Volnovakha

During World War II, the Soviet Union reported significant fighting in the area around Volnovka during August and September 1943.[10][11] Several units were given honorary titles after the battle in town.[12][11]

During the war in Donbas, on 13 January 2015, 12 civilians were killed and 18 injured, after an attack on a passenger bus at a checkpoint in Buhas, a town north-east of Volnovakha.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] A monument to those killed in the attack was unveiled on 13 January 2017.[20]

Shelling of Volnovakha in 2022

During the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces engaged in indiscriminate bombing of Volnovakha and Shchastia, shelling civilian areas.[21] The terror bombing of the cities violated international law and echoed tactics Russia had previously used on civilian targets in Syria.[22] Volnovakha was reported to be on the verge of humanitarian crisis on February 28, and almost destroyed by March 1,[23][24][25] with around 90% of its buildings either damaged or destroyed.[26] Surviving residents were cut off from food, water, and electricity.[7] Following the assault, bodies lay uncollected in the streets.[22]

On 11 March, Russia claimed that forces of the Donetsk People's Republic had captured Volnovakha.[27]

On 12 March, Pavlo Kyrylenko, the governor of Donetsk Oblast, stated that the town had been completely destroyed and effectively ceased to exist, but fighting continued there to prevent a Russian encirclement.[28][29] Euronews reported that much of it had been destroyed in the fighting.[8]