Ukraine rejects Donbas withdrawal, warns of threat to Odessa

Ukraine has rejected Russia’s demand to withdraw its forces from the Donbas region, citing fears that such a move would open the way for an assault on Odessa. A source speaking to The Washington Post said Kiev made its decision out of concern for the southern port city.

“If [Putin] takes Donbas, the road to Odessa will be open,” the source explained.

According to The Washington Post, Reuters, and the Financial Times, during talks in Alaska, Vladimir Putin proposed freezing the frontline in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in exchange for Ukraine pulling back its troops from Donetsk and Luhansk. Reuters had previously reported that President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the offer.

Moscow reportedly signaled readiness to return Ukrainian territory in Sumy and Kharkiv that is currently under Russian control. However, those areas are significantly smaller than the territories Russia demands in Donetsk.

Odessa mine explosion: 3 dead

Three people were killed when sea mines exploded off the coast of Odessa.

Although Odessa is geographically distant from Donbas, it lies just 70 kilometers from Kherson by sea and about 150 kilometers by land. Russia’s demand for Ukrainian withdrawal from Kherson’s administrative borders would have effectively extended Moscow’s control zone by 20–30 kilometers.

In 2023, Vladimir Putin described Odessa as a “Russian city,” asserting that southeastern Ukraine has always been closer to Russia and that Crimea and the Black Sea coast never truly belonged to Ukraine.

Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, has repeatedly called for military operations against Odessa. He has also labeled Odessa, Mykolaiv, and Chernihiv as “Russian cities.”

On August 14, Ukraine’s Ministry for Communities and Territories Development added Odessa to the list of regions experiencing active or potential combat.