(SLOVIANSK, DONETSK REGION, UKRAINE) – Russia’s demand that Ukraine surrender the entire Donbas region centres on four strategically important cities that form the backbone of Ukraine’s eastern defence system.
Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka form a fortified defensive belt built and expanded over more than a decade of war. Since 2014, Ukraine has transformed the area into a network of logistics hubs, supply routes and military support centres that sustain operations across the eastern front.
The cities sit at the centre of current discussions about a possible settlement to the war. Moscow has repeatedly demanded control of the Donetsk region, but Kyiv argues that relinquishing these areas would severely weaken Ukraine’s defence.
The importance of the cities dates back to 2014, when Russian backed fighters briefly seized control of several towns in eastern Ukraine during the early stages of Moscow’s intervention. The four cities were captured within roughly two weeks and became part of an attempt by Russia to establish a separatist administration in the region.
For nearly three months the area served as a focal point of Moscow’s project to create a proxy state inside Ukraine. Occupation authorities organised a referendum on independence that was widely criticised. Ballots were printed without security features, voting took place during an armed conflict and independent observers were absent.
Some residents rejected the process. Tatiana, an economist interviewed at the time, said she would boycott the vote. She said she did not want to participate in what she believed would be a staged result.
Ukrainian forces eventually retook the cities after pushing Russian backed units out of northern parts of the Donetsk region. After regaining control, Kyiv began transforming the area into a heavily fortified defensive zone.
Two failed ceasefire agreements that followed were negotiated with Russia acting as mediator despite denying direct involvement in the fighting. These experiences encouraged Ukraine to strengthen its positions in the region.
Over the following decade Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka developed into central elements of Ukraine’s eastern logistics network. Rail depots were reinforced, command centres dispersed and supply routes expanded.
Beneath the surface of what appear to be ordinary industrial cities lies infrastructure designed to sustain large scale military operations. Units rotate through the area before and after deployment to the front line. Artillery formations receive ammunition and maintenance there. Wounded soldiers are stabilised before evacuation to hospitals farther west.
Russia, despite fielding one of the world’s largest armed forces, has struggled to capture and retain major urban centres during the war. The pattern was evident in Kherson, a regional capital with a pre war population of about 300,000 that Russian forces occupied temporarily before withdrawing.
Across other sectors of the front Russian offensives have often failed to capture large towns or cities, instead leaving widespread destruction. Military analysts say the same risk threatens the fortified cities of the Donetsk region.
The four cities act as command centres, logistics hubs and humanitarian support points. They have helped maintain Ukrainian control over parts of the Donetsk region that remain outside Russian occupation and support key sectors of the country’s industrial economy.
Geography further strengthens the defensive system. The cities are surrounded by higher ground overlooking major road and rail corridors across the surrounding lowlands. Control of these positions allows Ukrainian forces to monitor and influence the movement of troops, fuel and ammunition across the region.
If Russian forces were to capture the cities, the route toward larger urban centres including Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia would become more accessible. Ukrainian officials say holding the line prevents such an advance.
Each city functions as a defensive node connected to the others through trenches, firing positions and overlapping defensive zones. Even if one area comes under heavy pressure, the others can continue to provide support.
Russian forces have already suffered significant casualties in battles for towns such as Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Chasiv Yar. Analysts say assaults on the larger and more strongly fortified cities could prove even more costly.
Beyond the military dimension, the cities also carry symbolic importance for the Russian leadership. Sloviansk was among the first places seized by Russian backed militants in 2014. Capturing it again would allow Moscow to claim it had completed an unfinished objective from the early phase of the conflict.
Despite the pressure, Ukrainian authorities say they will not surrender the cities. Doing so would leave the country in a weaker defensive position and could open the door to further Russian advances in the future.
The defensive belt built around Sloviansk and Kramatorsk anchors the northern sector of the line, while Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka support positions farther south.
If the system were to collapse, military planners warn that the consequences could be felt across the entire eastern front. Behind the defensive line the terrain becomes largely flat farmland intersected by highways leading toward other population centres.
Such terrain could expose both attacking and defending forces, but it would also allow Russian drones and long range weapons to strike deeper into Ukrainian territory.
Cities such as Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia already face regular missile and drone attacks. A Russian breakthrough could allow shorter range systems to reach them more easily.
Civilian concerns remain central to the situation. Residents of the region have already experienced Russian occupation once and many say they fear its return.
One local resident said she was worried about the prospect of Russian control, citing reports from other occupied areas.
People in those territories have described filtration camps, forced distribution of Russian passports and the disappearance of civilians suspected of supporting Ukraine.
Human rights groups have documented cases of detention, torture and pressure to suppress Ukrainian identity in areas under Russian control.
For Ukraine, the cities are not simply negotiating points but a defensive system built during ten years of war.
Military assessments suggest that Russia could require as long as three years to capture the entire Donbas region through military operations alone.
Handing over the territory would therefore weaken Ukraine’s strategic position and potentially encourage further Russian advances.
Around 200,000 civilians still live in Ukrainian controlled parts of the Donbas region. That is far fewer than the pre war population of about five million, but their presence remains vital.
Factories continue operating, logistics networks function and hospitals and evacuation routes remain active partly because the defensive line still holds.
Ukrainian officials say the fate of these cities will shape the future security of the entire region. Once Russian forces approach populated areas, normal civilian life often disappears.
