Wuhledar captured

Moscow captures strategically important town in the east

(Bild: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service)

According to pro-Russian military bloggers, Russian soldiers have completely captured the strategically important town of Vuhledar in eastern Ukraine. The Telegram channel SHOT also reported on Wednesday that the town in Donetsk is now controlled by Russian troops. 

The information could not initially be independently confirmed. On Tuesday, a representative of the Ukrainian regional authorities reported that Russian units had reached the center of Vuhledar.

In this video, Russian soldiers can be seen waving the Russian flag on a public building in Wuhledar:

Conquest of Wuhledar is Russia's milestone
The city was long regarded as a stronghold of resistance against the Russian invaders. The capture of Wuhledar, a coal mining town with a pre-war population of around 14,000, would be a milestone for Russia in its takeover of the entire Donetsk region.

Embattled city lies in ruins
The Russian Ministry of Defense did not initially confirm the capture of the city. The Ukrainian armed forces also did not comment on the situation in Vuhledar. The town lies at the intersection of the eastern and southern fronts, which makes it even more important for the supply of troops on both sides. The town is also close to a railroad line that connects the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, annexed by Russia, with the Donbass region. The city has been badly damaged by repeated attacks.

On Tuesday, images were seen of Russian forces hoisting their flag on the roof of an administrative building in the center of Wuhledar. The surrounding area was partially in ruins. In autumn 2022, Russia annexed the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east, Zaporizhzhia in the center of the country and Kherson in the south.