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As Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth year, occupied cities in the Donetsk region lie in ruins

Source: Meduza

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine entered its fourth year this week. As of this writing, some of the most intense battles are taking place in the country’s eastern Donetsk region, where fighting has been ongoing since 2014. Russia’s full-scale war has wiped many settlements in the region practically off the map. Be that as it may, every time Moscow’s forces occupy a Ukrainian town or village, Russian officials announce that it’s been “liberated.” Meduza shares snapshots of occupied cities in the Donetsk region that now lie in ruins.

Russian troops captured the city of Marinka in the Donetsk region in December 2023. According to Ukraine’s 2001 census, Marinka was once home to more than 10,000 people. In the fall of 2022, Ukraine’s National Police announced that no civilians remained there. February 24, 2025.
Dmitry Yagodkin / TASS / Profimedia 
Marinka. February 24, 2025.
Dmitry Yagodkin / TASS / Profimedia 

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The Our Lady of Kazan Cathedral in Marinka. February 24, 2025.
Dmitry Yagodkin / TASS / Profimedia 
The Iverskiy Monastery in Donetsk. The damage to the walls is from the battle for the Donetsk Airport in 2014. Since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Donetsk has been under constant shelling. February 25, 2025.
Alexander Ermochenko / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA
The battle for Pokrovsk has been ongoing since last August. As of the end of February, Russian forces had failed to capture the city. This photo shows a section of the front near Pokrovsk under the control of Russian troops. February 18, 2025.
Evgeny Biyatov / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia
Before the full-scale war, Pokrovsk was a major coal mining city once home to around 68,000 people. Its last mine shut down due to fighting in the area at the end of December 2024. February 6, 2025.
Taisia Vorontsova / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimeda
Russian troops captured Avdiivka last February. Before the war, the city was home to more than 37,000 people. February 16, 2025.
Dmitry Yagodkin / TASS / Profimedia 
Avdiivka. February 16, 2025.
Dmitry Yagodkin / TASS / Profimedia  
Pokrovsk. February 18, 2025.
Evgeny Biyatov / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia
Avdiivka. February 8, 2025.
Dmitry Yagodkin / TASS / Profimedia  
More than 16,000 people used to live in Krasnohorivka. Russian troops captured the city in September 2024. The photo above was taken on February 5, 2025.
Dmitry Yagodkin / TASS / Profimedia  
Donetsk. February 11, 2025.
Dmitry Yagodkin / TASS / Profimedia 
READ MEDUZA’S COMBAT MAP ANALYSIS

Enter year four Russian forces are still struggling to dislodge Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region — and may now try to encircle them

READ MEDUZA’S COMBAT MAP ANALYSIS

Enter year four Russian forces are still struggling to dislodge Ukrainian troops from the Kursk region — and may now try to encircle them