Kherson Oblast

Kherson Oblast (Ukrainian: Херсонська область, romanized: Khersonska oblast, IPA: [xerˈsɔnʲsʲkɐ ˈɔblɐsʲtʲ]; Russian: Херсонская область, romanized: Khersonskaya oblast'), also known as Khersonshchyna (Херсонщина, IPA: [xerˈsɔnʃtʃɪnɐ]), is an oblast (province) in southern Ukraine. It is located just north of Crimea. Its administrative center is Kherson, on the northern or right bank of the Dnieper river, which bisects the oblast. The oblast has an area of 28,461 km2 and a population of 1,001,598 (2022 estimate). It is considered the 'fruit basket' of Ukraine, as much of its agricultural produce gets distributed throughout the country, with production peaking in summer. Most of Kherson Oblast has been under Russian military occupation since it was captured early on in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In September 2022, Russia claimed to have annexed Kherson Oblast, after arranging a disputed referendum. The referendum and the claimed annexation are internationally unrecognized. As the result of a counteroffensive operation, Ukrainian forces retook all the area on the right bank of the Dnieper, including Kherson city, by mid-November 2022.