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Scottish Sun
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Why does Putin want the Donbas? How ‘fortress belt' region scarred by 11yrs of war is tyrant's top prize in peace talks
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PUTIN laid his cards on the table when he declared that he wants the whole of Ukraine's Donbas region in exchange for peace. The eastern zone, home to Ukraine's "fortress belt", would be a valuable prize for Putin with murderous potential - and one he has sought for over a decade. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 A member of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army patrol around the town of Velyka Novosilk Credit: Getty 8 Putin said he would freeze the entire frontline if Ukraine handed over the last remaining section of the Donbas Credit: Reuters 8 Fighting in raging on the frontline in Donetsk - which has seen unrest now for 11 years Credit: Getty 8 Since invading in 2022, Russia has overrun almost the entire Donbas - comprised of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. But one corner of the Donetsk region remains clinging on. The frontline there accounts for just a fraction of the whole conflict, but suddenly the last remaining sliver of land has been thrust to the heart of the peace conversation. At last week's Alaska summit, Putin declared he would freeze the frontline if Ukraine handed over the last remaining enclave of the Donbas. read more on the ukraine war SUITED… NOT BOOTED Trump pledges to protect Ukraine's security as Zelensky wins concessions But Kyiv has consistently rejected the idea of releasing any territory it currently holds - creating a major sticking point in the negotiations. But why is Putin so obsessed by this particular patch? The Donbas is Ukraine's industrial powerhouse and holds rich reserves of coal and metal underground. By taking it all Russia would totally suffocate the vital supply of those fossil fuels to Ukraine. The Donbas is also a crucial strategic location in the conflict. It is a gateway guarding the central heartland of Ukraine - built around Ukraine "fortress belt". Moment warped Russian soldiers taunt Ukraine by flying an AMERICAN flag into battle ahead of crunch Zelensky-Trump talks This refers to a run of fiercely-defenced towns and cities which Russia has so far failed to undo. The valley around the Kazenyi Torets river, which runs through the unconquered region, has been fortified into a defensive stronghold. Over more than a decade, defensive lines have been embedded into the terrain and the slopes measured up for artillery ranges. Ukraine's army knows every inch of the land - hence the Russians have been unable to penetrate it. 8 Zelensky, who met Trump in the White House on Monday, has vowed not to give over any more land to Russia Credit: AFP 8 In last week's Alaska summit, Putin made the Donbas region a key bargaining chip Credit: Getty With the Donbas out of the way, Putin's ranks would find it much easier to storm through and take large swathes of central Ukraine in any future attacks. The region also holds a very particular history which means Russia feels a particular claim to it. It has long been one of the most Russian speaking parts of Ukraine, and political loyalties there have sometimes landed in favour of Russia. Donetsk was the home and main power base of Viktor Yanukovych - Ukraine's former president loyal to the Kremlin. Yanukovych was toppled in 2014 and it was in the aftermath of this when Russia seized Crimea. Unrest raged for the next eight years, with a separatist movement fuelled by Russian guns. 8 Strikes on Ukraine continued even as Zelensky and EU leaders sat down with Trump in Washington Credit: Getty 8 A school in the Donbas destroyed school after a strike in the city of Bakhmut Credit: AFP Even though the people of the Donbas firmly backed Zelensky in 2019 votes, Putin used the protection of its residents as a key justification for his so-called special military operation. He recognized two breakaway territories — the self-declared 'Donetsk People's Republic' and 'Luhansk People's Republic' — before launching his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This thin excuse was debunked within hours when the marauding Russians advanced far beyond its boundaries. While the remaining piece of land demanded by Putin may be small, the future of a vast area would be destabilised if it falls into Russian hands. A former high-ranking Kremlin official previously warned: 'Putin has acted opportunistically; when he launched the invasion he had no fixed territorial limits in mind. 'His appetite grows once he's tasted success.'
The Irish Sun
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Why does Putin want the Donbas? How ‘fortress belt' region scarred by 11yrs of war is tyrant's top prize in peace talks
Putin marked the Donbas as a key bargaining chip during his Alaska summit with Trump BUFFER ZONE Why does Putin want the Donbas? How 'fortress belt' region scarred by 11yrs of war is tyrant's top prize in peace talks PUTIN laid his cards on the table when he declared that he wants the whole of Ukraine's Donbas region in exchange for peace. The eastern zone, home to Ukraine's "fortress belt", would be a valuable prize for Putin with murderous potential - and one he has sought for over a decade. 8 A member of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army patrol around the town of Velyka Novosilk Credit: Getty 8 Putin said he would freeze the entire frontline if Ukraine handed over the last remaining section of the Donbas Credit: Reuters Advertisement 8 Fighting in raging on the frontline in Donetsk - which has seen unrest now for 11 years Credit: Getty 8 Since invading in 2022, Russia has overrun almost the entire Donbas - comprised of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. But one corner of the Donetsk region remains clinging on. Advertisement The frontline there accounts for just a fraction of the whole conflict, but suddenly the last remaining sliver of land has been thrust to the heart of the peace conversation. At last week's Alaska summit, Putin declared he would freeze the frontline if Ukraine handed over the last remaining enclave of the Donbas. read more on the ukraine war SUITED… NOT BOOTED Trump pledges to protect Ukraine's security as Zelensky wins concessions But Kyiv has consistently rejected the idea of releasing any territory it currently holds - creating a major sticking point in the negotiations. But why is Putin so obsessed by this particular patch? Advertisement The Donbas is Ukraine's industrial powerhouse and holds rich reserves of coal and metal underground. By taking it all Russia would totally suffocate the vital supply of those fossil fuels to Ukraine. The Donbas is also a crucial strategic location in the conflict. It is a gateway guarding the central heartland of Ukraine - built around Ukraine "fortress belt". Moment warped Russian soldiers taunt Ukraine by flying an AMERICAN flag into battle ahead of crunch Zelensky-Trump talks This refers to a run of fiercely-defenced towns and cities which Russia has so far failed to undo. Advertisement The valley around the Kazenyi Torets river, which runs through the unconquered region, has been fortified into a defensive stronghold. Over more than a decade, defensive lines have been embedded into the terrain and the slopes measured up for artillery ranges. Ukraine's army knows every inch of the land - hence the Russians have been unable to penetrate it. 8 Zelensky, who met Trump in the White House on Monday, has vowed not to give over any more land to Russia Credit: AFP 8 In last week's Alaska summit, Putin made the Donbas region a key bargaining chip Credit: Getty Advertisement With the Donbas out of the way, Putin's ranks would find it much easier to storm through and take large swathes of central Ukraine in any future attacks. The region also holds a very particular history which means Russia feels a particular claim to it. It has long been one of the most Russian speaking parts of Ukraine, and political loyalties there have sometimes landed in favour of Russia. Donetsk was the home and main power base of Viktor Yanukovych - Ukraine's former president loyal to the Kremlin. Yanukovych was toppled in 2014 and it was in the aftermath of this when Russia seized Crimea. Advertisement Unrest raged for the next eight years, with a separatist movement fuelled by Russian guns. 8 Strikes on Ukraine continued even as Zelensky and EU leaders sat down with Trump in Washington Credit: Getty 8 A school in the Donbas destroyed school after a strike in the city of Bakhmut Credit: AFP Even though the people of the Donbas firmly backed Zelensky in 2019 votes, Putin used the protection of its residents as a key justification for his so-called special military operation. He recognized two breakaway territories — the self-declared 'Donetsk People's Republic' and 'Luhansk People's Republic' — before launching his full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement This thin excuse was debunked within hours when the marauding Russians advanced far beyond its boundaries. While the remaining piece of land demanded by Putin may be small, the future of a vast area would be destabilised if it falls into Russian hands. A former high-ranking Kremlin official previously warned: 'Putin has acted opportunistically; when he launched the invasion he had no fixed territorial limits in mind. 'His appetite grows once he's tasted success.'
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Drones took off from uncrewed surface vessels: details of nighttime attack on Crimea revealed
A large-scale drone attack took place in occupied Crimea on the night of 1-2 May, targeting military sites, particularly airfields housing tactical aircraft. Source: Serhii Bratchuk, spokesman for the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, on the national joint 24/7 newscast Details: Bratchuk stated that the attack had utilised a particular method: uncrewed surface vessels acted as "carrier platforms" for first-person view drones (FPVs), which were launched from them to carry out precision strikes on ground-based targets. Quote from Bratchuk: "The sham 'governor' of Sevastopol, Razvozhayev, has acknowledged that the attack took place. He's talking about Ukraine's use of naval drones. Accordingly, naval drones have become 'carriers' for our other 'mosquitoes' – FPVs, which take off from them and strike military targets in Crimea... in addition, it was loud where the airfields from which enemy tactical aircraft take off and sites such as Hvardiiske, where a missile brigade is located." Background: On the morning of 2 May, Russia's Defence Ministry reported a large-scale drone attack on Crimea, claiming that its air defence units had destroyed 121 "Ukrainian drones" over the occupied peninsula and several Russian regions. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A Ukrainian Mother and Filmmaker Goes to War: Director Alisa Kovalenko Premieres ‘My Dear Theo' at CPH:DOX (EXCLUSIVE)
When Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on this day three years ago, filmmaker Alisa Kovalenko ('Home Games,' 'We Will Not Fade Away') bid farewell to her partner and four-year-old son and joined the Ukrainian Volunteer Army. As she traded her camera for a rifle, she couldn't leave behind her instinct to document. What emerged is 'My Dear Theo,' a poignant video diary for her son, set to premiere in the main competition at the Copenhagen Intl. Documentary Festival (CPH:DOX) in March. More from Variety 'Leaving Neverland' Sequel 'Surviving Michael Jackson' Set for March CPH:DOX Summit to Consider Media Accessibility as a Human Right AI in Non-Fiction, Immersive Storytelling, Investigative Journalism and Climate Justice to Be Debated at CPH:DOX Kovalenko filmed her fellow soldiers during moments of camaraderie and reprieve, including conversations with their children, offering an intimate and rarely seen portrait from the frontline. As time passed, she also filmed her own calls with her son, who had taken refuge in France with his father. 'I still believe that documentary cinema is a key to the heart,' she tells Variety in an exclusive interview. 'You can feel connected and you can feel empathy. And I wanted to show this other side of the frontline, the human faces, the love and the tenderness. Many people still think these are abstract soldiers fighting, but it's all of us fighting. We are all soldiers.' After four months in service, she faced a critical decision: enlist permanently or return home. She chose to finish editing 'We Will Not Fade Away,' a film about Ukrainian teenagers in the war-torn Donbas, which went on to win multiple festival awards. Kovalenko's commitment to telling Ukraine's story stems from personal experience. A seasoned documentarian, she has chronicled Ukraine's struggles since the 2014 Maidan protests and the annexation of Crimea. While filming in the Donbas region, she was detained at a Russian checkpoint and endured conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) at the hands of a Russian officer. 'He let me go with the words, 'Be thankful you're still alive,'' she recalls. Today, she is a member of SEMA Ukraine, part of a global network supporting survivors of wartime sexual violence, backed by Nobel laureate Denis Mukwege. As 'My Dear Theo' prepares for its world premiere, Kovalenko is focused on finishing her next project, 'Traces,' co-directed with Marysia Nikitchuk. The film investigates the silent epidemic of CRSV in Ukraine, a subject long shrouded in stigma. 'Since 2014, many cases have gone unspoken,' she says. 'I want to finish this project to help women who survived.' Looking ahead, she is uncertain about the future: 'I don't know what will happen with all these political games of 'Trump the peacemaker,' it's hard to predict anything. But if the frontline is not frozen in the coming months of 2025, I will return to the army.' Her broader concern, however, extends beyond Ukraine. '[French president Emmanuel] Macron recently said that Trump is like an electric shock for Europe, but the sad thing is I'm not sure Europe is ready to wake up. 'And if it doesn't happen, if we don't feel this common solidarity, if we don't feel that we are fighting for the survival of the values of a civilized, democratic world, that we are fighting against total evil, we will all lose, not just Ukraine.' A Haka Films production, 'My Dear Theo' is co-produced by Moon Man and & JB Films, with executive production by Monica Hellström, and additional support from the Polish Film Institute, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and Meadow Fund. Kirsten Johnson provided mentorship thanks to the Chicken & Egg Award. Stranger Films Sales is handling international sales. CPH:DOX runs in Copenhagen from March 19 through 30. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
