Ukrainian Armed Forces recapture Toretsk as Russian troops withdraw

Forbes writes about this. 

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stood his ground against Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance during a tense Oval Office press conference, where Trump insisted Ukraine was “not in a very good position.” But on the battlefield, Ukraine is counterattacking in key areas along the 800-mile front.

One of the most significant gains is in Toretsk, a strategic mining city in the Donetsk region. Russian forces captured the ruined city in early February, declaring it a victory. However, within two weeks, Ukrainian troops launched a counteroffensive and swiftly re-entered the city.

A Russian military blogger unintentionally exposed Ukraine’s progress while attempting to downplay the situation. “The crests decided to counterattack... The enemy was eliminated!” he wrote. However, the video he posted showed Ukrainian troops not on the outskirts, but in central Toretsk.

“Fighting continues in the city center, and the enemy is losing control,” noted the Estonian analyst WarTranslated. Reports suggest some Russian troops are surrounded.

Moscow had shifted reinforcements to Toretsk after its forces were repelled near Pokrovsk. Yet, even with additional troops, Russian regiments are retreating.

Trump told Zelenskyy, “You’re buried there. You’re running low on soldiers.” While Ukraine faces manpower challenges, the battlefield tells a different story — Ukrainian forces are not just holding ground; they’re advancing.