The Ukrainian Armed Forces has begun partial withdrawal from the key Donetsk city of Toretsk, according to Russian media. No official confirmation has been made by either the Russian or Ukrainian governments about the development. However, a Toretsk senior official said last week that Russian forces have captured 50-60 percent of the city’s territory. The Ukrainian military also acknowledged the precarious situation of the city last week, saying that Russian troops are trying to move into the city’s west after capturing the east.
According to Ukrainian military spokeswoman Anastasia Bobovnikova and military analysts Kyiv Independent spoke to, Ukrainian forces are facing a shortage of troops, weapons, and ammunition in the hilltop city that escaped fighting during the larger part of the Russian invasion, until June. The city had a pre-war population of about 31,000 and only about 1,150 people are left now as evacuation continues. A complete withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the coal mine city will mark a second major success of Russian forces within a month after the capture of the strategic city of Vulhedar earlier this month. It could further complicate logistics in the east, as the city lies atop a hill, overlooking the nearby area.
