Russia takes Vugledar and deals a moral blow to the Ukrainian army

The town of Vugledar, located about fifty kilometers southwest of the city of Donetsk, in the Ukrainian region of the same name, has relative strategic importance but its loss for Kiev is a significant psychological blow. It once had almost 15,000 inhabitants and its main wealth is coal mines, as its name suggests. Now, after two and a half years of fighting, since March 2022, and continuous siege, Vugledar, which held out like a true fortress, is completely destroyed and, since this Wednesday, under almost total control of the Russian Army.

This is acknowledged by the Kiev authorities themselves and the command of the Ukrainian army, which finally gave permission to the 72nd Mechanized Brigade to withdraw and avoid being encircled after defending Vugledar and suffering significant casualties. "The high command gave its authorization for the withdrawal maneuver to save men, military equipment, and take new positions," wrote on its Telegram channel the Ukrainian unit 'Jortitsa' in charge of the defensive operation.

Vugledar, considered a bastion because it is located on a hill, had special importance for Ukrainians due to its location at the intersection of the eastern and southern fronts and because they fired from there against Russian supply lines. The city is located next to the railway line that goes from Crimea to the industrial areas of Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

Now, according to Russian analysts, the capture of Vugledar opens the way towards the cities of Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia, increases pressure on Ukrainian forces in Kurakhovo, and helps reduce Ukrainian shelling on Yelenovka. At the same time, it will facilitate Moscow's troops' offensive to take Pokrovsk further north, which is vital for Ukrainian forces as it is the logistical hub that supplies units deployed along the front line in Donetsk region.

The Ukrainian expert Ruslan Bortnik estimates that while Ukrainians held the enclave, "they could use their artillery against important transport routes used by invading troops, particularly the Volnovakha-Mariupol road and Azov railway," which Russia is building and should start operating this fall. The train will carry cargo to Crimea and significantly relieve the Kerch bridge, making it a less important target for Ukraine.

However, specialists from the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe that it is unlikely that taking Vugledar "will radically change the course of offensive operations." Unlike Pokrovsk, ISW does not consider this city a particularly important logistical center.