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Russia Intensifies Brutal Assault on Ukraine's 'Fortress Belt'

As Russian forces push to seize the Donbas, civilians are being ordered to evacuate the last remaining strongholds in the east.

Foreign PolicyPublished September 10, 2026 at 11:22 PM
Two middle-aged women stare into the distance amid the rubble from a Russian attack

The situation in eastern Ukraine has reached a critical breaking point as Russian forces escalate their ground assaults and aerial bombardment on the 'fortress belt' cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk.

With the Kremlin determined to seize the entirety of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, local police have issued urgent orders for civilians to flee, noting that the security situation has deteriorated to a lethal level.

The intensity of the conflict is reflected in the staggering rise of Russian glide bomb strikes, which surged from 40 in June to over 100 in recent months. These devastating munitions are now targeting civilian apartment blocks, leaving residents to live in constant fear of the next explosion.

Volunteers on the ground report that the cities are under constant threat from FPV drones, turning daily life into a perilous gamble.

Despite the mounting pressure and Russia's claim to have already seized control of Kostyantynivka, President Volodymyr Zelensky remains defiant, refusing to yield the territory and appointing new military leadership to bolster the defense of the Donbas.

As the conflict enters what many describe as the most significant battle of the year, the strategic importance of these cities remains the focal point of Putin's aggressive campaign to secure the region by year's end.

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ukrainerussiadonbaswarforeign-policy

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