KYIV: Russian forces have taken complete control of the eastern city of Vuhledar, which Ukrainian troops have been defending since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion two and a half years ago.
Ukraine’s eastern military command has confirmed that they had told the forces still fighting in parts of the Vuhledar to pull back to evade becoming surrounded.
According to media reports, for more than two years Moscow has been trying to take this city to advance further north and reach regional transportation hubs such as Pokrovsk and Kurakhove.
Pro-Kremlin army bloggers had uploaded various footage the day before showing Russian troops with flags on the rooftops of different compounds in Vuhledar.
Donetsk regional officials also confirmed on Tuesday that Russian forces had almost reached the city center, and some reports stated Ukrainian troops are still hanging on in some areas.
The BBC has spoken to two personnel from the 72nd brigade who managed to leave the area before the final strike and take up new positions in the same region. They claimed that their forces have withdrawn from the city.
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Over the last few days Ukrainian forces had to find their own way out of Vuhledar by foot as it was impossible to evacuate them otherwise, a machine-gunner told the media on the condition of anonymity.
Another soldier, Roman said that many were injured and killed by Russian drones and artillery as they tried to leave. Russia has launched numerous strikes to seize the city since the start of the full-scale attack in February 2022, but they all failed up until now. One of the major tank battles took place there last year.
Instead of launching frontal attacks, the Russian military recently switched to its favourite tactic – advancing along the flanks to surround the target. Earlier, they held the village of Prechystivka to the west and Vodyane to the east to complete a pincer movement.
Russia’s enormous advantage in arms and troops – some troops have estimated the ratio of forces as seven to one – enabled them in order to break through Ukrainian defense lines along the flanks and approach Vuhledar.
It became clear that the city was doomed when the Russians effectively cut off the only remaining lifeline route – the road from Vuhledar to Bohoyavlenka. Russian troops advanced so close that their artillery and kamikaze drones targeted anyone and anything moving on that road.
Roman said that they tried to send supplies, and organize evacuation of their injured and dead troops but without any success. He added that they lost a number of vehicles and then had to stop such operations.
However, army officials from the 72nd brigade and Ukraine’s operational command in the region refused the BBC’s request to comment over the development.
In their most recent daily briefings, the army’s General Staff kept silent regarding Vuhledar. Wednesday morning’s briefing said merely that the enemy has launched unsuccessful strikes on our positions in Bohoyavlenka’s direction”, without mentioning the situation in Vuhledar at all.