Resolution No. 23/8-193 of the Donetsk Regional Council, dated October 5, 1999, “On the Approval of the Regulations on the Flag and the Regulations on the Coat of Arms of the Donetsk Region,” approved the coat of arms and flag of the Donetsk Region.
The design of the Donetsk Oblast coat of arms was developed in 1999. The coat of arms is a symbol and the official emblem of the oblast, reflecting its history, distinctive features, and traditions. The central element of the Donetsk Oblast coat of arms is the “Mertsalov Palm”—a famous work of art made from a steel rail, forged by master craftsman Oleksiy Mertsalov in 1896, which symbolizes the region’s industrial strength and potential. The crown emphasizes that the coat of arms belongs to the region. Oak leaves symbolize grandeur and reliability.
The main colors of the coat of arms are: gold (the field of the shield)—a symbol of wealth, justice, and generosity; black (the border)—a symbol of mineral wealth; blue (the palm)—a symbol of beauty and grandeur; and green—a symbol of hope, joy, prosperity, and a developed agricultural sector.
Another well-known symbol of the Donetsk region is the regional flag. Its upper field, blue in color with a golden (yellow) rising sun, symbolizes the east of Ukraine. The lower field, black in color, symbolizes coal, the earth, and the Azov Sea at night with golden (yellow) glimmers.
Today, we view this flag through the lens of war. And we see in it something more than just a symbol of the region. We see the sky, which must surely be peaceful again. The land to which we must return. The sun that must rise over a free Donetsk Oblast.
Our region is facing its toughest trials. But Donetsk Oblast is not just a territory on a map. It is our cities and villages, our families, our memories, our culture, and the people who are defending its future today. That is why remembering where we come from means remembering what we are fighting for.