of daylight hours, even if it's midnight on the other side of the world. But surprisingly, there's actually no international organization that determines time zones. Except for in the open ocean, where time zones are standardized by a loose agreement between fleets and ship operators, the dividing lines are set independently by each country's government, or even by local governments below the national level.

Ukraine War Control Map & Report: June 2016

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Map by Evan Centanni (all rights reserved)

Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Summary of Developments
PolGeoNow's previous Ukraine control map report was published in March of last year, just a month after a ceasefire was implemented under the Minsk II agreement, a hard-won deal between the Kiev government and representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (established by rebels with extensive support from the other side of the Russian border). Since then, the ceasefire has broadly held, which explains why the war in eastern Ukraine has largely dropped out of world newspaper front pages. However, fighting has continued off and on at a reduced level, and the ceasefire agreement is still on shaky ground. This map and timeline report describe what has happened over the past year, including some small changes to territorial control.

Syrian Civil War Control Map: February 2016 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic. Map by onestopmap.com and Evan Centanni.

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New: Improved map now includes terrain and major roads!

As a UN-brokered truce approached, tables were beginning to turn in Syria, with the government's Russian-backed offensive making major breakthroughs against rebel forces in Aleppo, Latakia, and elsewhere. 

Meanwhile, the so-called "Islamic State" (ISIS) continued to hold vast tracts of the country, while Kurdish-led forces gradually expanded their control in victories against ISIS and rebel fighters alike.

See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Syria map report in mid-December.

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• New in this edition: Terrain shading and major highways included on map for geographic context!
• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) extremists, and Kurdish YPG forces. 
• Special symbols indicate towns dominated by rebels of Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra (the Nusra Front) and by multi-ethnic anti-ISIS Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, highlighting key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Menagh airbase, Aleppo, Salma, Rabia, Nubl, Baghaliya, Tishrin Dam, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since December 9, 2015, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Syrian Civil War Control Map: December 2015 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

The Syrian government's newly Russian-backed offensive against rebels and the so-called "Islamic State" (IS, formerly ISIS) is beginning to pick up momentum. Meanwhile, Western European countries are increasingly becoming involved in the war on IS as well, with a new Western-backed, multi-ethnic ground coalition making significant gains of its own against the group.

See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional-quality Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Syria map report near the end of October.

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Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) extremists, and Kurdish YPG forces. Special symbol indicates rebel-held towns dominated by Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra (the Nusra Front).
• New in this edition: Special symbol indicates towns held by multi-ethnic anti-ISIS Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, highlighting key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Kweires airbase, Hader, Kafrah, Delha, Deir Hanna, Sheikh Meskin, Hawl, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since October 30, 2015, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Syrian Civil War Control Map: October 2015 (Subscription)

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Research by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

A month into Russia's military intervention in Syria, the Assad government and Iranian troops have made a number of small advances against both the rebels and the so-called "Islamic State" (formerly ISIS/ISIL).

See all this and more on the newest update to PolGeoNow's concise, professional-quality Syrian Civil War control map, which includes a timeline of changes since our previous Syria map report last month.

This map and report are professional subscriber content, available to paid members or for separate purchase. Download PDF (US$24.99)

Want to see before you buy? Check out our most recent FREE SAMPLE Syria map!

Exclusive map report includes:

• Up-to-date map of current territorial control in Syria, color-coded for the Assad government, rebel groups, "Islamic State" (ISIS/ISIL) extremists, and Kurdish YPG forces. Special symbol indicates rebel-held towns dominated by Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra (the Nusra Front).
• Detailed indication of city-by-city control, highlighting key towns and other locations important to current events.
• Locations of recent fighting and military operations, including Kweires airbase, Kafr Nabudah, the southern Aleppo countryside, northern Hama province, and more.
• Detailed timeline of important events and changes to territorial control since September 14, 2015, compiled by our Syria-Iraq expert, with links to sources.

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Map: Another Country Joins the "Eurasian Union" (May 2015)

The Eurasian Economic Union's five current member countries, plus disputed Crimea, claimed to be part of Russia. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from this map by Keverich2. License: CC BY-SA

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What is the "Eurasian Union"? (Map)

The Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union, sometimes simply called the "Eurasian Union", was officially launched at the beginning of this year. Read on for a brief introduction to this major new regional organization, which you can expect to hear a lot more about in the coming months and years!

The Eurasian Economic Union's four current member countries, plus disputed territories officially or unofficially included in the common market. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from this map by Keverich2. License: CC BY-SA

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Article by Karina Barquet

Ukraine War Rebel Control Map: March 2015 (Subscription)

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Timeline by Djordje Djukic, with map and additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Fighting in Ukraine has come nearly to a halt with the implementation of February's ceasefire.  

This brand new, redesigned map is more accurate and detailed than maps in the news media, showing rebel control as it currently stands alongside the location of important ceasefire lines and buffer zones according to our own careful research.

Included in the report is a detailed accounting of events since our previous Ukraine update in December, compiled by our Ukraine specialist.

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Exclusive map report includes:

• All new, updated map of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, showing actual lines of control
• Map of February 15 ceasefire lines and buffer zones, depicted more accurately and precisely than in major news media sources
• Improved depiction of regional cities and towns, showing past and current rebel control with larger dots for larger population sizes.
• Timeline of events since December, plus summary of major trends

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Ukraine War Rebel Control Map: December 2014 (Premium)

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Research by Djordje Djukic, with additional reporting by Evan Centanni

Control lines have begun to solidify in Ukraine's civil war, with government forces on one side and the fighters of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, and Federation of Novorossiya on the other side. 

PolGeoNow presents our district-by-district map of control in eastern Ukraine, updated for December 2014, including a timeline of major events and changes to territorial control since our previous Ukraine map update in September.

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• Detailed, updated map of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, showing both past and current rebel control
• Indication of which districts and cities have had their administrations occupied by separatists
• Timeline of changes to territorial control since September, and summary of major trends

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Map: "Eurasian Union" Gets New Member

The Eurasian Economic Union's four member countries, plus disputed territories that might be officially or unofficially included. Map by Evan Centanni, starting from this map by Keverich2. License: CC BY-SA

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Ukraine War Rebel Control Map: September 2014 (Premium)

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Russia is now being accused of directly invading eastern Ukraine, and opposition control in the region has seen major changes since our last Ukraine war map update.

This is detailed map and timeline of pro-Russian territorial control in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, home to the claimed Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, and Federation of Novorossiya. Updated to the start of September 2014.

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• Detailed, updated map of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, showing both past and current rebel control
• Indication of which districts and cities have had their administrations occupied by separatists
• Timeline of changes to territorial control since July, and summary of major trends

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War in Ukraine: Detailed Map of Rebel Control in Donetsk & Luhansk (Premium)

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All new, detailed map of rebel control in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions, home to the claimed Donetsk People's Republic, Lugansk People's Republic, and Federation of Novorossiya. 

Since our last Ukraine update, pro-Russian rebels have captured much more territory in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but also lost some of their early strongholds. 

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• All new, detailed map of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, showing both past and current rebel control
• Indication of which districts and cities have had their administrations occupied by separatists
• Important locations of rebel military control marked
• Article with chronology of events since April, and discussion of the meaning of "control"

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Ukraine Map #3: Separatist Control in the East (Premium)

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Since our previous Ukraine update ten days ago, there has been a spectacular resurgence of aggressive separatist activity in eastern Ukraine, including not only protester occupations but also armed seizures reminiscent of those that began the Crimea crisis last month.

This is an up-to-date and detailed map of pro-Russian rebel and protester control in Ukraine, including the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic".

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• Ukraine control map updated for the protester occupations and armed rebel takeovers in eastern Ukraine over the past two weeks
• Shows both protester occupations and armed takeovers, as well as which regions have declared independence
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Update: Ukraine Control Overview Map (Premium)

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This is a brief supplement to our Mar. 4 report, Ukraine Map: Occupations, Autonomy, & Invasion. See that report for a detailed overview of protester occupations and declarations of autonomy in the first two stages of the Ukraine crisis: the anti-Yanukovich Maidan movement and the eastern pro-Russian protests. 

The current article is an update on the current control situation in Ukraine from Mar. 4 to the present. This map and article are exclusive premium content, available only to members or for individual purchase. Buy now (US$5.99).

Premium article includes:

• Simple updated map of the political situation in Ukraine since Mar. 4
• Shows the last of the pro-Russian protester occupations, the annexation of Crimea, and seizures by the Ukrainian and Russian militaries outside of Crimea proper
• Report on the course of events since the last report, explaining each detail shown on the map
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Crimea Joins Russia, Gives Up Independence, Becomes Disputed Territory

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The claimed Republic of Crimea which has now joined Russia (click to see full-sized map). By Evan Centanni, based on this blank map.

By Evan Centanni

Russia Annexes Crimea
The Crimean peninsula, which declared independence from Ukraine ten days ago as the Republic of Crimea, has now been absorbed into Russia. This was part of the plan all along - the claimed Republic of Crimea had requested to join Russia at the same time that it declared independence.

Related: Complete Map of Locations Seized by Russia in Crimea (Premium)

Premium Map Report: Russian Control of Crimea

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After a month of low-level conflict, Russian military control of Crimea appears to be nearly complete. Here's a complete map - to the best of our knowledge - of all locations of Russian seizures and other military actions inside and outside of the Crimea region. This map and article are exclusive premium content, available only to members and for individual purchase. Buy now (US$4.99).

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Crimea Declares Independence: Is It Really a Country?

On Monday, two regional governments on the Crimean Peninsula controversially declared their independence from Ukraine as the new Republic of Crimea. While the declaration has been rejected by most of the world community, and Crimea hopes to swiftly unite with Russia, for now it might be considered a de facto sovereign state. Read on for details.

The Republic of Crimea. Map by Evan Centanni, based on this blank map.

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By Evan Centanni

Declaration of Independence
Following Ukraine's revolution, the explosion of pro-Russian protests in the east, and the subsequent occupation of the Crimean peninsula by Russian forces (see our premium report, Ukraine Map: Occupations, Autonomy, & Invasion), a new independent country has been declared on the coast of the Black Sea.

How Sharply Divided is Ukraine, Really? Honest Maps of Language and Elections

There's no question that Ukraine's current crisis arose from major political divisions in the country, and it's true that language is an issue. But some online news websites have sensationalized and exaggerated these divisions through misleading maps. PolGeoNow offers a pair of maps that better communicate the blurriness of the supposed lines between western and eastern Ukraine. 

(For a map of current events from January up to this week, including protester control, government occupations, and the Russian invasion, purchase our premium map of the Ukraine crisis or become a member.)

A more honest map of Ukraine's 2010 presidential election. By Evan Centanni.

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Article by Evan Centanni 

Misleading Ukraine Maps
In January, the Washington Post's Max Fisher wrote a popular map-illustrated blog post about the political and linguistic divisions fueling Ukraine's crisis, then at the height of its pro-Europe protest phase. Later, CNN followed the Post's lead and published a similar set of maps. However, the maps in both articles are designed in a way that makes the divisions look much sharper and more black-and-white than they really are. There's not, as Fisher preposterously claims, "an actual, physical line" splitting Ukraine in half. Instead, there's a gradual shading of mixed populations whose ethnic identities and voting history don't always correlate to the country's current political divisions.