Donbas

As Russia escalates its strikes on Ukraine's infrastructure and relations between Kyiv and Washington hit an all-time low, the attritional fight for the Donbas is heading toward what analysts describe as its climax. Moscow is pressing to capture the remainder of Donetsk Oblast while Ukraine, reorganized under a new command structure, is trying to grind down Russia's offensive power before winter. In territorial terms, the Kyiv Independent's analysis says 2026 has been a year of relative success for Ukraine, but the fate of the region's last Ukrainian-held cities now hangs in the balance.