Summary and Key Points: Russian forces continue to push forward in the Donbas, focusing on Pokrovsk and Vuhledar, two key logistical and defensive points for Ukraine.

-Vuhledar, a strategic town southwest of Donetsk, has been a target since 2014, with Russian forces making tactical gains despite suffering heavy losses.

-The battle for Vuhledar, a lynchpin in Ukraine’s defenses, has cost Russia tens of thousands of men and substantial military equipment.

-Despite advances in nearby villages, Ukrainian defenses remain resilient. Russian casualties are mounting, with over 1,170 losses in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to over 620,000 since the war began.

Russian Forces Push Toward Vuhledar, Suffer Heavy Losses in Donbas Offensive

The Russian military continues to press forward in the Donbas, making tactical gains and inching closer to important targets.

Pokrovsk is one of those targets. A key logistical point for the Ukrainian military, Pokrovsk is an important part of the Ukrainian defensive line. The Russian forces are within a few miles of the urban center and continue to press for its capture.

However, there is another important town in the area that the Russian military leadership would love to have its hands on before the new year.

The Fight for Vuhledar

Vuhledar is a town in the Donbas and another key point in the Ukrainian defensive line.

“Russian forces have made increased tactical gains around the town of Vuhledar, situated approximately 30km southwest of Donetsk city in eastern Ukraine,” the British Military Intelligence assessed in its latest estimate of the war.

The Russian military has been trying to capture Vuhledar since the start of the war. At the same time, the Russian pro-separatist forces—essentially Ukrainian rebels—have been trying to get to the city since 2014, when the war in Ukraine first began.

On the other end, the Ukrainian military has been trying hard to maintain its foothold on the city because it serves as one of the most important pieces of the defensive line in the Donbas part of the contact line.

“Vuhledar has been a long-term target for Russian forces, which has acted as a lynchpin against Russian advances in southern Donetsk oblast,” the British Military Intelligence added.

Any attempts to capture the town have cost the Russian forces extremely heavy losses. Indeed, the Russian military has suffered some of its highest casualty rates of the entire war around Vuhledar, with tens of thousands of men and thousands of heavy weapon systems.

“Russia has previously made repeated attempts to assault the town, which resulted in heavy losses, but with little territory gained,” the British Military Intelligence stated.

“However, in August 2024, Russian forces made advances to the east and west of Vuhledar, taking control of the nearby village of Prechystivka,  and contesting Vodiane. In the next month, it is likely that Russia will continue attempts to advance around Vuhledar and threaten the town itself,” the British Military Intelligence concluded.

Russian Casualties in Ukraine

In the meantime, the Russian forces continue to take heavy casualties on the ground. For another day, Russian forces lost over 1,000 men in fighting. More specifically, over the past 24 hours, the Russian military, mercenary forces, and pro-Russian separatists lost approximately 1,170 men killed, wounded, or captured, according to the latest data released by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

To this day, the Russian forces have lost over 620,000 men and continue to move forward with brutal certainty to 700,000 losses before the new year.

Moreover, Russian forces have lost, damaged, or destroyed approximately 74 unmanned aerial systems, 72 tactical vehicles and fuel trucks, 21 artillery pieces or multiple launch rocket systems, 13 pieces of special equipment, 9 infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 7 main battle tanks, and 1 air defense system.

About the Author 

Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.

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