As temperatures rise, ground assaults are intensifying in the Ukrainian region of Donetsk, where 80% of the territory is currently under Russian control. Russia has already stated on several occasions that it will not rest until 100% of the territory of this highly industrialised region is under its complete control. Whilst the rest of the front line has effectively ground to a halt due to Ukrainian drone raids, Putin has focused all his efforts on encircling the stronghold of Kostiantynivka, the linchpin from which to maintain the 'belt of fortresses' to defend the area.
According to Reuters reports, fighting has begun to spread into the city itself, led by small units of infiltrated Russian soldiers, with hand-to-hand combat taking place in the streets. The capture of Kostiantynivka would provide Russian forces with a bridgehead from which to advance northwards along the belt, which now forms the central axis of their campaign. Although analysts are already warning that this campaign would be long, costly and bloody for the Russian side, Putin insists that Russia must control the whole of Donetsk before sitting down at the negotiating table and ending the war.
More than four years into the war, Ukraine still controls a fifth of Donetsk, but the response to Russian attacks is diverting too many resources towards the defence of the capital, Kyiv. At the same time, Russia is also suffering from a shortage of resources, and the Russian authorities based on the occupied Black Sea peninsula have declared a state of emergency to tackle economic problems and have suspended all fuel sales to individuals and businesses.