The battle for Toretsk, once an important mining town, is of strategic importance. Its fall could open the way for Russian troops to the industrial center of Konstantinovka, located 20 km northwest. From there, they could move to the last unoccupied towns in Donetsk region, writes The Telegraph.
Taking these towns would give Russia full control of Donetsk, one of its main goals in the war. This is especially important against the backdrop of negotiations between Moscow and Washington.
The prolonged battle for Toretsk illustrates the general course of the war, which is approaching its third anniversary. It shows how Russia is slowly but steadily advancing despite huge losses. Ukraine estimates that Russia has lost as many soldiers in the past year as in the first two years of the war.
„It is difficult for us to push them back because they do not care how many of their men die,“ said a Ukrainian officer. “If one soldier dies, they just send two more“.
This approach by the Russians explains the high level of casualties not seen in Europe since World War II. The last few months have been the deadliest for the Russian army, with daily casualties sometimes exceeding 1,500.
Russia, with a population four times larger than Ukraine, has mobilized large numbers of prisoners and is effectively recruiting new soldiers. In addition to the troops sent from North Korea, Russia is adding between 600 and 1,000 fighters to its army every day, allowing it to keep 400,000 soldiers on the front line against 250,000 Ukrainians, UNIAN agency reports.
As a result, Russia is currently compensating for its losses by continuing to seize territory in the Donetsk region. The Russian army is advancing slowly on the front, but at a huge cost in human casualties. But Putin doesn't care how many of his soldiers he loses.