Key Facts
- Theatre active since
- February 2022
- Key cities captured by Russia
- Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Pokrovsk
- Key cities recaptured by Ukraine
- Izium, Balakliia, Kupiansk, Lyman
- Battle of Bakhmut concluded
- May 2023 (Russian capture)
- Pokrovsk captured by Russia
- Late January 2026
Strategic Narrative Overview
Russia's mid-2022 Donbas offensive captured Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk, and Izium before Ukraine's September 2022 counteroffensive retook Izium, Balakliia, and Lyman. Winter 2022–23 saw the grinding Battle of Bakhmut, ending in Russian capture by May 2023. Ukraine's June 2023 counteroffensive yielded limited gains; Russia then seized Avdiivka and Marinka by early 2024 and pressed toward Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, and Pokrovsk.
01 / The Origins
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the eastern regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv became the primary theatre of operations. Russia sought to consolidate control over the Donbas, partly occupied since 2014, while Ukraine aimed to defend its territory and push back against advancing Russian and separatist forces along a broad front stretching hundreds of kilometres.
03 / The Outcome
As of the source's account, the conflict remains ongoing with no negotiated settlement. Russia captured Pokrovsk in late January 2026 after sustained pressure, while Ukraine continues to contest multiple towns across Donetsk Oblast. The front line has shifted incrementally in Russia's favour since mid-2023, though large-scale territorial changes comparable to the 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive have not recurred.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.