Russian Army Consolidates Positions in Toretsk
Russian troops, Dec. 2024. X/ @qwerty14117587
December 15, 2024 Hour: 11:28 am
The liberation of this city is crucial for the Russian army’s advance toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
On Sunday, the RIA Novosti agency confirmed that the Russian army controls the main buildings in the city of Toretsk, one of its primary objectives in the Donbas region.
RELATED:
Russia Strikes Energy Facilities Linked to Ukrainian Military Industry
.
“As of today, we can say that all the high-rise buildings are under the control of the Russian army,” said Dmitry Pushilin, leader of the Donetsk People’s Republic. Nevertheless, he noted that the fighting in that area remains intense, as Ukrainian forces are still capable of receiving reinforcements.
The liberation of Toretsk—a city whose population has dwindled from approximately 35,000 to just over 1,000 since the start of the war—is crucial for the Russian army’s advance in the coming months toward the north, where Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are located.
In the short term, controlling Toretsk allows Russian forces to advance more easily along the road leading to the stronghold of Kostiantynivka.
Additionally, the Russian army surrounded over 200 Ukrainian soldiers in Kurakhove, a strategic stronghold in the Donetsk region that is on the verge of being liberated by Russian forces, according to reports from local media citing security forces.
Around 700 Ukrainian soldiers are also believed to have been surrounded south of Kurakhove, in the town of Hannivka, according to Vladimir Rogov, a well-known separatist activist in the Donbas.
On Saturday, Russian troops raised the tricolor flag over the city hall building, marking a significant milestone in the conquest of nearly the entire southern Donbas region. This success paves the way for Russians to advance toward Velika Novosilka and the border with the Zaporizhzhia region.
The objective of the sudden acceleration in the Russian offensive in the Donbas is to achieve a stronger negotiating position ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration as U.S. President in January.
teleSUR/ JF Sources: EFE – Ria Novosti
