Russia Turns Occupied Ukraine Into a Military Base: 7 Disturbing Facts

Russia has transformed the ruins of Donetsk International Airport into an active military site.

1. From Airports to Drone Launchpads in Donetsk

Once a modern hub rebuilt for the 2012 UEFA Championship, the terminal was destroyed in 2014.

Now, satellite images show repaved runways, new hangars, and rows of white shelters, likely used to store and launch long-range Shahed drones.

Experts warn these drones could carry explosives and strike deeper into Ukrainian-held territory than ever before.

2. Civilian Buildings Are Being Converted Into Military Facilities

Across the occupied territories, Russia is rapidly converting civilian infrastructure into military installations.

Abandoned factories in Berdiansk and Dovzhansk now house troops and serve as repair depots.

A school in Donetsk has become a tank garage, and in some areas, people are barred from approaching buildings where convoys move in and out at night, raising questions about what’s happening inside.

3. Black Sea Resorts Turned Into Barracks

Russia’s military presence stretches beyond industrial areas. In Crimea and occupied Kherson Oblast, seaside resorts have been taken over and converted into barracks.

Children’s camps and recreation centres along the Arabat Spit and ports like Zaliznyi Port are now military compounds, according to local resistance groups.

What was once a holiday zone is now a staging ground for conflict.

4. Crimea Is Now a Fully Armed Military Outpost

Since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, Russian forces have significantly increased their presence in Crimea.

Dozens of garrisons, airfields, and missile installations including S-400 air defences and Bastion anti-ship systems have turned the peninsula into a critical military hub.

Ukrainian resistance members describe Crimea as both a supply base for southern Ukraine and a potential launchpad for future offensives.

5. Ukraine’s Strongholds in Donetsk and Luhansk Under Threat

Cities like Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, and Kupiansk remain under Ukrainian control, thanks to years of fortification.

These cities are strategically positioned amid slag heaps and natural ridges, making them difficult for Russia to capture.

But if peace talks include “territorial swaps,” Ukraine could be forced to surrender its best defensive positions effectively handing them to the enemy.

6. Humanitarian Crisis Deepens Under Occupation

While Russia builds military infrastructure, residents in occupied regions struggle with the basics.

Locals in Donetsk report fighting daily for access to clean water, food, and medicine.

“The worst thing is that these changes are happening while we’re still fighting for the basics like washing our children’s hands,” said one activist.

The contrast between growing militarization and collapsing living conditions is stark.

7. Fear Grows of Future Invasions from Occupied Zones

With drone bases, barracks, and missile systems now entrenched across occupied Ukraine, experts fear these areas could become launchpads for wider aggression.

U.S. officials are reportedly considering territorial concessions in peace negotiations, but locals and analysts warn that any such deal could strengthen Russia’s long-term military position, turning occupation into permanent control.