The Armed Forces of Ukraine has begun partial withdrawal from the key Donetsk city of Toretsk, according to Russian media.
“The situation for the enemy in Dzerzhinsk (Toretsk) is quite deplorable. They are forced to flee again. Now there is a partial withdrawal of units from the city,” TASS quoted a source as saying.
No official confirmation has been made by either the Russian or Ukrainian governments about the development.
Russia Captures 60 Percent of City: Official
However, a Toretsk senior official said last week that Russian forces had captured 50 to 60 percent of the city’s territory.
“Approximately 40-50 percent of the city can be said to be under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces, while the rest of the territory is captured by the enemy,” Reuters quoted the head of Toretsk city military administration Vasyl Chynchyk as saying.
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.
Shortage of Troops, Weapons
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 situation is very bad, and if our command doesn’t send reserves there in the nearest future, the situation would be very difficult, if not catastrophic,” Ukrainian military expert Mykhailo Zhyrokhov told the outlet.
“We are now in autumn, and the Russians understand that when the weather changes and it becomes impossible to organize logistics, their offensive will stop. So while the weather is more or less okay, they are trying to capture as much as possible,” he added.
Another Loss in a Month
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.