Donetsk Oblast: News

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Polish president strips Zelensky of honorary title over military unit controversy, as Kyiv calls decision 'strategic mistake'

Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional details and comments from officials. Polish President Karol Nawrocki stripped President Volodymyr Zelensky of the country's honorary Order of the White Eagle title on June 19 following public outcry over Zelensky's decision to name a serving Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). A World War II-era organization that fought for Ukraine's independence, the UPA is remembered in Poland primarily for its role in

How Russia bought influence over culture in the West

At 7 p.m. on Saturday, my phone lit up with a message from a colleague in Kyiv. It read: "The Lavra is bombed. It's on fire." The Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, founded in 1051, is the most important religious and cultural site in Eastern Europe. For nearly a thousand years, it has survived invasions, occupations, revolutions, and wars. And today, it joins a growing list of Ukrainian cultural landmarks damaged by Russian missiles. According to Ukraine's Culture Ministry, this list has grown to 1,783 cul

Ukraine war latest: Kyiv targets Moscow for second day in a row following record drone assault

Key developments on June 19: * Kyiv targets Moscow for second day in a row following record drone assault; * Moscow Oil Refinery halts operations after largest-ever drone attack on Russian capital, General Staff says; * US senators propose using frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine's military; * Australia announces $70 million in arms funding for Ukraine through PURL initiative; * Western allies pledge $4 billion in military aid for Ukraine at Ramstein summit. Moscow came under attack

About Donetsk Oblast

The Kyiv Independent's news and on-the-ground reporting from Donetsk Oblast, covering 26,517 square kilometers (10,239 square miles) in Ukraine’s East with a pre-war population of approximately 4.1 million. The administrative center is Kramatorsk, as Donetsk city has remained under Russian occupation since 2014. Donetsk Oblast has been the scene of intense fighting, for example, around the cities of Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Vuhledar, as Moscow attempts to capture the entire region.

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