Mandatory Evacuations Ordered in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk Districts as Russian Forces Advance

Local authorities in Sloviansk and Kramatorsk — the northern anchor of Ukraine's 'Fortress Belt' defensive chain in Donetsk Oblast — ordered mandatory evacuations for families with children in districts closest to the fighting on March 26. Authorities removed trolleybuses, dismantled overhead wiring, and installed anti-drone nets in preparation for intensifying Russian pressure. The Fortress Belt stretches 50 km from Sloviansk through Kramatorsk to Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka. ISW assessed Russia is unlikely to seize the Belt in 2026 but is pressing hard. Sustained attacks were reported across Donbas, Sumy, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, and Odesa regions over the preceding 24 hours.