As of September 2025, Ukrainian defense forces control about 33% of Donetsk region. This includes the largest industrial agglomerations — Pokrovsk (Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, Dobropillia) and Sloviansk-Kramatorsk (Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka, Kostiantynivka). Control over these industrial hubs remains a strategic objective for the occupying Russian forces.It is worth noting how the Russians are trying to address the Donetsk issue through military-political blackmail. First, they intensified combat operations in the north of Sumy and Kharkiv regions, which, according to the Russian dictator’s decree, were not “incorporated” into the Russian Federation. When that scenario failed, they increased political pressure on the United States and Ukraine, attempting to force Ukrainians to withdraw their defense forces from Donetsk.Now, let me explain why the Donetsk region is a priority. The enemy is interested not in the territory itself or the illusory “Russian world” with Russian-speaking populations, but solely in controlling valuable mineral resources. Fierce battles in the Pokrovsk district were primarily linked to Russian attempts to seize mineral deposits. In the settlement of Shevchenko, there are the largest lithium reserves in Europe, and in Kotlyne, a coking coal deposit. Without coking coal, Ukrainian metallurgy would face serious problems. Experts estimate that steel production in Ukraine could drop from 6.5 million to 2.5 million tons per year, posing a threat of social tension, especially in areas of Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk under Ukrainian control.Currently, the Donetsk front is witnessing a redeployment of Russian army units. This is happening against the backdrop of Putin’s statement that if Ukraine does not agree to the effective Russian ultimatum demanding the withdrawal of Ukrainian defense units from Donetsk region, Russia will resolve the issue by military means.In other words, Putin is making it clear that the strategic objective is to gain control over the entire Donetsk region. This explains the redeployment of the 155th Naval Infantry Brigade back to the Pokrovsk front from the Kursk direction. Recall that before the start of the Kursk offensive, the 155th Russian Brigade was concentrated in the Pokrovsk direction, and it was only after Ukrainian forces advanced into Russian territory that these units were transferred to the Kursk region.The Pokrovsk direction is important to the Russians not so much for military reasons as for political ones. Reaching the administrative borders with the Dnipropetrovsk region would be used as a tool of military-political pressure on the Ukrainian leadership, serving as a threat to escalate the theater of operations.After the occupying Russian forces gained control of the Pokrovsk-Kostiantynivka highway, Kostiantynivka became one of their main directions of advance. The situation is worsened by the fact that the Russians control the high ground around the city, as Kostiantynivka lies in a lowland. This creates serious problems for both local residents and Ukrainian defense forces, because the enemy can maintain fire control over Ukrainian rear positions and the entire city. The Russians can even use tube artillery there, as evidenced by the strike on Kostiantynivka on September 3, which caused civilian casualties.In Kostiantynivka, there is now an actual threat of operational encirclement, as the occupiers have advanced from three sides.On the Toretsk front, the occupiers have seized the high ground and achieved tactical gains in the Dylieivka area. This creates conditions for further Russian advances toward Kostiantynivka, reaching a distance of roughly 7 kilometers.On the Chasiv Yar front, the situation with the high ground mirrors that on the Toretsk front. Currently, the occupiers are trying to secure full control over Chasiv Yar, which is key not only to Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka but to the entire agglomeration.There is a sharp increase in activity on the Lyman front. Siversk represents the eastern flank of the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration. Advancing toward Siversk (the occupiers are now just 1.5 kilometers from the city) creates a threat of flanking Ukrainian defense forces. The main objective of the occupiers in this area is to try to gain control over this agglomeration by the end of 2025.The occupiers will not neglect the Pokrovsk and adjacent Novopavlivka directions, where they will still try to reach the administrative borders of Dnipropetrovsk region.In August, Ukrainian defense forces lost 5 sq. km on the Pokrovsk front but simultaneously regained control over 26 sq. km. It is important to note that Ukrainian forces are reclaiming temporarily occupied territories not only in the Pokrovsk direction.For example, on August 24, the Ukrainian armed forces took control of the settlement of Novomykhailivka (Donetsk region). A video of the successful operation was released by the Main Intelligence Directorate.“The Main Intelligence Directorate and the Third Corps are reclaiming territory: Novomykhailivka is now under Ukrainian control! The successful offensive operation was carried out by the Active Operations Department of the Ministry of Defense’s Main Intelligence Directorate, including the Artan unit, and the 2nd assault battalion of the Third Assault Brigade. These units expelled the occupiers and restored control over the settlement of Novomykhailivka in Donetsk region,” the Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate reported.The report notes that the enemy lost about a company of personnel and was forced to redeploy reserves from other front-line sectors.In addition, Ukrainian defense units carried out successful counteroffensive operations and liberated three more settlements in Donetsk region. The villages of Mykhailivka, Zelenyi Hai, and Volodymyrivka returned under Ukrainian control.Specially for EspresoAbout the author: Dmytro Sniehyrov, military expert, co-chair of the NGO Prava Sprava.The editorial board does not always share the opinions expressed by blog authors.