A major sticking point in Ukraine’s war with Russia remains the fate of Donetsk, of which Moscow already controls some 70 per cent, including the city of Donetsk. Reports from a recent summit in Alaska indicate that President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine to surrender the rest of the oblast in exchange for a freeze in front lines, a proposition strongly declined by Kyiv.
For Ukraine, western Donetsk is more than just a territory. It is home to 250,000 civilians and hosts strategic urban centers like Kramatorsk, Slovyansk, Kostyantynivka, and Druzhkivka. It really is part of the industrial core of Donbas, if a lot of its infrastructure has been battered down after years of fighting.
Militarily, the area represents a fortress belt made for 11 years, according to the Institute for the Study of War. Trenches, bunkers, minefields, and anti-tank barriers exist for the stretch of 50 kilometers. Recently, the high ground around Chasiv Yar has fallen into Russian hands, an important factor for Ukraine in conducting artillery and drone operations.
Some say that, if Donetsk falls, Ukraine might have to put into new territory exposures for the Russians. Rebuilding defensive lines farther west would become awkward because the rider would be favourable to Moscow. Denying pressure from outside, Kyiv insists that no ceasefire will be embarked upon for Donbas, given it fears a fresh assault.
President Volodymyr Zelensky had foregone a deal that transfers Donetsk while considering this battle essential not simply for territory but for the survival of the country.
