Ukraine's fortress cities under fire as Russia bids to seize rest of Donbas

What the report says

Russian ground assaults are increasingly concentrating on Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, the largest cities still under full Ukrainian control in eastern Donbas, as local police urge civilians to leave. According to BBC World News, forced evacuations of families with children have already started in the hardest-hit areas, reflecting a sharp deterioration in security.

The article says the two cities, along with nearby Kostyantynivka, form part of Ukraine’s heavily fortified eastern defensive line. Russia’s wider goal remains full control of Donbas, which consists of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. BBC World News reports that Russian forces already hold almost all of Luhansk and most of Donetsk, and have stepped up attacks around Kramatorsk and Slovyansk over recent months as part of a push westward.

The report describes a rise in drone and glide-bomb strikes, with apartment blocks and infrastructure among the targets. Ukrainian police data cited by the broadcaster indicates an increase in civilians wounded in the two cities over the summer, alongside deaths in June, July and August. The story also notes that key streets have been fitted with anti-drone netting and that movement in the cities has become extremely hazardous.

The fighting matters because these cities serve as an important Ukrainian stronghold and administrative hub in the east. BBC World News also says the future of the remaining Ukrainian-held parts of Donbas has featured in recent diplomatic discussions, while President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected any troop withdrawal from the area.