A large graffiti mural greets defenders in Lisichansk, a medium sized city in eastern Ukraine, as it remains one of the last respectable towns in Luhansk province still in Ukrainian hands. A bold slogan near the western entrance reads, eded to resist at all costs, Kyiv stands with you. The message mirrors the tense mood on the ground where the conflict intensifies and the town looks toward a future shaped by ongoing clashes. The Kremlin and its allies have faced renewed setbacks as the Donbas operation lurches, with early March plans to seize the entire region now facing stiff resistance and a difficult path forward. The aim to seal control over the Donbas region remains central to the conflict, even as battlefield dynamics shift. (Citation: Reuters)
Steps sharpen the sense of urgency: frontline activity presses in and around Donetsk, which remains under Ukrainian influence. A towering plume of smoke climbs from a large oil refinery as a fire rages, and a checkpoint manned by Ukrainian troops sits watchfully, supplies piled and ready yet immovable. The route through town is lined with bombed gas stations and earthworks designed to slow any mechanized advance. Even a major industrial site, originally a well known German construction materials company, looks damaged at first light, then overtaken by flames by afternoon. The scene underscores the relentlessness of bombardment and the fragile line between ruin and routine. (Citation: Reuters)
A frontline commander, Bulat, who leads a platoon from the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, confirms the proximity of the front. He indicates that Russian positions lie roughly seven kilometers away as soldiers brief him on the delicate balance of holding territory and defending essential services. The mission is framed not simply as defense but as counterattack, with a determination to protect the civilian population against any advances while retaining momentum. The sense is clear: the defense will endure, and the resolve to resist remains steadfast in the face of pressure. (Citation: Reuters)
extreme and dramatic situation
Lisichansk now faces a humanitarian reality that is unusually stark even by Donbas standards. Electricity and Internet are scarce, and residents queue for water as tanker deliveries ebb and flow. In the center, streets that once bustled with life now host groups of citizens gathered outside closed shops awaiting relief. Food, once plentiful, has become scarce; individuals trade small items and necessities at modest prices, while neighbors look out for one another in the absence of formal aid channels. A local seller explains that comfort items have shifted in value as supply lines tighten, and basic goods have become precious. (Citation: Reuters)
In the basement networks of tenement blocks, thousands of residents endure a daily siege of risk and fatigue. For months, many have chosen to stay indoors, making basements the only safe place to sleep when bombardments intensify. Instructions like Do not turn on the lights on the landings are scrawled in chalk to minimize risk, leaving households with limited visibility but a stubborn will to endure. In this environment, a mother trains two children in the dim light, her press for normalcy met with the harsh reality of war. Cash flow has vanished as markets shutter, and aid arrives in the form of bread, grains, and dried meat rather than steady supplies. Yet even in hardship there are signs of solidarity, as neighbors share what they have and look out for one another. (Citation: Reuters)