Ukrainian forces catch Russian troops in "fire trap" during battle for Velyka Novosilka

The brigade shared the information on its Telegram channel.

The brigade first explains why its fighters "completely withdrew from the city."

"If our artillery and FPV have approximate parity with the enemy, the Russians have a huge advantage in infantry. But we've caused them considerable casualties and continue to bleed them. From areas where encirclement was a threat, our units skillfully withdrew, using the weather to their advantage. This doesn't mean we've completely left the city, as fighting continues in Velyka Novosilka. All actions are aimed at minimizing our losses and maximizing damage to Russian troops," the message states.

Currently, there is no threat of encirclement for Ukrainian units.

At the same time, the fighters with the 110th Brigade continue to strike at Russian forces, which have trapped themselves by entering Velyka Novosilka. The 110th Brigade with the Ukrainian Armed Forces assures that Russian troops will not be able to move forward from there.

"Continuing the offensive from Velyka Novosilka will no longer be possible for Russian troops. It's a typical situation for the Russians – 'the main task is to plant the flag.' The cost and prospects don't matter. The Mokri Yaly River, which created problems for our supply units, has now become an obstacle to the Russian advance. Having entered Velyka Novosilka, the Russians have fallen into a fire trap where they will find no peace; any movement is suppressed by shells and drones," the brigade explained.

"As for the city itself, there are no intact buildings left in the settlement," the 110th Brigade concluded.

Russia’s statement

At 5:11 p.m. Kyiv time on Sunday, January 26, 2025, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov congratulated the command and personnel of the 5th Guards Separate Tank Brigade of the 36th Army and the 40th Guards Marine Corps Brigade of the Eastern Military District on their "successful completion of combat missions in liberating the settlement of Velyka Novosilka in the Donetsk People's Republic."

The settlement of Velyka Novosilka, Donetsk region, had been the last stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the southern front of Donetsk.

• Military expert Ivan Stupak explained why Russian troops succeed in encircling settlements from the flanks, in particular, Velyka Novosilka.
• A few kilometers away, the Zaporizhzhia region begins.