Russian troops on Wednesday seized control of the eastern Ukrainian town of Vuhledar, a stronghold that had withstood intense attacks since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The advance of Moscow's forces, which now control just under a fifth of Ukraine, underscores Russia's significant superiority in manpower and resources, as Ukraine continues to appeal for more weapons from its Western allies.
Ukraine's eastern military command stated that it had ordered a withdrawal from the hilltop coal mining town to prevent encirclement by Russian troops and to 'preserve personnel and military equipment'. The Russian defence ministry did not specifically mention Vuhledar in its daily battlefield report. However, Russian Telegram channels released videos showing troops waving the Russian tricolour flag over the town's damaged buildings.
Before the war, Vuhledar had a population of over 14,000, but it has since been ravaged, with Soviet-era apartment buildings reduced to rubble. The Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper reported that the last Ukrainian forces from the 72nd Mechanised Brigade, known for their resistance, had abandoned the town on Tuesday night. President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia's primary tactical objective is to capture the entire Donbas region, which includes the provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk in southeastern Ukraine.
Russia currently controls about 80% of the Donbas, a region that became the focal point of the conflict in 2014 when Moscow supported pro-Russian separatists after a pro-Russian president was ousted in Kyiv and Crimea was annexed from Ukraine. Since Russia's invasion in February 2022, the war has primarily involved grinding artillery and drone strikes along a 1,000-km front. However, in August, the battlefield dynamics shifted significantly: Ukraine launched an offensive in Russia's Kursk region to divert Russian forces, and Russian troops began advancing more rapidly in eastern Ukraine.
Russian forces have been pushing westward at key points along a 150-km stretch of the front in the Donetsk region, with the logistics hub of Pokrovsk also a major target. They captured Ukrainsk on September 17 and then began encircling Vuhledar, located about 80km south of Pokrovsk. Russia has employed pincer tactics to trap and constrict Ukrainian strongholds. Images from the area depict intense bombardment of the town with artillery and aerial glide bombs. Neither side has disclosed their losses, but both claim the other has suffered heavy casualties.
Control of Vuhledar, situated at the junction of the eastern and southern battlefields, is crucial as it will facilitate Russia's advance as it seeks to penetrate deeper into Ukrainian defensive lines. Russian bloggers suggest that Russia may now attempt to push towards Velyka Novosilka, just over 30km to the west. Vuhledar is also close to a railway line connecting Crimea to the Donbas region. Currently, Russian forces control 98.5% of the Luhansk region and 60% of the Donetsk region.
