Every town matters to both sides.
It matters for the Ukes, because that’s their homeland.
It matters for the Russians, because unless they take these towns over, they can’t win.
For Ukraine it is survival as a nation period, for Russia, winning is survival for the existing government.
This war is in a stalemate and taking a town or two by either side isn’t a big deal at this point unless it can be exploited by further gains.
It matters for the Russians because most of these settlements have Russian-speaking Russian heritage citizens who have been persecuted by years from Kiev. After the failure of Minsk to protect them and allow some autonomy, they finally voted to leave Ukraine and become part of Russia. Now Russia owes than protection.
Most of the Uke conscripts dragged unto the eastern battle are not from Eastern Ukraine, whereas the local DPR/LNR militias have developed into tens of thousands of men now fighting with and as part of the Russian army, for their own land and families. Plus the Russians have seen the retaliation launched on people when they leave an area and Ukes move in. Again, they owe these people protection.
Bucha being an early example, staged as a “Russian’ atrocity. Another possibly being prepared for staging in Kharkov.
Really curious why gung ho western analysts think they are going to gain support of locals to “ liberate” these areas, and Crimea, after their treatment by the nationalists dominating Kiev.