Building on their momentum in eastern Ukraine, Russian forces have seized control of the small town of Velyka Novosilka, marking another step in their ongoing efforts to conquer the entire Donetsk region. The Kremlin announced the town's capture on Sunday, while Ukraine's military acknowledged a withdrawal from most of the area, although they maintained a presence on the northern outskirts.
This recent gain, while modest compared to Russia's earlier captures of strategic locations like Vuhledar and Kurakhove, highlights Moscow's effective tactics of leveraging its personnel advantage to conduct relentless attacks, gradually encircling Ukrainian forces and forcing retreats to avoid encirclement.
Maj. Ivan Sekach, a press officer for the Ukrainian military’s 110th Brigade, noted that the Russian approach was tactically sound, as they effectively utilized their capabilities. He emphasized the challenges faced by Ukrainian troops, who were operating with a river at their back, complicating logistics and troop reinforcements.
Experts suggest that the capture of Velyka Novosilka, located at a crucial road junction, will enhance Russia's logistical capabilities in the region, although its small size limits its potential as a base for future offensives. Meanwhile, fighting continues in the northeast town of Toretsk, which is strategically significant for further Russian advances into northern Donetsk.
In response to the escalating challenges in the east, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi to oversee the units engaged in combat within the Donetsk region, highlighting the intensity of the ongoing battles.
The fall of Velyka Novosilka, which had a prewar population of 5,000, was facilitated by the earlier loss of Vuhledar in October, a key defensive position for Ukraine. By mid-January, Russian forces had encircled Velyka Novosilka, cutting off all access routes to the town.
Despite the overwhelming odds, Ukrainian forces held the town for an additional two weeks, engaging in urban combat to inflict maximum losses on Russian troops before ultimately withdrawing. Major Sekach reported that Russian forces employed small-scale infantry assaults, complicating detection and targeting efforts by Ukrainian drones and artillery.
While Ukrainian forces managed to retreat under the cover of fog, military expert Pasi Paroinen expressed skepticism about the ease of this withdrawal, suggesting that many Ukrainian soldiers may have been killed or captured during the process. He anticipates that Russian forces will now aim to advance north towards a key highway that supplies Ukrainian units in the area.