List of cities in Luhansk Oblast

There are 37 populated places in Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine, that have been officially granted city status (Ukrainian: місто, romanized: misto) by the Verkhovna Rada, the country's parliament.

[c][16][17] After the enactment of decommunization laws, nine cities within the oblast were renamed in 2016 for their former names' connection to people, places, events, and organizations associated with the Soviet Union.

[d][20][21] The renamed cities are Bokovo-Khrustalne, Dovzhansk, Holubivka, Kadiivka, Khrustalnyi, Kypuche, Petrovo-Krasnosillia, Sorokyne, and Voznesenivka, which were previously named Vakhrusheve, Sverdlovsk, Kirovsk, Stakhanov, Krasnyi Luch, Artemivsk, Petrovske, Krasnodon, and Chervonopartyzansk, respectively.

[22] In 2024, following the passage of derussification laws, the cities Molodohvardiisk, Pervomaisk, and Sievierodonetsk were de jure renamed Otamanivka, Sokolohirsk, and Siverskodonetsk, respectively.

[23] Following the Donbas war, pro-Russian separatist forces occupied all 25 cities located in the Alchevsk, Dovzhansk, Luhansk, and Rovenky raions by 2014.

Photo of Luhansk, capital and most populous city in Luhansk Oblast
Luhansk , capital and most populous city in Luhansk Oblast [ 27 ]
Photo of Alchevsk, second most populous city and major industrial center in the Donbas
Alchevsk , second most populous city and major industrial center in the Donbas [ 28 ]
Photo of Siverskodonetsk, third most populous city and de facto capital from 2014 until its occupation in 2022
Siverskodonetsk , third most populous city and de facto capital from 2014 until its occupation in 2022 [ 29 ]
Photo of Lysychansk, twin city of Siverskodonetsk that was the last city in the oblast to be captured by Russian forces during its invasion
Lysychansk , twin city of Siverskodonetsk that was the last city in the oblast to be captured by Russian forces during its invasion [ 30 ]
Pre-invasion photo of Popasna, a key railway city heavily damaged during the invasion
Popasna , a key railway city heavily damaged during the invasion [ 31 ]