Battle of Donbas could prove decisive in Ukraine war

A man walks in front of a building destroyed by attacks in Borodyanka, on the outskirts of Kyiv (AP)

Russia is pounding the Donbas region of Ukraine with relentless artillery and air raids, making slow but steady progress in a bid to seize the industrial heartland of its neighbour.

With the conflict now in its fourth month, the battle for Donbas is a high-stakes campaign that could dictate the course of the entire war.