Russian Forces Conquer Important Mining City of Toretsk in Donetsk Region – Ukrainian Defenders Resisted for 5 Months

As the world’s attention is now focused in the upcoming peace negotiations between the US and Russia, with the subsequent ceasefire and eventual end of the war in Ukraine, the combat operations continue all along the 600-mile frontline.

Russian Federation forces continue to advance over the crumbling Ukrainian defenses, and as a result of no less than 5 months of siege, troops from the ‘Center’ group conquered the city of Dzerzhinsk (Ukrainian name Toretsk), an important mine town in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

“The corresponding statement was published on Friday, February 7 by the press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

‘As a result of active offensive actions … the city of Dzerzhinsk of the Donetsk People’s Republic has been liberated’, the report says.

The Ministry of Defense clarified that units of the 1st, 9th and 132nd Guards separate motorized rifle brigades of the 51st Army and the volunteer formation ‘Veterans’ of the Center group of forces participated in the liberation of the city.”

“Russia calls the city, which had a pre-war population of around 30,000 people, by its Soviet-era name of Dzerzhinsk and says Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, where it is located, is now part of Russia, a claim Kyiv rejects as absurd.

Ukrainian military analysts say that capturing Toretsk, which is on high ground, could allow Russian forces to further complicate logistics for Ukrainian forces in much of the east and to advance to the northwest towards the regional logistics hub of Kostiantynivka, which links to several key cities.”

The majority of Toretsk’s civilian population fled or was evacuated, and a good percentage of the city’s buildings are pulverized or badly damaged.

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The complete transcript.

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[ Urban Hell: Ukrainian Raids Stop Russian Breakthrough ]

Today [ Feb 06, 8 pm ], there is interesting news from Toretsk.

Here, as Russian forces intensify their efforts to capture Toretsk, Ukrainian defenders continue to hold on to formidable strongholds in the city, preventing any significant Russian breakthrough.

With the enemy attempting to push westward, elite Ukrainian assault squads conduct devastating raids on Russian positions to prevent them from taking control of the city.

The main goal for Ukrainians is to keep Russian forces contained within Toretsk, preventing them from using the city as a staging ground for further advances westward. If Russians secure the outskirts, they could exploit roads and open terrain to push westward, threatening Ukrainian defenses.

By holding strong positions and launching raids in the city, Ukrainian troops keep the fighting contained, denying Russians the ability to break out into more favorable terrain.

To achieve this, Ukrainian forces have withdrawn to defensible strongholds within the city’s outer edges, allowing them to concentrate their firepower and resources more effectively. In addition to static defense, they conduct frequent mechanized raids into the outskirts, preventing the enemy from consolidating control over it.

One of the biggest challenges Ukrainian defenders face, is the sheer numerical superiority of Russian forces. The enemy has been able to flood Toretsk with infantry, sweeping through the suburbs and finding gaps in the Ukrainian lines. Reports indicate that Russian troops often advance in small groups of 3-4 men, moving in waves to wear down Ukrainian defenses. While this strategy comes at a high cost in Russian casualties, it leads to near-continuous engagements.

To adapt to the Russian strategy, Ukrainian forces have maximized their defensive ability by concentrating their forces around several strongholds in the city, closing off gaps previously exploited by Russian troops. Ukrainians also have well-defensible fortifications built up behind these strongholds, securing their rear from Russian flanking attacks.

Intense clashes have erupted in Toretsk’s northern industrial sector, where Russian forces are attempting to push forward, but face fierce Ukrainian resistance.

In one engagement, Russian troops breached a mine held by Ukrainian defenders, sparking a brutal close-quarters battle. Outnumbered and unable to suppress the assault with FPV drones alone, Ukrainian forces called in armored support. A tank arrived, shelling the Russian-held position and eliminating the attackers, securing the area once again.

Another significant advantage for Ukraine in Toretsk, is the presence of elite brigades with superior training, armored vehicles, and advanced weapons systems. Additionally, Ukrainian drones dominate the skies over Toretsk, making it nearly impossible for Russian forces to deploy armor in support of their infantry, as soldiers on the ground report that Russians currently cannot move any vehicle through Toretsk without being hit.

Ukrainian forces have capitalized on Russian vulnerabilities by launching frequent mechanized raids against enemy positions on Toretsk’s outer edges. In one recent operation, Ukrainian troops used an Oncilla armored vehicle to mine a Russian position within a building, blowing it up, eliminating enemy forces, and discouraging them from reinforcing their positions.

In another assault, a combined force of a T-64 tank, a Bradley infantry fighting vehicle, and a Senator MRAP launched an assault, with the tank opening fire with its main gun, drawing attention away from the assault group, allowing them to carry out their operation successfully, capturing 4 prisoners and clearing the area. These raids prevent Russian forces from consolidating their control, inflict heavy casualties, and disrupt enemy plans.

Recent Ukrainian operations have focused on targeting and engaging Russian troops before they can entrench themselves in buildings. In one instance, Ukrainian special forces conducted a nighttime raid on Russian positions, using suppressive fire to pin down enemy troops before clearing the building.

Overall, while the situation in Toretsk remains difficult, Ukrainian forces are executing an effective active defense strategy by stalling Russian advances while reinforcing the next layer of defenses behind the city. With drone surveillance constantly monitoring Russian movements, Ukrainian forces strike at key moments, inflicting damage and retreating before the enemy can respond effectively.

This strategy has successfully contained the battle within Toretsk for weeks, preventing the enemy from breaking out into open terrain. Every day the Ukrainians delay the Russian advance, which allows for a stronger defensive line to be built further in the west.

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