Flags used in Russian-occupied Ukraine#Novorossiya

File:2014-04-07. Протесты в Донецке 005.jpg.]]

The {{ill|Flag of the Donetsk People's Republic|lt=flag|ru|Флаг Донецкой Народной Республики}} of the Donetsk People's Republic was claimed by the Russian-controlled militias to be based on the flag of the Donetsk–Krivoy Rog Soviet Republic, whom they claim as the "People's Republic's" predecessor.{{cite news|url= http://novorossia.today/the-dpr-became-a-legal-successor-of-the-donetsk-krivoy-rog-republic/|title= The DPR became a legal successor of the Donetsk-Krivoy-Rog Republic |publisher= novorossia.today|date=5 February 2015|access-date=3 June 2017}} However, there is no evidence of any such flag in 1918, and it is most likely based on the flag of the International Movement of Donbass, a Soviet anti-Ukrainian independence organisation started at Donetsk University in August 1989.James Ivan Clem: The Life of the Parties: Party Activism in Lʹviv and Donetsk, Ukraine, Ann Arbor (MA): University of Michigan Press 1995, p. 52.{{cite web|last=Edwards|first=Maxim|url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/maxim-edwards/symbolism-of-donetsk-people%E2%80%99s-republic-flag-novorossiya|title=Symbolism of the Donetsk People's Republic|publisher=openDemocracy|date=9 June 2014|access-date=3 June 2017|quote=But Vladimir Kornilov, the world's leading – and only – specialist on the short-lived state (and author of The Assassinated Dream, a book on its history), does not agree. The myths that grew around the Republic, [Kornilov] added, led to distorted views of its history, and 'pictures of some flag which was never actually used.' In fact, the flag used by the Donetsk People's Republic is, with alterations, that of the International Movement for Donbas or the Interdvizheniye Donbasa, an organisation whose roots started only in August 1989, in a lecture theater of Donetsk University.}}

The original DPR flag also featured a coat of arms of the republic that said "Donetsk Rus'" (Донецкая Русь) in the centre. It was identical to the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk Republic political party flag, while also retaining the words "Donetsk Republic" ({{langx|ru|Донецкая Республика|link=no}}). A simpler white double-headed eagle variant was used by pro-Russian protesters since 7 April 2014 and then by separatists of the Donbas People's Militia.

By October 2014, a second main flag which carried the words "Donetsk People's Republic" (Донецкая Народная Республика) was created with an updated doubled-headed eagle that looked less similar to the Russian coat of arms. This flag appeared to be more prominently used by the militant organization, even appearing on ballot boxes during their 2014 elections.{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}} The simplified black, blue and red tricolor without inscriptions or coats of arms started being adopted after 2017.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

File:Flag_of_the_Donetsk_Republic_(Organisation).svg|First flag of the Donetsk People's Republic, based on the political party Donetsk Republic{{cite web|url= https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/maxim-edwards/symbolism-of-donetsk-people%E2%80%99s-republic-flag-novorossiya|title= Symbolism of the Donetsk People's Republic|work= openDemocracy}}{{cite web|url= https://flagspot.net/flags/ua-dn.html|title= Donetsk County (Ukraine)|publisher= }}{{Specify|reason=Per previous flag, there as no reliable sources indicating which flag came first|date=August 2017}}

File:Variant Flag of the Donetsk Republic Organisation.svg|First flag variant displayed on 7 April 2014

File:Flag of the Donetsk People's Republic.svg|Alternative flag variant between April – June 2014

File:Flag of the Donetsk People's Republic (2014-2018).svg|Second flag of the Donetsk People's Republic (October 2014 – 2017){{cite web|url=http://www.vz.ru/photoreport/692109/#ad-image-0|title= DPR Approved National Symbols (Russian title:ДНР утвердила национальную символику)|publisher=}}

File:Flag of Donetsk People's Republic.svg|Current flag of the Donetsk People's Republic{{cite web|url=https://dnr-online.ru/simvolika-i-gimn-donetskoj-narodnoj-respubliki/|title= Symbols and the Hymn of the Donetsk People's Republic (Russian title: Символика и Гимн Донецкой Народной Республики)|publisher=DNR.ru (Official Donetsk People's Republic site)|date=30 June 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180630024816/https://dnr-online.ru/simvolika-i-gimn-donetskoj-narodnoj-respubliki/|archive-date= 2018-06-30}}

There have been {{ill|Flag of the Luhansk People's Republic|lt=several flags|ru|Флаг Луганской Народной Республики}} used to represent the Luhansk People's Republic. The first flag featured a similar design to the flag used by the Donetsk People's Republic, the main differences being that the top stripe was light blue or azure, a color used in the 1950–1992 flag of the Ukrainian SSR, instead of black. It featured a different coat of arms, and it contained the words Luhansk Republic (Луганская Республика) in Russian. The original shade of light blue used for the top stripe may have been inspired by the shade of blue used in the flag of the city of Luhansk. The second was adopted at some point in October 2014, with an abbreviation of the group's local name replacing the aforementioned text. On 2 November 2014, the Republic adopted a new flag that resembled the previous flags but lacked the coat of arms.

File:Flag of rastyazhka-Luganskoj.svg|First flag of the Luhansk People's Republic displayed on 9 May 2014{{cite web | url = https://fotw.info/flags/ua-lug.html | date = 2019-11-16 | last1 = Raeside | first1 = Rob | title = Lugansk People's Republic (Ukraine) | website = Flags Of The World | language = en | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220101000115/https://fotw.info/flags/ua-lug.html | archive-date = 2022-01-01 | df = dmy-all}}{{cite news | author = | date = 2014-07-24 | title = 'Luhansk People's Republic' announces total mobilization | url = http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/luhansk-peoples-republic-announces-total-mobilization-357785.html | url-status = dead | work = Kyiv Post | language = en | agency = Interfax-Ukraine | issn = 1563-6429 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140726011935/http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/luhansk-peoples-republic-announces-total-mobilization-357785.html | archive-date = 2014-07-26 | access-date = 2022-03-24 | url-access = registration | df = dmy-all }}

File:Flag of the Lugansk People's Republic (2014).svg|alt=Variant of the first flag of the Luhansk People's Republic, used mostly by the state before October 2014|Variant of the first flag of the Luhansk People's Republic, used mostly by the Russian-controlled militant group before October 2014{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUPWdyQvUd0|title=Ukraine: Lugansk People's Republic leader steps down|publisher=Ruptly|date=14 August 2014}}{{cite web |url=https://novorossia.su/ru/node/4049 | date = 2017-07-17 | script-title = ru:Ополченцы сообщили, кто их представит на консультациях по Украине |trans-title=The militias announced who will represent them at consultations on Ukraine | script-website = ru:Информационное агентство "Новороссия" | trans-website = Novorossiya Information Agency | language = ru | access-date = 2022-03-24 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140720085656/https://novorossia.su/ru/node/4049 | archive-date = 2014-07-20 |url-status=dead }}

File:Flag of the Lugansk People's Republic (Late 2014).svg|Second flag of the Luhansk People's Republic (October 2014 – 2017){{Cite news|url= http://lugansk-online.info/|title= Официальный сайт Луганской Народной Республики|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141103181051/http://lugansk-online.info/|archive-date= 2014-11-03}}{{Cite news|url= http://lugansk-online.info/news/v-luganske-snova-zazhzhen-vechnyi-ogon|title= В Луганске вновь зажжен Вечный огонь|publisher= Lugansk Online|date= October 31, 2014|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141103073408/http://lugansk-online.info/news/v-luganske-snova-zazhzhen-vechnyi-ogon|archive-date= November 3, 2014}}

File:Nouveau drapeau Lougansk.svg|Third flag of the Luhansk People's Republic (2017)

File:Flag of the Luhansk People's Republic.svg|Current flag of the Luhansk People's Republic{{Cite web |author= |date=2014-11-26 |title=ru:ЗАКОН О Государственном флаге Луганской Народной Республики |trans-title=Law on the state flag of the Luhansk People's Republic |url=http://lug-info.com/documents/one/4 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150325135811/http://lug-info.com/documents/one/4 |archive-date=2015-03-25 |access-date=2022-03-24 |language=ru |script-website=ru:Луганский Информационный Центр |trans-website=Lugansk Information Center |script-quote=ru:Настоящим Законом устанавливаются Государственный флаг Луганской Народной Республики, его описание и порядок официального использования. |trans-quote=This Law establishes the State Flag of the Luhansk People's Republic, its description and the procedure for official use. |df=dmy-all}}

Russia initially occupied much of Kherson Oblast in early 2022, but was forced to retreat from the right bank of the Dnieper River, giving up the city of Kherson in November.

At the signing of the agreement on the accession of the Kherson Oblast to Russia by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian-installed head of the occupied part of the region, Volodymyr Saldo, the flag of Kherson Oblast was seen, but in the middle of the white stripe is the 1803 coat of arms of Kherson supported by golden oak branches and blue ribbons, and surmounted by the Imperial Crown.{{Cite web |title=Подписание договоров о принятии ДНР, ЛНР, Запорожской и Херсонской областей в состав России |url=http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/69465 |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=Президент России |date=30 September 2022 |language=ru}}{{Failed verification|date=April 2023|reason=Primary source; says nothing about flag or coat of arms}}

Flag of Kherson Oblast (Russia).svg|Flag of Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast

Coat of arms of Kherson Oblast (Russia, Big size).svg|Coat of arms of Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast

Russia occupies the southern half of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast as of 2023.

In the early months of the occupation, the coat of arms used by the occupational forces was originally the same as that of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast but re-worded in Russian.{{Cite web |title=Occupiers in Zaporizhzhia oblast steal the ZRMA's symbols and ID number to make a fake seal |url=https://imi.org.ua/en/news/occupiers-in-zaporizhzhia-oblast-steal-the-zrma-s-symbols-and-id-number-to-make-a-fake-seal-i47360 |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=imi.org.ua |language=en-EN}}{{Cite web |date=2022-07-28 |title=Администрация Запорожской области |url=https://zapgov.ru/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220728143402/https://zapgov.ru/ |archive-date=2022-07-28 |access-date=2022-11-01 }} However, on 25 May 2022, it was replaced by the 1811 coat of arms of the city of Zaporizhzhia (then called Oleksandrivsk in Ukrainian or Aleksandrovsk in Russian), which was again adopted by the city in 2003, with the magenta color associated with Cossacks replaced with red due to "historical" reasons.{{Cite web |last=Новости |first=Р. И. А. |date=2022-05-25 |title=Запорожская область вернула герб времен Российской империи |url=https://ria.ru/20220525/gerb-1790527949.html |access-date=2022-10-03 |website=РИА Новости |language=ru}}

On 30 September 2022, Russia declared the annexation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, despite controlling only the southern part of it. At a Moscow signing ceremony between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian-installed head of the occupied southern half of the oblast, Yevhen Balytskyi, the flag of the Zaporizhzhia region was presented as a bi-color field in green and red, and the 1811 coat of arms of Aleksandrovsk (Zaporizhzhia at the time) in the middle.

Flag of the Russian administered Zaporizhzhia Oblast (1).svg|Flag of Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Coat of Arms of the Russian administered Zaporizhzhia Oblast.svg|Coat of arms of Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast

The Kharkiv People's Republic (Russian: Харьковская Народная Республика) was a short-lived self-proclaimed state in Kharkiv, Ukraine. It was declared by separatists during the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine. The separatists were led by Yevhen Zhylin.{{Cite news |date=2014-04-07 |title=In pictures: Pro-Russians proclaim 'people's republic' |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26928153 |access-date=2022-09-30}} It was created on 7 April 2014 when pro-Russian protesters stormed government buildings in Kharkiv and declared the Kharkiv People's Republic. It was dissolved when Ukrainian authorities regained control of the building later that same day.{{Cite web |last=Jarábik |first=Natalia Shapovalova, Balázs |title=How Eastern Ukraine Is Adapting and Surviving: The Case of Kharkiv |url=https://carnegieeurope.eu/2018/09/12/how-eastern-ukraine-is-adapting-and-surviving-case-of-kharkiv-pub-77216 |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=Carnegie Europe |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Who's who: These are the key figures and groups in Ukraine's political crisis |url=https://theworld.org/stories/2014-02-21/who-s-who-these-are-key-figures-and-groups-ukraine-s-political-crisis |access-date=2022-09-30 |website=The World from PRX |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |date=2014-05-05 |title=Waiting for War |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/05/12/waiting-for-war-2 |access-date=2022-09-30 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US}}

File:Flag of the Kharkov People's Republic.svg|Proposed flag of the Kharkiv People's Republic{{cite web | url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ua-qk.html | title=Kharkiv County (Ukraine) }}

File:Flag of Kharkov People's Republic.svg|Unofficial variant of the Kharkiv People's Republic

Flag of Russian occupied Kharkiv Oblast.svg|Flag used in Russian-occupied Kharkiv Oblast{{cite web | url=https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/15171721 | title=На освобожденных территориях Харьковской области утвердили герб и флаг - ТАСС }}

File:Coat of Arms of Russian Administration of Kharkov Oblast.svg|Coat of arms used in Russian-occupied Kharkiv Oblast

Novorossiya ({{lit|New Russia}}) was an unrecognised confederation of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, claiming the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. However, on 20 May 2015, the leaders of the Federal State of Novorossiya declared that they would halt the confederation 'project.'[http://uatoday.tv/politics/russian-backed-novorossiya-breakaway-movement-collapses-428372.html Russian-backed 'Novorossiya' breakaway movement collapses], Ukraine Today (20 May 2015)
{{in lang|ru}} [http://m.gazeta.ru/politics/2015/05/19_a_6694441.shtml The "New Russia" is closed], Gazeta.ru (20 May 2015)

File:Flag of Novorussia (project).svg|Flag used by supporters of Novorossiya

File:War Flag of Novorussia (Variant).svg|Flag of Novorossiya with the coat of arms

File:Novorossiya flag2.svg|Flag of Novorossiya, proposed by Oleg Tsaryov

File:Coat of Arms of Novorussia.svg|Coat of arms of Novorossiya

The battle flag is based on the naval jack of the Imperial Russian Navy. Oleksandr Chalenko, who worked as a political journalist in Kyiv, described the flag and explained its symbolism in an item published by Izvestia on 20 March 2014:{{cite news|last1=Chalenko|first1=Oleksandr|date=2014-03-20|title=Что такое Новороссия?|trans-title=What is Novorossiya?|url=https://izvestia.ru/news/567843|url-status=live|script-work=ru:Известия|trans-work=Izvestia|language=ru|eissn=1563-6313|issn=0233-4356|oclc=1076768530|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320165555/https://izvestia.ru/news/567843|archive-date=2014-03-20|access-date=2022-03-24|script-quote=ru:Это красный флаг с синим Андреевским крестом. Флаг российского флота. Флота, который сыграл выдающуюся военную роль в деле появления и утверждения исторической Новороссии.|df=dmy-all}} "It's a red flag with a blue Saint Andrew's cross. The flag of the Russian Navy. Of the Navy, which played a prominent military role in the emergence and establishment of historical Novorossiya."

A white-yellow-black tricolor was presented on 13 August 2014 by Oleg Tsaryov as a potential flag for the confederation of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics.LifeNews: [http://lifenews.ru/news/138331 Oleg Tsarev presented the new flag of Novorossiya]{{better source needed|date=October 2022}} This resembled an upside-down Romanov flag, which was the national flag of the Russian Empire from 1858 to 1883.

Some have noted that the flag's design resembles the Confederate States of America's Navy jack and battle flag, known also as the "Dixie flag", though this is almost certainly a coincidence.{{cite news|last=Babiak|first=Mat|title=Welcome to New Russia|url=http://ukrainianpolicy.com/welcome-to-new-russia/|newspaper=Ukrainian Policy|date=22 May 2014|access-date=26 May 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/multimedia/video-2/ukraine-news-one-novorossiya-flag-appears-uncannily-like-dixie-video-351384.html|title=Ukraine News One: 'Novorossiya' flag appears uncannily like 'Dixie' (VIDEO)|publisher=kyivpost.com|access-date=15 June 2014}} Ukrainian political analyst Mikhail Pavliv is credited with having created the flag; Pavliv explains that he had simply stumbled upon the flag online somewhere, and that the leader of the New Russia Party, Pavel Gubarev, later picked it up.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}} However, Gubarev has stated that the inspiration for the flag came from banners used by Cossacks in the 18th century.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

The only Cossacks that used a similar banner where the Semirechye Cossacks from Kyrgyzstan who never saw combat or service in or near Ukraine.{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

• List of Russian flags
• Flags of the federal subjects of Russia

{{reflist|2|refs=

}}

{{Flag of Europe}}

{{2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Military}}

Russian-occupied Ukraine

Category:Russian occupation of Ukraine

Category:Flags of Russia

Category:Lists and galleries of flags