STATUS UPDATE ON
THE SOUTHEASTERN BATTLEFONT
OF THE WAR ON UKRAINE
THE SOUTHEASTERN BATTLEFRONTS ALONG THE UKRAINIAN EASTERN BORDER WITH RUSSIA
THE DONBAS REGION
The Donbas or Donbass is a historical, cultural, and economic region in south-eastern Ukraine along the Russian border. The most common definition in use today refers to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
Protests and conflicts have existed in the Donbas region since 2014. The initial protests in Donbas were largely native expressions of discontent with the new Ukrainian government, and Russian involvement at this stage was limited to its voicing of support for the demonstrations. The emergence of the separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk began as a small fringe group of the protesters, independent of Russian control. This unrest, however, only evolved into an armed conflict because of Russian military backing for what had been a marginal group as part of the Russo-Ukrainian War. Parts of Donbas are controlled by separatist groups in the course of the Russo-Ukrainian War: the Donetsk People's Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic.
The aim of the Russian intervention in Donbas was to establish pro-Russian governments that, upon reincorporation into Ukraine, would facilitate Russian inference in Ukrainian politics.
"As for the dissident Donbas enclave, it has been anti-reform, anti-Western, pro-Russian since Ukraine’s independence. Allow it to secede and then watch. Donbas is paying a steep price for its effort to wrench itself away from Ukraine—80% of its industrial production has fallen and coal mines, factories, the airport, and other infrastructure have been badly damaged. Let economically pressed Russia bear the burden of this, plus paying the pensions, social provisions and the water and electricity that needs to be imported from Ukraine."
Jonathan Power
In early 2022, Russia began amassing a massive military presence along the border with Ukraine. Russia officially recognised the independence of the Donetsk and Luhansk republics on 21 February 2022. Russia subsequently launched a new, full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, which Russian president Vladimir Putin said was intended to "protect" the people of the Donbas from the "abuse" and "genocide" of the Ukrainian government.
THE DONETSK PEOPLE's REPUBLIC (DPR/DNR)
The Donetsk People's Republic is a self-proclaimed breakaway puppet state located in Ukraine, formed on 7 April 2014. The capital city and largest city within the DPR is Donetsk. Ukraine regards both the DPR and the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) as terrorist organisations. Ukraine considers them to be part of the "temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine" as a result of Russian military intervention.
On 2 March 2022, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine began a military offensive to capture the city of Horlivka.
Learn more about The Donetsk People's Republic
THE LUHANSK PEOPLE's REPULIC (LPR/LNR)
The Luhansk People's Republic, alternatively spelled as Lugansk People's Republic, abbreviated as LPR or LNR, is a self-proclaimed breakaway puppet state located within Ukraine, designated as a terrorist organisation in Ukraine. It is located in Luhansk Oblast in the Donbas region, a territory internationally recognised, with the exception of the Russian Federation, to be a part of Ukraine. Luhansk, the territory's largest city, serves as its capital.
On 2 March 2022, during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Luhansk People's Republic military, alongside Russian Armed Forces started a Battle to capture Sievierodonetsk, the de facto centre of the administrative functions of Ukrainian-controlled Luhansk Oblast. Several villages surrounding Sievierodonetsk have been captured, but LPR and Russia have so far been unable to enter the city.
Learn more about The Luhansk People's Republic
MARIUPOL
Mariupol is a city of regional significance in south eastern Ukraine, situated on the north coast of the Sea of Azov at the mouth of the Kalmius river, in the Pryazovia region. It is the tenth-largest city in Ukraine, with a population of 431,859 (roughly the size of Minneapolis Minnesota in the U.S.)
On the morning of 25 February, Russian Armed Forces advanced from Donetsk People's Republic territory in the east towards Mariupol and encountered Ukrainian forces near the village of Pavlopil, where they were defeated. The Russian Navy reportedly began an amphibious assault on the Sea of Azov coastline 43 miles west of Mariupol on the evening of 25 February. A US defence official stated that the Russians were potentially deploying thousands of Russian Naval Infantry from this beachhead.
March 22 Update:
The Ukrainian authorities have rejected a proposal from Russia that their forces surrender Mariupol and lay down their arms, in exchange for safe passage out of the city. The Ukrainian side responded by demanding that Russia immediately open a humanitarian corridor for civilian evacuations. Russian aviation dropped 2 heavy “super bombs” on Mariupol, making it clear that the goal is complete destruction of the city and mass deaths among its population.
Russian forces were purposefully hunting international journalists in Mariupol. They had a list with names and were trying to capture or kill the only people documenting the brutal siege of Mariupol. – Mstyslav Chernov, journalist of Associated Press, rescued by Ukrainian forces from Mariupol
March 15 Update:
As of March 15, the city has been under blockade for 16 days now, more than 350,000 Mariupol residents continue to hide in shelters and basements from continuous shelling by Russian occupation forces. Food and medicine are scarce... and growing scarcer. On average, 50 to 100 air bombs are dropped on the city per day. The destruction is enormous, according to preliminary estimates, about 80% of the city’s housing stock is destroyed, of which almost 30% – can not be restored
March 1 Update:
On 1 March, Denis Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk People's Republic announced that DPR forces had almost completely surrounded the nearby city of Volnovakha and they would soon do the same to Mariupol.
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Updates on the War in Mariupol
Sophia Square in Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine (prior to the Russian Invasion)