Desna, Chernihiv Oblast

Desna (Десна) is a rural settlement in Chernihiv Raion, Chernihiv Oblast, northern Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Desna settlement hromada, one of the hromadas of Ukraine. The settlement's population was 7,180 as of the 2001 Ukrainian census. Current population: It is named after the Desna River which flows through the settlement.

The settlement houses a major military training center (169th Training Centre) of the Ukrainian Ground Forces. It was hit by an airstrike by Russian forces on 17 May 2022 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On the 25 June, the town was hit with cruise missiles, causing large amounts of damage but no casualties were reported.

History
Until 18 July 2020, Desna belonged to Kozelets Raion. The raion was abolished in July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Chernihiv Oblast to five. The area of Kozelets Raion was merged into Chernihiv Raion.

Until 26 January 2024, Desna was designated urban-type settlement. On this day, a new law entered into force which abolished this status, and Desna became a rural settlement.