Thousands Flee Donbas Strongholds as Russia Hits Sloviansk With 3,000-Pound Bomb
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 22
Thousands Flee Donbas Strongholds as Russia Hits Sloviansk With 3,000-Pound Bomb
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 22
Summary
Thousands of civilians are leaving Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and other eastern Ukrainian strongholds as Russia presses closer to the last major Donetsk cities Kyiv still holds.
A 3,000-pound bomb dropped on Sloviansk in April wiped out nearly an entire city block, reinforcing residents’ fears that the assault marks a new phase of the offensive.
Russian forces have concentrated on the fortified belt of Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka after years of grinding combat in the region.
Those cities sit in the roughly 20% of Donetsk region still under Ukrainian control, making them central to Moscow’s push for the Kremlin’s most coveted territorial prize.
Analysts say Russia's war is faltering, so why are thousands still fleeing Ukraine's fortresses?
Can Ukraine's drone supremacy hold its eastern front with US support dwindling?
Is Russia's brutal Donbas assault meant to force a land-for-peace deal?
2026 Sloviansk Under Fire: Civilian Casualties, Russian Advances, and the Humanitarian Toll in Donbas
Overview
Between April and June 2026, Sloviansk experienced intensified military pressure and direct attacks from Russian forces, resulting in significant casualties and damage to infrastructure. Russian advances in the Sloviansk direction kept the city under persistent threat, leading to ongoing civilian evacuations. On June 17, Sloviansk recorded the highest number of casualties in Donetsk Oblast, with three people killed during Russian attacks. These events highlight the severe and continuous impact of the conflict on the city’s residents, as well as the urgent need for evacuation and support efforts amid ongoing violence.