Russian troops reached Ugledar
Russian troops are on the verge of capturing the town of Ugledar in the Donetsk region of Ukraine after nearly two years of attempts and heavy losses. The Ukrainian garrison defending this strategically important city is tired and in need of support.
Both Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers write that the Ukrainian garrison of Ugledar is in a difficult and dangerous situation. Russian troops are trying to encircle the 72nd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and storm the eastern outskirts of a small front-line town that has long been in ruins.
Forbes military analyst David Ax believes that the Ukrainian garrison, which has been protecting Ugledar for two years, is exhausted and at risk of encirclement, with almost no support or replacement options.
"Ukrainian armed forces are simultaneously attacking Kursk, defending in the east and south. They are very elongated. The 14 new brigades being formed by the army are experiencing a severe shortage of modern equipment," the expert wrote.
Ukrainian and Russian telegram channels have also speculated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces may withdraw from Vugledar, but this has not yet been directly or indirectly confirmed.
"The importance of decarbonisation [for Ukraine], if it happens, could be huge," writes Ukraine's Strana.Ua.
"The Russians tried to capture this city for a long time, but they suffered heavy losses. The main reason for this is that Ugledar is located on a hill, surrounded by mostly steppe, very vulnerable to drones and artillery. At the same time, the city itself is built in a way that is convenient for its defense - it consists of a minimal private sector and high-rise capital buildings, as well as enterprises turned into strong fortifications," Strana.Ua notes.
Coal is of great strategic importance. It is located on a hill and at the junction of two fronts - the Eastern front in the Donetsk region and the Southern front in the Zaporozhye region.
There are also railway tracks 18 km east of the city, along which the Russian army can move its troops and equipment along the Donetsk-Volnovakha line and to the south.
However, as Ugledar remains under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, artillery is capable of carrying out targeted attacks on this important highway.
Related to the topic
-
Putin signed a decree on granting Russian citizenship to foreigners who signed a contract to serve in the Russian Armed Forces and their families
-
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that from January 13 to January 19, the RF Armed Forces carried out 17 group strikes with high-precision weapons, including Kinjal systems, at enterprises of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex.
