Why Russia and Ukraine are both so keen to hold on to Donetsk & Luhansk | DW News

Donald Trump is reportedly planning to urge Voldimir Zelenskyy to surrender all of the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in exchange for Russia agreeing to freeze the rest of the front line.
Luhansk is now almost completely under Russian control. Ukraine still holds about 30% of Donetsk, which includes some important cities. This has come at a great cost, with tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives lost. Together, the Luhansk and Donetsk regions are known as Donbas, and both are rich in minerals and industry.

00:00 Russia, Ukraine both keen to keep Donbas
00:35 DW speaks with Frank Ledwidge, military expert and senior lecturer in strategic studies at Portsmouth University in the UK

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#Ukraine #Russia #Donbas

Post from DW News on August 18, 2025

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