New Delhi, Aug. 19 -- As negotiations to end the war in Ukraine gather momentum between Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Volodymyr Zelensky, the focus has once again returned to the Donbas - a region whose history, identity and resources have made it central to Russia's ambitions and Ukraine's struggle for sovereignty.

The Donbas - comprising the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk - was once the industrial heartland of the Soviet Union, known for its coal mines, steel mills and fertile farmland. For the Kremlin, however, its significance extends beyond economics.

The Donbas has historically been the most "Russian" part of Ukraine, with a sizeable Russian-speaking population and lingering cultural ties to Moscow. It was here, in 201...