Ukrainian brigade says it minimized losses through strategic retreat from Vuhledar

The evacuation of Ukrainian military personnel, especially the wounded, from Vuhledar took place under the fire and pressure from the flanks, according to Arsenii Prylipka, press officer of the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine named after the Black Zaporozhians. The Brigade did not disclose the number of casualties or its new location.

The “Khortytsia” Operational-Strategic Grouping of Forces reported withdrawal from Vuhledar, Donetsk Oblast, on 2 October. A day earlier, the Donetsk Oblast chief said that over 100 civilians remained in Vuhledar, with occupying forces having reached almost the center of the city at that time. By the end of 1 October, the OSINT aggregator Deep State said Russians captured the city.

Speaking to Radio Liberty, Prylipka described the challenging circumstances:

“The wounded were evacuated, and the conditions were very difficult because the enemy was pressing from the flanks, which greatly complicated logistics. First and foremost, it was about evacuating our servicemen from Vuhledar and from positions to its right and left. But we did evacuate the wounded.”

The press officer acknowledged that there were casualties, but emphasized that by retreating to new defensive lines, they managed to minimize losses as much as possible. He explained that remaining in Vuhledar would have resulted in greater casualties.

Vuhledar marked as captured by the Russian forces as of 2 October 2024. Map: Deepstatemap

Addressing accusations that the order to withdraw from Vuhledar came “too late,” Prylipka defended the command’s decision-making process.

“It’s very easy to blame the command for its decisions without being on the ground and not having information about the situation on the battlefield,” he stated. “Obviously, the enemy won’t wait while we find optimal withdrawal routes. They constantly strike, control, complicate logistics, so decisions are made on the battlefield, so to speak.”

Prylipka also explained why Russian forces had been attempting to capture Vuhledar for two years. The city is situated on high ground and contains numerous multi-story buildings, he said. These conditions are advantageous for conducting reconnaissance and provide a better vantage point for firing on the enemy, making the capture of Vuhledar beneficial for the Russian occupiers.

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