Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from the town of Vuhledar in Donetsk region under the onslaught of the superior forces of the Russian invaders. This was reported by the Khortytsia Operational and Strategic Group of Troops (OSG), according to 
“Having suffered numerous losses as a result of prolonged fighting, the enemy did not give up trying to capture Vuhledar. In an effort to take control of the city at any cost, he managed to send reserves to conduct flanking attacks that depleted the defence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the statement said.
The JFO said that the enemy’s actions had created a threat of encirclement. Under constant pressure and the risk of losing personnel and equipment, Ukrainian troops had to adapt their actions to the new situation.
“The High Command has given permission for a manoeuvre to withdraw units from Vuhledar in order to save personnel and military equipment and take up a position for further actions,” the military added.
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Earlier, it was reported that the enemy ring around the town of Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast was shrinking. Russian troops entered the city from the west and south.
What caused the enemy’s advance
Unfortunately, the Ukrainian army is currently facing a number of problems, military observer Vasyl Pehnyo said in an exclusive commentary to . In particular, there is a shortage of personnel in the brigades defending Vuhledar, for example, in the 72nd Separate Mechanised Brigade.
What does the loss of Vuhledar mean for Ukraine?
First of all, it means the loss of a large fortified area that has been holding back the occupiers for almost two years. Since the Russians moved from Mariupol through Volnovakha and on to Vuhledar, the occupiers have stopped in the south of Donbas.
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Where the Russians can advance next
The capture of Vuhledar will mean further possible Russian advances, similar to what happened after Avdiivka, says military observer Vasyl Pehnyo. He explains that any large enough settlement has the appropriate logistics and infrastructure to defend it. These include hospitals, railways, roads, houses with shelters where personnel can be quartered, where they can take cover, etc. Such points along the entire contact line at the beginning of the Great War were Maryinka, Vuhledar, Avdiivka, Toretsk, Bakhmut, Lysychansk, Siverskodonetsk, etc.
Read more about what the loss of the settlement means for Ukraine and what opportunities the enemy has in store for it in the special report