(KRAMATORSK, DONETSK OBLAST) – Russian forces are closing in on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, the last major urban centre in the Donbas region still under Ukrainian control, as daily drone strikes and glide bomb attacks turn the city into a fortress under siege.
The city, once a refuge for civilians fleeing towns closer to the front line, is now being evacuated itself. Almost every building has sustained damage, with windows blown out, roofs torn off and shops boarded up. Anti-drone nets cover nearly every street as Russian FPV drones fill the skies, targeting anything that moves.
Russian forces are reportedly throwing everything at taking the remaining ten percent of Donbas still under Ukrainian control. This includes an estimated 30,000 North Korean troops and a fresh mobilisation wave, all centred on seizing the fortress belt around Kramatorsk.
A petrol station on the main road into the city was hit by an FPV drone just 30 seconds before a reporting team was due to stop there. The station reopened two days later, workers having cleared the debris and resumed service. Another petrol station up the road was hit last week, killing a 19-year-old worker.
The city’s last operational power station has become a primary Russian target. Built in 1937, the facility once generated 150 megawatts, feeding a vast network connecting the industrial cities of Donbas. Now it supplies only Kramatorsk itself. Russian drones have struck the station dozens of times in recent weeks, crashing through the roof and damaging machinery.
Workers continue to report for shifts despite the constant threat. The station director, Roman, was en route to collect journalists when his car was struck by a dormant FPV drone that had landed on the road and waited for a vehicle to approach. He survived.
Energy workers are typically the last to leave a city under threat. When they depart, it signals there is nothing left to save. For now, they remain, repairing damage after each strike and restoring power within hours.
Russian glide bombs, some weighing up to three tonnes, are being dropped on the city with increasing frequency. These Soviet-era bombs fitted with wings and guidance systems are released from aircraft beyond the range of air defences and arrive without warning.
The city’s iconic market, once one of the busiest places in the region, is now almost entirely deserted after repeated strikes. A supermarket hit on 4th July was full of civilians at the time.
Ukrainian forces are preparing defensive positions throughout the city. Dragon’s teeth, barbed wire and concrete barricades now sit outside cafes and bus stops. The preparation signals an expectation of a Bakhmut-style battle for Kramatorsk.
The battlefield itself is changing rapidly. Ground robots now carry ammunition, supplies and evacuate wounded soldiers. FPV drones hunt other FPV drones mid-air. Military analysts suggest Kramatorsk could become one of the first locations where a major battle is fought largely machine versus machine.
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