The battle for Donetsk remains one of the most decisive fronts in Russia’s war against Ukraine. More than a decade of fighting has left the region devastated, yet its strategic and symbolic importance endures. Russia currently controls about 70% of Donetsk, including the city of Donetsk itself, but Ukraine’s remaining stronghold in the west is a lifeline both militarily and politically.
Ukraine still holds around 6,600 sq km of Donetsk, home to roughly 250,000 people. Major cities such as Kramatorsk, Slovyansk, Kostyantynivka, and Druzhkivka serve as crucial logistical hubs and anchor points for Kyiv’s defence. Though the region’s industrial potential has been shattered by war, the territory is part of the Donbas long regarded as the economic heartland of eastern Ukraine.
What makes western Donetsk indispensable is not just its cities, but its defensive geography. For over 11 years, Ukraine has built a heavily fortified “fortress belt,” comprising trenches, bunkers, minefields, and anti-tank barriers. This network forms one of the most resilient defence systems along Ukraine’s 1,100km front line. High ground areas such as Chasiv Yar, although recently contested by Russian forces, provide critical vantage points for artillery coordination and drone operations. Losing them would severely undermine Ukraine’s battlefield effectiveness.
For Moscow, seizing all of Donetsk would solidify its claim to the entire oblast, while sparing its army the prospect of more grinding battles over entrenched Ukrainian positions. However, analysts note that Russia would face similar difficulties elsewhere along the front, whether in Zaporizhzhia or further north.
Kyiv, meanwhile, views Donetsk as a red line. Any withdrawal westward would mean not only ceding territory but also opening the door to future Russian offensives. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly rejected the idea of trading land for peace, warning that the Donbas could become a springboard for renewed aggression.
Ultimately, Donetsk is more than just a battlefield. It is a bulwark one that Ukraine cannot afford to lose, and one that Russia views as essential to cementing its occupation. The struggle for control of this devastated but pivotal region will remain at the heart of the war.
