On Thursday, October 3, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi announced that he had ordered the strengthening of defenses in the eastern Donetsk region. The day before, the Ukrainian military announced the withdrawal of troops from the town of Muhleidal.
Syrskyi posted on social media platform Telegram, stating that he was working in one of the “most fiercely contested front-line areas” at the 25th Independent Airborne Brigade in Sicheslav, praising the Ukrainian soldiers’ brave resistance against Russian invaders and inflicting significant losses on the enemy.
He said, “During my time with the brigade, I have made a series of decisions aimed at enhancing our defensive capabilities and effectiveness.”
Although he did not disclose the specific location, the brigade is operating on the front line in Pokrovsk, a key area of Russian aggression.
Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Ukrainian forces have been on the defensive for the past two and a half years. The Ukrainian military announced on Wednesday the withdrawal of troops from the coal mining town of Muhleidal, a mountaintop fortress that withstood fierce attacks from Russian forces following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Eastern Military Command issued orders to withdraw from Muhleidal to avoid encirclement by Russian forces and to “protect personnel and military equipment”. Russia extensively uses this strategy to control other Ukrainian settlements.
Zelensky, along with NATO’s newly appointed Secretary-General Mark Rutte, told reporters, “The lives of these soldiers need to be saved because they are our people, citizens of Ukraine. Therefore, their retreat and preservation are very appropriate.”
The appointed governor of the Donetsk region by Russia stated that both sides recognize the strategic value of the town and added that the reconstruction work there will take time.
Despite Ukraine’s sudden invasion of Russia’s western Kursk region in August in an attempt to stall the Russian advance, Russian forces are steadily advancing on multiple fronts in eastern Ukraine.
Moscow’s troops now control less than a fifth of Ukraine’s land. Russian President Putin stated that Moscow’s main tactical objective is to occupy the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Russian forces have been advancing westward towards key points approximately 150 kilometers from the Donetsk front, with the important supply center of Pokrovsk being a major target for Ukrainian forces.
In a nighttime battle report released by the Ukrainian General Staff, the Pokrovsk region remains the most fiercely contested area. The report indicated that Russian forces launched 28 attacks on Ukrainian forces in the region and 23 attacks on the nearby Kyrakov region.
(This article is based on reports from Reuters)