The defense of Donetsk airport lasted 242 days - only a week less than the siege of Sevastopol (2 November 1941 – 3 July 1942), and much longer than the defense of Brest Fortress (22 June – 20 July 1941) during the German-Soviet war.

The airport was of special importance for the logistics of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. After the enemy retained control of about 150 kilometers of the state border in May, the maintenance of airports was no longer a deterrent to Russian aggression. However, this territory could become a springboard for the attack of Ukrainian troops on Donetsk.

According to the results of the Minsk Protocol, the warring parties were to create a 30-kilometer demarcation zone between Russian troops and Ukrainian troops. In this regard, the field commanders of the militants decided to win a demonstrative political victory. They launched a frontal attack to declare that the Ukrainians had not left on their own and that the airport had been stormed by the time the 30-kilometer zone was created and Ukrainian troops were withdrawn.

Despite the retreat of the last defenders directly from the territory of the Donetsk airport, positions of the Ukrainian forces pass in close proximity to it, and therefore fighting of various intensity proceeded there for a long time.^[17]

According to Major General Oleg Mikats, the Ukrainian forces' hold of the airfield restrained the enemy's forces. The biggest battle of Debaltseve began after the fall of the DIAP, and if the Ukrainian military was not there, the Armed Forces could lose not only Debaltseve.^[18]

The losses of militants during the entire campaign amounted to at least 800 people killed and 1,500-2,000 wounded

UKRAINE - UKRAINIAN PARAMILITARY BATTALION CYBORG ATO