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Donbas

All articles tagged with #donbas

Ukraine at a Crossroads: A Painful Peace in the Face of Moscow’s Advantage
world3 hours ago

Ukraine at a Crossroads: A Painful Peace in the Face of Moscow’s Advantage

The author argues that Russia’s manpower, weapons, and economy give Moscow a durable edge and that Ukraine cannot easily reverse the war, making a compromise more likely; a leaked plan to recognize Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk would require unacceptable concessions, so the piece suggests a negotiated, limited peace that preserves enough territory to rebuild, push reforms, and harden defenses for the future, rather than a long, costly struggle.

South Africa: Most of Russia-linked Donbas recruits set to go home
world21 hours ago

South Africa: Most of Russia-linked Donbas recruits set to go home

South Africa said 11 of a group of 17 men lured to fight for Russia in Ukraine are set to return home, with two remaining in Russia (one in a Moscow hospital). Ramaphosa raised their fate in a call with Putin as reports grow of African recruits being lured into Russia’s war effort. Under South African law, citizens are prohibited from joining foreign armies without authorization.

Russia’s costly gains in Ukraine portend a protracted, deadly stalemate
world2 days ago

Russia’s costly gains in Ukraine portend a protracted, deadly stalemate

Four years after Russia launched its invasion, Moscow controls about 75,000 sq km of eastern Ukraine, with an estimated 367 Russian casualties per 100 sq km gained. CSIS puts Russian battlefield casualties at about 1.2 million since 2022 (roughly 26,000 per month), while Ukrainian fatalities are far lower (roughly 100,000–140,000). Frontline dynamics have shifted to small land grabs and stalemated fronts, concentrated in Donbas and towns like Pokrovsk and Kupiansk, as Kyiv seeks reversals and Moscow presses on with costly, high-casualty tactics. Zelenskiy has urged higher Ukrainian lethality to stretch Moscow’s resources, even as peace talks stall and both sides endure immense human and material costs.

Zelensky: Putin Triggered World War III, Won’t Cede Ukrainian Land
world2 days ago

Zelensky: Putin Triggered World War III, Won’t Cede Ukrainian Land

Zelensky told the BBC that Putin has already started World War III with the 2022 invasion and warned that any territorial concessions would embolden Moscow. He refused to cede parts of Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, calling potential withdrawals an ‘abandonment’ of hundreds of thousands of residents and noting that peace talks have stalled. While he previously floated referendums, Kyiv now insists on defending its territory and seeks long‑term guarantees from allies. He argued victory will come with sustained Western support, and highlighted ongoing battlefield gains and the need for more weapons. Leaders may change, but institutions must endure, he said.

Geneva peace talks drag on as Putin’s historian envoy leads Moscow's push
world7 days ago

Geneva peace talks drag on as Putin’s historian envoy leads Moscow's push

Both sides described the latest U.S.-led peace talks in Geneva as 'difficult,' with Vladimir Medinsky—Putin’s historian-turned-negotiator—leading Moscow after earlier rounds were headed by Kostyukov. Kyiv accuses Russia of stalling, while Moscow presses hard-line demands over Donbas; nonetheless, some progress was noted on issues including the role of the United States in monitoring any future ceasefire as talks continue, and the two sides plan to meet again.

Zelensky: 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed, thousands missing, as war persists
war21 days ago

Zelensky: 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed, thousands missing, as war persists

Zelensky told France TV on Feb. 4 that officially 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since Russia’s full-scale invasion, with many others missing; he noted this does not include 2014–2022 casualties and warned Russia could incur up to 800,000 more corpses if it tried to take eastern Ukraine, a point raised amid ongoing trilateral peace talks.

world27 days ago

Russia’s Ukraine Campaign Stalls at Centuries-Long Slow Pace, CSIS Finds

A CSIS analysis shows Russia’s advance in Ukraine is occurring at the slowest pace in more than a century of warfare, with gains in eastern Ukraine measured in mere metres per day (as low as 15 m/day at Chasiv Yar and about 23 m/day near Kupiansk). Overall territory captured in 2024 and 2025 is tiny (about 0.6% in 2024 and 0.8% in 2025), while casualties exceed 1.2 million. The report argues Moscow is paying a heavy price for minimal gains, despite assertions of battlefield momentum amid renewed peace talks; Washington’s security guarantees for Ukraine appear contingent on Kyiv making concessions.

US-Ukraine peace talks push Donbas concessions under security guarantees, ISW warns
world29 days ago

US-Ukraine peace talks push Donbas concessions under security guarantees, ISW warns

ISW reports the U.S. is pushing Ukraine to cede Donbas in exchange for security guarantees, a condition FT sources say could require Ukraine to withdraw from Donbas; ISW warns such concessions would be a strategic mistake and Russia seeks broader demands beyond Donbas, using cognitive warfare to push capitulation. The conflict features inflated Russian battlefield claims, ongoing operations around Slovyansk, Kostyantynivka, Pokrovsk, and Oskil, and a Shahed drone strike on a Kharkiv train that killed at least five civilians, a potential war crime. Belarus/PRC alignment accompanies Russia’s posture, while Western security guarantees are viewed as essential to deter further aggression.

Donbas Dilemma: Donetsk and Luhansk at the Center of Kyiv–Moscow–Washington Talks
world1 month ago

Donbas Dilemma: Donetsk and Luhansk at the Center of Kyiv–Moscow–Washington Talks

At a trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi, Kyiv, Moscow and Washington converge on one point: the Donbas is the core territorial issue. Zelensky insists Ukraine will not cede land, while Russia signals it will not accept a long‑term settlement without territorial concessions. The Donbas, comprising Donetsk and Luhansk, has been the battlefield since 2014, with Russia controlling most of Luhansk and about two‑thirds of Donetsk; losing the region would leave Ukraine more vulnerable to future aggression. A floated US option suggests a potential ceasefire compromise involving a “free economic zone” in Ukrainian-held Donbas in exchange for security guarantees, but details are unclear. Human rights abuses have been documented in Russian-occupied areas.