Ukraine's fortress cities under fire as Russia bids to seize rest of Donbas

Image source, Reuters Image caption, Residents sit in front of a Kramatorsk apartment block damaged by a Russian strike

It is so dangerous now in Slovyansk and Kramatorsk that police say it is time for civilians to get out. These neighbouring cities are the biggest still under full Ukrainian control in the eastern Donbas region.

In the worst affected areas, forced evacuations of families with children have already begun, says Pavlo Dyachenko of Donetsk police.

"This is the only way to save your life," he says, because security has deteriorated so much.

"If you take Slovyansk, it used to be hit by glide bombs roughly once a week, but now it's almost every day."

Slovyansk, Kramatorsk and Kostyantynivka, to the south, form part of what is known as Ukraine's "fortress belt" – a system of heavily reinforced defence lines in the east.