The “steel hundred” stops an army larger than most of Europe’s. The defense of Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast has become a symbol of Ukrainian resilience and a glaring military failure for Russia.
Moscow’s spring-summer offensive prioritizes the redeployment of major Russian formations to the Toretsk sector. The city is seen as a gateway to deeper advances into Ukrainian-held territory and a key to the Kremlin’s goal of occupying all of Donetsk Oblast.
According to Serhii Khominskyi, the press officer of the 100th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the Russians have lost over 20,000 troops killed and more than 50,000 wounded during ten months of fighting near the city.
“Toretsk has been holding out for ten months. In that time, the enemy has suffered absolutely catastrophic losses from a military perspective,” Khominskyi emphasized on Hromadske Radio.
Despite relentless pressure, overwhelming numbers, and endless waves of assaults, the Russians have failed to advance even a single kilometer.
The soldiers of the “steel hundred”— the 100th Mechanized Brigade, together with other units, have firmly held the line, breaking Russian attacks and destroying both manpower and equipment.
“If you look at the size of many European or NATO armies, you’ll see that a number of them have fewer than 50,000 troops. And yet the occupiers have already lost over 70,000 near Toretsk — and still haven’t achieved their objective,” Khominskyi said.
Ukrainian troops continue to demonstrate exceptional coordination, resilience, and combat skill — making Toretsk an unbreakable stronghold on the eastern front.
