Russia says Ukraine controls 15–17% of Donetsk region

MOSCOW, March 10 (Reuters) - The Russian-installed head of Ukraine's Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, told Russian President Vladimir Putin at a meeting shown on state TV on Tuesday that Ukraine controls around 15-17% of the region.

Russia claims the whole of the Donetsk region as part of Russia and says it is protected by Russia's nuclear umbrella.

Ukraine says it will never recognise Russia's control over parts of Donetsk and other Ukrainian regions partially or fully held by Russia.

Russia rarely gives specific details of exactly how much territory it controls in Ukraine.

The figures given by Pushilin indicate that Russia controls 83% to 85% of Donetsk and therefore more than 90% of the Donbas region, which is made up of Donetsk and Luhansk.