An oblast (/ˈɒblæst/ or /ˈɒblɑːst/)[a][b] is a type of administrative division in Bulgaria and several post-Soviet states, including Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Historically, it was used in the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. The term oblast is often translated into English as 'region' or 'province'.[2][3] In some countries, oblasts are also known by cognates of the Russian term.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).