(BBC News) Russian troops have taken complete control of the eastern city of Vuhledar, which Ukrainian forces have been defending since the beginning of Moscow’s full-scale invasion two and a half years ago.
Ukraine’s eastern military command confirmed on Wednesday that they had told the troops still fighting in parts of Vuhledar to pull back to avoid becoming surrounded.
For more than two years, Russia has been trying to take this city in order to advance further north and reach regional transportation hubs such as Kurakhove and Pokrovsk.
Pro-Kremlin military bloggers had posted several videos the day before showing Russian soldiers with flags on rooftops of different buildings in Vuhledar.
Donetsk regional authorities confirmed on Tuesday that Russian troops had almost reached the city centre, and some reports said Ukrainian forces are still hanging on in some districts.
The BBC has spoken to two soldiers from the 72nd brigade who managed to leave the city before the final assault and take up new positions in the same area. They claim that their troops have withdrawn from the city.
Over the past few days, Ukrainian soldiers had to find their own way out of Vuhledar by foot as it was impossible to evacuate them otherwise, said a machine-gunner who wished to remain anonymous.
Many were wounded and killed by Russian drones and artillery as they tried to leave, another soldier, Roman, said. Many are still missing.
Moscow has launched numerous attacks to seize the city since the start of the invasion, but they all failed until now. One of the biggest tank battles took place there last year.
Instead of launching frontal assaults, the Russian army recently switched to its favourite tactic – advancing along the flanks to surround the target. Last month they seized the village of Prechystivka to the west and Vodyane to the east to complete a pincer movement.
Moscow’s enormous advantage in weapons and troops enabled them to break through Ukrainian defence lines along the flanks and approach Vuhledar.
By Tuesday, about 100 civilians remained in Vuhledar, out of a pre-war population of 14,000, according to Donetsk regional head Vadym Filashkin.
“Thank God, we evacuated all children. Regarding the 107 people who are still there, it’s difficult to reach them and bring them humanitarian aid, drinking water, medicine because an active stage of war is under way.”
Military officials from the 72nd brigade and Ukraine’s operational command in the area refused the BBC’s request to comment.
In their most recent daily briefings, the military’s General Staff kept silent about Vuhledar.
Wednesday morning’s briefing said merely that the “the enemy launched unsuccessful attacks on our positions in Bohoyavlenka’s direction”, without mentioning the situation in Vuhledar.
