While Donetsk and Lugansk, located in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhia in the south, are anticipated to be added to the four Ukrainian territories controlled by Russian forces in an official ceremony today, Friday. There are concerns regarding the significance of these regions or the advantages that Moscow would derive from them in exchange for the heightened international pressure that it experienced after conducting the annexation referendums.
There is no doubt that since the beginning of the Russian military assault on Ukrainian territory on February 24, control of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions has been a top priority for the Russians in order to progressively connect the eastern territories with the Crimea, which they hold in the south.
Additionally, Donetsk and Luhansk share a long border with Russia, and the majority of people who live there speak Russian. However, only about 40% of the population is of Russian descent.
However, the economic significance of the two regions stands out in particular because they are home to Ukraine’s biggest coal, iron, and steel mines.
According to the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, the vital city of Mariupol, one of the nation’s most significant export ports, is situated within Donetsk’s administrative boundaries.
Aside from being a key hub for the land and sea transportation network that the nation’s exports use to reach the Black Sea, the Middle East, and other destinations, prior statistics show that this region of Ukraine contains over 70% of the nation’s wealth.
The East European Plain is where the regions of Zaporizhia and Kherson are located, and they share a boundary.
In addition, the Zaporizhia area has boundaries with the Ukrainian territory of Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and the Sea of Azov to the south.
The Kherson region of Ukraine is situated on the boundary of the Dnipropetrovsk and Nikolaev areas, and it shares a land border with Crimea in the south. However, it also faces the Black Sea to the southwest and the Sea of Azov to the southeast.
Perhaps the strategic significance of these two cities can be understood based on their geographic location, as it is impossible to discuss ensuring the security of Ukraine’s western borders without discussing geographic expansion, which fully guarantees control of the southern sea lanes in the Azov Basin and the Black Sea and also secures the establishment of a stable land link for the Russian lands with Russia.
Despite once being associated with reclaiming former glory, the struggle swiftly transformed Crimea into a weak and vulnerable region that was open to invasion and through which Russia might be singled out.
Additionally, Kherson was previously known as Nikolaev Province until 1803 and served as the first naval station in Russia for the construction of ships.
This port city on the Black Sea continues to be a significant hub for the shipbuilding sector.
It is important to remember that Russia wants to secure a land and sea bridge between Crimea and the eastern half of Ukraine by dominating and annexing these regions.
What will Russia gain by annexing 4 regions of Ukraine?
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