The Ukrainian military has ordered a retreat from the strategic town of Vuhledar in eastern Ukraine after months of intense fighting with Russian forces. The town, which has been under attack since the outbreak of the war, has now fallen into Russian hands, according to several sources.
According to a statement from the Ukrainian combat group ‘Khortitsa’ published on Telegram on Wednesday, “The higher command has given permission to carry out a maneuver of withdrawal of units from Ugledar (Vuhledar)”.
The purpose of the withdrawal is to “preserve personnel and combat equipment” for future battles, the unit says. It explains that the Ukrainian forces had been ‘gradually exhausted’ by Russian attacks and that there was an imminent risk of the town being surrounded.
Fighting for Vuhledar, which has slowly become a fortress for the Ukrainian military, has been going on for months. Situated on a high hill and consisting mainly of tall concrete buildings, the town’s strategic location makes it a key point for both sides. Not least from an operational point of view, for example for artillery units.
In recent weeks, Russian forces have intensified their attacks, and several reports have confirmed that Russia has taken control of large parts of the city. The Russian defence ministry estimates that Ukrainian forces have lost more than 2,000 soldiers across the front line in the last 24 hours.
#UkraineRussiaWar
* In the direction of Kupjansk, the Russians storm the village of Vyshneve and secure it completely, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense. The Russians are taking advantage of the fact that the front is “divided in two”.
* In the direction of Niu York,… pic.twitter.com/Nov7SvGbdS— Military Summary (@MilitarySummary) October 1, 2024
Not confirmed by Moscow
The Russian defence ministry has yet to officially confirm the capture of Vuhledar, but a Russian security source said on Wednesday that Russian forces had almost completed their “clean-up operation” in the town. According to the source, several Ukrainian units had suffered heavy losses.
Vuhledar, which before the war had a population of around 14,000, is now largely abandoned and destroyed, with only a few civilians remaining. The Ukrainian NGO Deep State also confirmed the fall of the town on Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry has also reported that the village of Verkhnekamenskoye, north-east of Donetsk, has been taken by Russian troops. Verkhnekamenskoye is close to Seversk, a key Ukrainian logistical hub, and its capture marks another setback for Kiev.
The fall of Verkhnekamenskoye comes as the Ukrainian army’s advance into the Kursk region appears to have stalled a few weeks ago. Reports that Russian units have retaken a number of settlements there mean that Ukraine faces a number of difficult decisions and challenges this winter.
Tropas da Ucrânia tiveram ordem de retirada de Vuhledar devido a intensos ataques da Rússia https://t.co/u0RNsBKE7r
— SIC Notícias (@SICNoticias) October 3, 2024
Described as strategically important
Vuhledar has often been described in the media as being of strategic importance to both warring parties, particularly Ukraine. The town is located near major road junctions that have connected important Ukrainian defence lines for years. Due to its topographical location, Vuhledar has also functioned as an important high-altitude fortress – making it difficult to capture.
For the Russians, Vuhledar is considered an important part of the Donetsk offensive, as it controls routes to other strategic points. Previous failed attempts to take the city have resulted in significant Russian losses, but now it seems that they have learnt from their mistakes and changed tactics.
Meanwhile, descriptions of the city’s strategic importance in the Western media have shifted sharply, diminishing as Russia has moved closer to gaining an advantage. Other cities like Bakhmut, Avdiyivka and NyuYork are described in the same way, depending on which army has the advantage at the time.