Why is Russia pursuing the capture of Vuhledar with such urgency?

Oleksandr Kovalenko shared his opinions on his Telegram channel.

Russian forces' raids on Vuhledar are currently occurring in a "carousel mode," running non-stop 24/7. But the question remains: why the rush?

The fields around Vuhledar are now scattered not only with the bodies of Russian soldiers but also with military equipment. In fact, the scale of Russian losses in this area, both in terms of personnel and machinery, has not been seen for over a year. 

Vuhledar is indeed a critical point for the Russian forces, serving as their first step towards restoring the railroad connection through Volnovakha. Under normal circumstances, by advancing cautiously without reckless surges, they could have reached the town later, possibly by late 2024 or early 2025, and then shifted the focus to rural areas. However, starting from mid-September, the Russian command hastened their offensive, leading to significant losses. "This makes one wonder what is happening elsewhere, particularly in the Kursk region," the observer stressed.

As Kovalenko points out, "the epic counteroffensive of the occupying Russian forces in the Kursk region has completely stalled." The situation has deteriorated so much that Putin had to appoint Bortnikov, the chief of the Federal Security Service, to take control after Secretary of the State Council Dyumin's failure to achieve his objectives.

"If anyone remembers, on the day Dyumin was appointed, I wrote that it was a great decision, as ршь overseeing a military operation is a guaranteed failure. And that's wonderful! That's exactly what happened," Kovalenko emphasizes, highlighting how the counteroffensive in Kursk "fizzled out before it even began."

Putin, however, is desperate for a major victory, especially with his birthday approaching. His planned triumph—the "liberation from Nazis" of the Kursk region—seems unlikely. As a result, the focus has shifted to Vuhledar, where Russian forces are willing to sacrifice thousands of soldiers and hundreds of pieces of equipment to seize control.

Kovalenko concludes that while the offensive on Vuhledar holds not only tactical but also operational-tactical significance, the way it is being executed is driven purely by political motivations. This benefits Ukraine, as the Russian forces are suffering significantly greater losses in personnel and equipment than they would in a more calculated and measured operation.