Russian Forces Control 80% of Ukraine's Donbas Region

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 10th (local time) that Russian forces have taken control of a significant portion of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that on the same day, they advanced further west from Popasna in western Luhansk Province, reaching the border between Luhansk and Donetsk provinces. The NYT analyzed that if the Russian Ministry of Defense's claim is true, Russia is likely to soon fully control the Donbas region. Advancing to the western border of Luhansk Province essentially means controlling most of Luhansk.

At the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, Russia aimed to take control of most areas including the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, but nearly three months later, this goal has effectively failed. The Russian military concentrated its forces in the Donbas region under the pretext of a "second phase operation." In the early stages of the invasion, Russia deployed its strongest combat units to the Crimean Peninsula and southern Ukraine, quickly taking control of the Azov Sea coast. Currently, Ukrainian forces are resisting at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol, which borders the Azov Sea, but Russian forces have taken control of most of the southeastern region.

Ukrainian officials also stated that Russian forces currently occupy 80% of the Donbas region and are focusing their efforts on areas around Kramatorsk where Ukrainian forces still hold the advantage.

Before the invasion, Russia controlled about one-third of the Donbas region through Ukrainian separatist forces. The NYT analyzed that if Russia fully occupies Donbas, combined with the Crimean Peninsula forcibly annexed in 2014, it would strengthen Russia's position in future war negotiations. The United States believes that even if Russia takes control of the Donbas region, Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be satisfied, and the war is expected to be prolonged.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed in a video speech on the night of the 10th that Russian forces are gradually retreating from Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.