Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has once again demonstrated his resilience and commitment to ensuring prompt governance in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk, signing a relevant decree on the establishment of military administrations in ten settlements currently under Russian occupation
This document, numbered №240/2025 and published on the official website of the Presidential Office, represents a strategic step towards systematizing the state's presence and control in eastern Ukraine amid difficult wartime conditions. According to the decree, five separate military administrations have been established in the Mariupol district: Kalchitska Rural, Mangush Settlement, Mariupol Urban, Mykilska Settlement, and Sartan Settlement. Each is intended to serve as a center for supporting and coordinating actions of the Ukrainian authorities in the respective localities, promoting stabilization, restoring daily life, and ensuring the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens who remain or are forcibly relocating to these regions. Additionally, in the Volnovakha district, five more military administrations have been created: Staromlynivska Rural, Khlibodarivska Rural, Volnovakha Urban, Myrne Settlement, and Olhynska Settlement. All of them are to operate as temporary management centers aimed at preventing a humanitarian crisis, supporting local populations, and preparing for possible de-occupation. It is worth noting that these settlements — Kalchitska, Mangushska, Mariupol, Mykilska, Sartan, Staromlynivska, Khlibodarivska, Volnovakha, Myrne, and Olhynska — fell under temporary occupation in 2022, marking one of the most difficult phases in the context of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. The creation of military administrations is part of the systematic efforts by the state to regain control, support residents, and prepare for further reintegration of the occupied territories into Ukrainian jurisdiction. Officials and military experts emphasize that these steps reflect the unwavering will of the Ukrainian government to preserve the country’s territorial integrity, despite the temporary loss of control in certain areas. They highlight the importance of establishing military administrations to accelerate work with local populations and infrastructure, as well as to coordinate humanitarian and recovery processes. Overall, this move indicates a strategic direction — mobilizing all resources to return the occupied territories under Ukrainian sovereignty and ensuring proper management amidst the war. The effectiveness of these administrations largely determines the future scenario of de-occupation and recovery of Donetsk, which has remained under temporary occupation for over a year.