Russian forces have been relentlessly attacking Toretsk, a strategically important city in eastern Ukraine, while Ukrainian troops are fighting for control of the city.
The skeletal remains of blasted-out buildings formed eerie shadows in the full moon light as the Ukrainian forces rushed across the ruined city under the watchful eye of Russian drones.
This city, Toretsk, in the Donetsk area of eastern Ukraine, is currently at the forefront of the fight with Russia. Burned-out cars were strewn along the road among holes from artillery strikes.
The steamy July night carried the pungent smell of explosives along with smoke and dust from torn buildings. The sole survivors were the 32nd Mechanized Brigade soldiers, who were fighting a losing battle to retain their ground under a fading Russian barrage in an abandoned pharmacy.
The brigade granted us permission to go with them lately so we could see firsthand the devastation of Toretsk and the difficulties Ukrainian forces confront in defending the city. The only guidelines were that we couldn’t disclose any precise locations or any operational information that may jeopardize security.
“To survive is the most important task for Ukrainians,” stated 28-year-old Maj. Artem Osadchiy, who leads a drone battalion with the 32nd. “This Ukrainian city is to be destroyed by the Russians.”
An arc of devastation that started at the start of the full-scale conflict in February 2022 and has gotten stronger in recent months has been widened by recent advances made by Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
Long-held defensive positions held by Ukraine outside of Toretsk and inside New York, a smaller town a few miles south, were lost, highlighting the increasing pressure that relentless Russian attacks and destructive aircraft bombardment are putting on Ukrainian soldiers.
Moscow continues to take advantage of the shortage of Ukrainian reserves and the time it takes to train and deploy fresh soldiers to the front, even as Kyiv has increased its attempts to mobilize soldiers to replace the tens of thousands killed or injured in combat.
Military experts and American officials have stated that despite Russia’s advances on the front, a significant breakthrough is improbable due to Russia’s inability to consolidate its tiny territorial gains into a broader offensive that may weaken Ukrainian defenses as a whole.
It is also uncertain how long Russia can continue to conduct offensive operations at this pace in light of its enormous manpower and equipment losses. A British military intelligence agency said that over 70,000 Russian soldiers were killed or injured in May and June. This number could not be independently confirmed. According to the source, Russia continued to lose 1,000 men per day in July and would continue to suffer heavy losses until August as it carried out its offensive operations.
Moscow continues to take advantage of the shortage of Ukrainian reserves and the time it takes to train and deploy fresh soldiers to the front, even as Kyiv has increased its attempts to mobilize soldiers to replace the tens of thousands killed or injured in combat.
Military experts and American officials have stated that despite Russia’s advances on the front, a significant breakthrough is improbable due to Russia’s inability to consolidate its tiny territorial gains into a broader offensive that may weaken Ukrainian defenses as a whole.
