Where Russians will advance after Vuhledar: British intelligence report
Photo: Ukrainian troops withdraw from Vuhledar this week (Getty Images)
After capturing Vuhledar in the Donetsk region, the Russian troops are likely to continue their offensive. The towns of Bohoiavlenka and Velyka Novosilka may be under threat, according to British intelligence.
On October 1, Russian troops took control of the city of Vuhledar at the intersection of two key fronts - Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk. The capture took place shortly after the Russians resumed their offensive campaign in September. By the end of the month, troops had nearly surrounded Vuhledar and forced the Ukrainian Defense Forces to retreat.
Russia has made sporadic attempts to capture Vuhledar over the past two years, suffering heavy losses in the process. The city is located on a hill, which makes it a good position from a defense standpoint.
“It is likely that Russian forces will attempt to continue advancing beyond Vuhledar in the coming weeks. To the west, one likely objective is the town of Velyka Novosilka, Zaporizhzhia on the T0509 highway. 8 km to the north is the town of Bohoiavlenka,” the British intelligence said.
Photo: After Vuhledar, Russians may attack Velyka Novosilka and Bohoiavlenka (deepstatemap.live)
The loss of Vuhledar
The Ukrainian Defense Forces confirmed their withdrawal from Vuhledar on Wednesday, October 2. Russia tried to take the city at any cost and exhausted the Ukrainian defense during flanking attacks.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it the right step to save the lives of the military.
Read about the consequences for the frontline in the article "Ukraine loses strategic foothold: Why Armed Forces withdrew from Vuhledar and what comes next”.
