The eastern Ukrainian cities of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, anchoring the so‑called fortress belt, are under relentless attack as Russia pushes to capture the rest of Donbas.
Donetsk area police chief Pavlo Dyachenko says civilians, many with children, are being forced to leave as security deteriorates. In Kramatorsk, roofs and streets lie in rubble after repeated glide‑bomb sorties: the number of bombs fighting the city jumped from 40 in June to 109 in July and 92 in August. A single August raid hit seven civilian blocks, wounding 24 people, including a two‑month‑old baby.
Glide bombs—designed with winglets to glide silently—are among Russia’s most lethal weapons. They weigh 250 or 500 kg, with occasional 1,500‑kg variants. Ukrainian officers describe their impact as “devastating.”
Russia has already seized most of Luhansk and 80% of Donetsk, where the three fortress cities sit. Capturing them would give Moscow a clearer route westward, potentially accelerating its broader objective to fully occupy Donbas.
The Ukrainian president has set up new task forces led by generals Andriy Biletsky and Denys Prokopenko to protect the remaining territory. Despite mounting pressure, Zelensky refuses to withdraw troops from the belt, insisting that Moscow must finish its occupation by year‑end.
Civilian casualties have risen: 16 died in June, 20 in July, and 15 in August. Sixteen people were wounded in June, 212 in August. Russian missile and drone strikes have grown daily, reaching new heights of intensity. Residents have had anti‑drone netting installed on streets; FPV drones patrol the skies, creating a lethal, noisy threat.
With the fortress belt under siege, the Ukrainian forces face one of their year’s main battles, as local officials say the struggle for Donbas continues to hinge on these heavily defended cities.
