Since the start of the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, some key cities in the country have been in the news. In addition to the capital Kiev, which resists Russian onslaught amid attacks on military bases and shopping centers, the city of Mariupol has gained prominence as the municipality that was most heavily bombed and affected by the war, to the point that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky , to denounce that its inhabitants live in inhumane conditions: without food, water or any kind of supply.
Other regions of Ukraine, however, are in the sights of Russian President Vladimir Putin, either because of their location close to maritime entrances to the country and other relevant cities (some at the doors of NATO) or because of their economic relevance. Below is a list of the main cities:
Kiev
Year of foundation: 5th century
Size: 839 km²
Population: 2.9 million
Strategic value: Known for its beautiful golden domes and monasteries, Kiev has been the capital of Ukraine since 1991, when the country gained independence from the Soviet Union. In addition to being the seat of the Ukrainian government, it is the target of Vladimir Putin’s obsession with being the cradle of the medieval empire of Kievan Rus, the gigantic territory that gave rise to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. It was the scene of the 2014 pro-Western revolution that culminated in the separation of Crimea.
Kharkiv
Year of foundation: 1654
Size: 350 km²
Population: 1.4 million
Strategic value: predominantly Russian-speaking and located just 40 kilometers from the border, Ukraine’s second-largest city is a major hub of technology, art, culture and commerce. Since 2014, it has become home to hundreds of thousands of people fleeing clashes between government forces and Russian-backed rebels in eastern Donbass. It is believed that, in trying to take control of the city, the Kremlin may have judged that there would be little resistance because of the population supposedly more sympathetic to Moscow: many residents have families or do business across the border.
Mariupol
Year of foundation: 10th century
Size: 244 km²
Population: 449 thousand
Strategic value: it is the largest port city in Ukraine, at the gates of the Sea of Azov. Briefly occupied by separatists in the 2014 uprising, Mariupol is an extremely important point for the country for a number of reasons: first, because it favors the creation of a land corridor between Crimea and Donbass. In addition, if the municipality is taken over, Russia will have complete control of more than 80% of the Ukrainian Black Sea coast, and could stop maritime trade. Mariupol is also an important export center for iron, steel, coal and corn. Finally, it is home to the Azov Battalion, the neo-Nazi group Putin claimed to be fighting in his invasion. The taking of the city would therefore be an important advertisement for the Kremlin.
Kherson
Year of foundation: 1778
Size: 135.7 km²
Population: 287 thousand
Strategic value: on the banks of the Dnieper River, the city of Kherson is another strategic port that facilitates access to the Crimean peninsula: its fall would open the way to the city of Odessa to the west, which has a mostly Russian-speaking population, and to the borders with Romania and Moldova, NATO members. In the past, Kherson was once the base of the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. Today, it is home to an important shipbuilding industry and is home to one of the most important economic centers in the country.
Lviv
Year of foundation: 1256
Size: 182 km²
Population: 730 thousand
Strategic value: the Lviv region is a crucial arms supply route for the Ukrainian military, and a major point of resistance to thwarting Moscow’s plans to carry out a blitzkrieg invasion. After Russia blocked the sea passages to the south of the country, supply routes from western Ukraine became even more important. In addition, Lviv has become a safe haven for Ukrainians fleeing other war-torn parts of the country, hosting more than 200,000 immigrants in addition to its 730,000 inhabitants. According to the country’s official tourism website, Lviv was once part of the Habsburg monarchy – Austria’s important dynasty – but became a stronghold of Ukrainian national resistance during Soviet times.
dnipro
Year of foundation: 1776
Size: 409 km²
Population: 966 thousand
Strategic value: Ukraine’s fourth-largest city is a major industrial hub on the Dnieper River, which separates the country’s eastern region – where pro-Russian separatists are concentrated – from the rest of the territory. By taking over the city, Russian troops would be able to isolate Ukrainian forces fighting in the Donbass region or force them to retreat.
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