The ‘liberated’ cities: what Russia wants with rubble Rose the dog suddenly reappears after seven years

The city is completely destroyed and deserted, the Russian flag flutters over a pile of rubble. After months of bitter resistance, the Ukrainian army had to temporarily withdraw from Mariinka.

Maryinka’s fate

Maryinka is a small town in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is located about 25 kilometers southwest of the Russian-occupied regional capital Donetsk. During the civil war in Donbass in 2014 and 2015, there was already fighting around the city, but the Ukrainian army managed to defend Marinka. In 2022, with the Russian attack on Ukraine, the battle for the small town with previously about 9,000 inhabitants began. For several months now, the Russian army has been fighting its way forward, street by street.

Now Russian troops have captured Marjinka – No citizens have lived there for over a year, the city is completely destroyed. The Russian propaganda station RT published images of the city, accompanied by dramatic music:

What does Russia want in Mariinka?

The war in Ukraine has been characterized by trench warfare for weeks, if not months. On the front in the south and east of the invaded country, neither side made any major territorial gains, but the death toll was high. The trench warfare causes many casualties, especially on the Russian side.

Although Maryinka has been completely destroyed, it is of strategic importance to Russia. The city was important for the Ukrainian resistance in the region. The Ukrainian troops have now temporarily left them to the occupiers and must withdraw further north and prepare new defense lines there.

The small town is located in Donetsk Oblast. This is one of the Ukrainian oblasts (regions) that Russia annexed last year, in violation of international law. But parts of this region are still under Ukrainian control. Russia’s minimal goal is to bring Donetsk Oblast under complete control. That’s why the Russian troops sacrificed so much to conquer a small town like Maryinka.

Another video from a Russian state broadcaster shows soldiers proudly presenting the captured Maryinka:

The next Russian destination: Avdiivka

The Ukrainian army has an advantage in the role of defender and in turn wants to try to prevent Russia from conquering the entire Donetsk Oblast. Fighting continues for the town of Avdiivka, which is located about 15 kilometers north of Donetsk and had about 30,000 inhabitants before the war – and is now waiting about 1000 civilians left in the city.

Ukrainian Chief of General Staff Saluzhny said on Tuesday that Avdiivka could fall within two or three months.

The Ukrainian army would defend the city as long as possible. But the priority is to save your own soldiers for later recapture.

What does Russia do with ‘liberated’ cities?

Mariinka’s ethnic Ukrainian majority has long since fled. Russia could then settle its own citizens and rebuild the completely destroyed city.

In the case of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which fell in May 2022 and is also located in Donetsk Oblast, Russia is trying to rebuild the city, which has been largely destroyed, and is staging the whole thing for propaganda purposes. In March, Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared at the rebuilt theater in Mariupol, where he had his photo taken in a media friendly manner.