Today, there are many interesting updates from the Toretsk direction. Here, with Russian forces weakened and stretched thin, Ukraine is pressing forward in Toretsk with a coordinated and relentless assault. Using precision airstrikes, artillery, and elite ground units, еhey are systematically dismantling Russian defenses, paving the way for the next phase of their offensive.
The Ukrainian forces aim to capitalize on the weakened Russian presence and retake Toretsk. This would disrupt Russian plans, forcing them to prematurely commit reserves that are being gathered for a summer offensive on Kostiantynivka. By drawing Russian forces into another costly battle for Toretsk, similar to their previous failed attempts, Ukraine could drain Russian manpower and resources, effectively resetting their progress. If successful, this would indefinitely delay Russian offensive plans for Kostyantynivka, keeping them locked in a stalemate while Ukraine maintains momentum in other front sectors.
Ukraine deploys elite units, strikes hard
To keep Russian forces at bay in the Toretsk area, Ukraine is deploying some of its most elite assault units, including the Azov Brigade, in a coordinated, combined arms warfare strategy. This means Ukrainian forces are not only conducting infantry assaults but also integrating air support, artillery, and drone strikes to maximize their battlefield effectiveness.
By using guided bombs to demolish fortified Russian positions, Ukraine has managed to inflict heavy casualties and disrupt enemy assault plans. Even when some Russian troops survive these strikes, they are left scattered and disorganized, and their defensive positions are rendered useless, making it significantly harder for them to launch counterattacks.
Meanwhile, Russian infantry squads operating outside their fortified positions are quickly detected by Ukrainian reconnaissance drones and exposed to precise artillery fire. In many cases, just one or two well-placed shells are enough to eliminate entire squads. As Russian soldiers started maintaining more distance between each other to avoid becoming a target for artillery, Ukrainians extensively deployed FPV kamikaze drones, which are capable of picking off enemy soldiers one by one with precision, ensuring that even dispersed units remain vulnerable.
Ukraine crushes Russian holdouts, gains ground
This operation suppressed Russian forces trapped in isolated holdouts, as fear of Ukrainian strikes kept them from moving in the open, allowing Ukrainian armored vehicles to navigate the streets with minimal risk. This, in turn, enables the deployment of demolition squads who systematically identify enemy hideouts. Once located, they place large explosives made from repurposed anti-tank mines as demolition charges, effectively leveling the fortified positions and eliminating the Russian troops inside.
Additionally, the Azov Brigade had been deployed to the southern flank of Toretsk and had announced that they had completed their clearing operation at Shcherbynivka and Leonidivka, where isolated Russian squads that had failed to capture the settlements ended up trapped in basements for months. The Brigade’s stormtroopers conducted cautious advances using small arms fire and grenades to flush the Russian troops out of their positions. Those who chose to fight were swiftly eliminated, while others surrendered, allowing Ukrainian forces to secure complete control over the villages.
With stable control over Shcherbynivka and Leonidivka, Ukrainian forces have secured the southern flank of their Toretsk offensive, enabling more aggressive maneuvers in the Zabalka micro-district. Control of this district allows Ukrainians to exert more pressure on the Russian southern flank, forcing them to redeploy additional reserves and further extend their defensive lines.
Overall, the Ukrainian forces managed to suppress the Russian forces in the Toretsk area through aggressive and well-coordinated combined arms warfare, using aviation and artillery combined with ground raids by stormtroopers and demolition squads. The completion of the Shcherbynivka and Leonidivka clearing operation has fulfilled the Azov Brigade’s task at Toretsk, as they were deployed here precisely to address the Russian threat and are now free to either continue their actions in Toretsk or be redeployed to use their skills in the many other directions where Ukrainians are slowly regaining the initiative.
These actions are disrupting Russian preparations for their planned summer offensive on Kostiantynivka. Complete control of Toretsk is necessary for them to consolidate forces and equipment. Instead, Russian commanders are being forced to divert more reserves into the ongoing battle for Toretsk, risking a complete loss of the city under increasing Ukrainian pressure.
In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
