The significant value of the 'defense barrier' in Donbass to the Ukrainians lies in its importance.

The significance of the "Fortress Belt" in Donbass region is crucial for the Ukrainians

In the eastern part of Ukraine, the Donbass region, approximately twice the size of Belgium and rich in vast coal and metal reserves, has been a hotbed of conflict since 2014. Partially controlled by pro-Russian separatists, this nine percent of Ukrainian territory is now a crucial battleground in the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia.

The Donbass, home to millions of Russian-speaking residents, is strategically vital for Ukraine's security. According to analyst Andreas Umland of the Stockholm Center for Eastern European Studies based in Kyiv, ceding the Donbass would have catastrophic consequences, potentially opening the door to a further invasion of Ukraine and putting the country in a less defensible position.

The region, consisting of the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, is a significant negotiating point in discussions over a possible end to the Russian invasion. The fortress belt in the Donbass, a critical defensive line for Ukraine, includes key fortified cities such as Kramatorsk, Slavyansk, and Kostyantynivka. Over the past eleven years, the Ukrainian government has invested time, money, and effort to build and strengthen this defensive line with trenches, minefields, tank traps, and fortifications, making it a backbone and last stronghold in the east of the country.

The Donbass is also rich in minerals such as lithium, uranium, titanium, and rare earths, but many of these reserves remain untapped in the occupied or contested areas. In May, Washington and Kyiv signed a minerals agreement allowing the USA to exploit these reserves in Ukraine.

The Donbass has been the scene of some of the bloodiest battles of the war, with cities like Bakhmut, Mariupol, and Avdiivka bearing the brunt of the conflict. In September 2022, Russia declared the Donetsk region, along with the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, annexed.

President Putin insists on the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk and Luhansk before Russia stops the weapons, a demand that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vehemently opposes. Zelenskyy emphasises the strategic importance of the Donbass for Ukraine, stating that it is a matter of the survival of the country. Ukrainian officials and experts warn that ceding the Donbass would have catastrophic consequences for Ukraine's security, potentially opening the way to the cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv, each with a million inhabitants.

The current population of the Donbass is unclear, but in the last census in 2001, there were around six million people. Millions of residents in the cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv would be at risk if the Donbass falls into Russian hands. The Ukraine has strengthened the "Fortress Belt" in the Donetsk region over the past eleven years, making it difficult for Russian forces to quickly encircle or penetrate the chain of fortifications. The ISW explains that a loss of the Donbass would put Ukraine in a position that is significantly less defensible than the current line. As the conflict continues, the future of the Donbass and its people remains uncertain.