Russia Pounds on the Gates of Ukraine’s “Fortress Belt”
Russian forces have stepped up assaults on Ukraine’s heavily-fortified eastern defensive line, with senior Ukrainian commanders warning small groups of Russian soldiers have begun infiltrating the outskirts of key cities. The push is the most concentrated Russian advance of the summer offensive so far. Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign on Russian oil refineries and military plants continues in response. The fighting matters because the fortress belt — built up since 2014 — is what has stopped Russia from advancing further into Ukraine for the past three years. If it falls, the front lines could shift significantly.
The “fortress belt” refers to a chain of fortified Ukrainian cities including Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk that form the backbone of Ukraine’s defensive line in the Donetsk region. These have been built up with concrete fortifications, trench networks and anti-tank obstacles since 2014. Russian forces have been pressing toward them for months, taking losses estimated at over 50,000 troops in the past quarter. If Russia breaks through, the next defensive line is hundreds of kilometres further west. The G7 long-range capability commitment to Ukraine is being tested by the speed of this Russian push.