/deuh nets"/ ; Russ. /du nyets"/ , n.
1. a river rising in the SW Russian Federation near Belgorod, flowing SE through Ukraine to the Don River. ab. 650 mi. (1045 km) long.
2. Also called Donets Basin . an area S of this river, in E Ukraine: coal mining region and industrial area. 9650 sq. mi. (24,995 sq. km).