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Ukraine’s “Fortress Belt” in Donbass: Why This Region is Crucial to the War & Future Security
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Updated August 23, 2025, 9:13 PM
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Key Takeaway: The Donbass region of eastern Ukraine has become the focal point of the conflict, not just for it’s strategic location and resources, but as its fall could open a pathway for further Russian invasion and threaten major Ukrainian cities. Ukraine’s extensive defensive fortifications, dubbed the ”fortress belt,” are currently preventing a breakthrough, but the situation remains critical.
Putin Demands Withdrawal, kyiv Refuses: The Standoff in Donbass
Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to insist on the complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the donetsk and Luhansk regions as a precondition for any de-escalation. Should Donbass fall under full Russian control, Ukraine would face a severe and perhaps catastrophic security crisis. Major population centers like Dnipro and Kharkiv, home to millions, would be directly exposed to further Russian advances.donbass is central to ongoing negotiations aimed at ending the Russian invasion,now entering its [insert current year – 2025] year. While Moscow doesn’t yet have complete control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions,Putin’s demand for a Ukrainian withdrawal remains a major sticking point.ukraine has firmly rejected this demand, recognizing the existential threat it poses.
What is Donbass? A Region Rich in Resources and History
The Donbass – a shortened form of ”Donetsk Coal Basin” – encompasses the adjacent regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine. Covering approximately 55,000 square kilometers (roughly twice the size of Belgium), the region is a historically important industrial heartland, rich in coal and metal ore deposits. It represents approximately nine percent of Ukraine’s total territory.
Since 2014, parts of Donbass have been under the control of pro-Russian separatists, backed by Moscow. Recent data from the Institute for the study of War (ISW) indicates that Russian troops currently control 99% of the luhansk region and 79% of the Donetsk region. This control is not absolute, and fierce fighting continues.
Eleven Years of Fortification: Ukraine’s “Fortress Belt”
Recognizing the strategic importance of Donbass, Ukraine has spent over a decade constructing a formidable defensive network. The ISW reports that as 2014, Ukraine has built a “fortress belt” stretching from the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk in the north to Kostyantynivka and Dru
