Russia struggles to advance in Toretsk due to strong industrial positions, serviceman says

He shared the information on Espreso TV.

“There is nothing new in the enemy’s (Russia's - ed.) tactics since they captured Bakhmut or Avdiivka,” noted the Ukrainian Armed Forces serviceman. “Initially, the enemy approached Toretsk from one flank, attempting to enter the city through a narrow corridor and expand their positions, which proved largely unsuccessful. As a result, they were forced to approach the city from three or four directions, creating a semi-encirclement to gain access and gradually push our forces out.”

He noted that Russia's tactics remain unchanged, with battles for individual houses, apartment buildings, and even specific floors still ongoing.

“Ukrainian defenders have been holding their ground in urban battles for over a month, as Toretsk, like many other cities in the Donetsk region, is predominantly industrial,” explained Yevhen Iyevlyev. “Setting up positions in the residential sector is one thing, but establishing positions in the industrial zones is entirely different due to the sturdier structures and different quality of buildings and basements. This makes it significantly harder for the enemy to advance and dislodge our forces, especially from positions like the mining facilities scattered throughout Toretsk. Unfortunately, the enemy is advancing closer to the main Toretsk mine, but there is still something to cling to, something to hold on to.”

• On December 28, the DeepState OSINT project reported that Russian troops were advancing in Toretsk and Kurakhove.
• On December 30, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that 186 combat clashes were recorded on the Russian-Ukrainian front on December 29. In the Toretsk sector, Russian troops launched six attacks near Shcherbynivka and Toretsk.