Advances by Vladimir Putin’s forces in eastern Ukraine gained momentum yesterday with reports that they had taken another key town.
Russian flags were seen flying over New York, a settlement in the Donetsk region named after the American city, after what Moscow’s defence ministry described as “intense action”.
In addition to the headline-grabbing incursion by Ukrainian troops into southern Russia, Kremlin forces have been ravaging Donetsk in recent weeks.
The Russians vastly outnumber the defensive troops in eastern Ukraine and are well supplied with artillery and weapons.
In contrast, Ukrainian units have reported ammunition shortages, leading to rationing.
The pace of Russian operations in Ukraine has accelerated despite a shocking counter-invasion by President Volodymyr Zelensky’s regime.
Russians outnumber the defence troops in eastern Ukraine and are well supplied with artillery and weapons (pictured: Ukrainian State Emergency Service workers extinguishing a fire at an industrial facility in the Ternopil region)
Russia’s rapid advance has already forced tens of thousands of Ukrainians to flee their homes (pictured: a young woman queues to board the evacuation train in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region)
Ukraine’s military chief, General Oleksandr Syrsky, said his country’s forces were “doing everything necessary” in an attempt to protect Toretsk (pictured: a mother and child sitting on an evacuation train in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region)
To escape the advancing Russian forces, Ukrainians boarded trains and buses (Pictured: A woman boards the evacuation train in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region)
Although many observers had expected the Kremlin to withdraw thousands of troops from eastern Ukraine to stem the tide of kyiv’s advance, this has not happened.
These soldiers have remained in place, pressing day and night in an attempt to capture the entire Donetsk province by November, a goal set by the Kremlin.
Russia’s rapid advance has already forced tens of thousands of Ukrainians from their homes, and there were fears last night that Moscow-led troops could also take the industrial town of Toretsk near New York.
Ukraine’s military chief, General Oleksandr Syrsky, said his country’s forces were “doing everything necessary” in a bid to protect Toretsk, while President Zelensky described the situation there as “difficult”.
In the past 24 hours there have been some 14 separate advances by Russian troops in Toretsk and 34 in nearby Pokrovsk, which has a population of 53,000.
The most advanced Russian troops are only six miles from Pokrovsk, according to the latest reports.
Katerina Yanzhula, a government official in Pokrovsk, said: “Russian forces are advancing towards the outskirts, it’s no secret. Maybe the situation there will change somehow.”
“We hope that the enemy will stop and our troops will repel them.”
Vladimir Putin’s Russian troops vastly outnumber those defending in eastern Ukraine and are well supplied with artillery and weapons.
The pace of Russia’s operations in Ukraine has accelerated despite a surprise counter-invasion by President Volodymyr Zelensky’s regime (pictured)
A Ukrainian tank near the Russian border. Ukrainian forces have been conducting a military incursion into Russia’s Kursk region since August 6.
Ukrainian forces are understood to be outgunned in these areas because priority was given to ammunition and equipment for the Kursk invasion.
To escape the advancing Russian forces, Ukrainians boarded trains and buses. Many people were seen crying as they waited to leave. Soldiers helped the elderly and disabled.
Natalya Ivaniuk, who fled her village with her two young daughters, said: “We barely managed to get out. It was terribly scary.”
While the Kursk incursion has allowed Russia to gain valuable territory and score political points, kyiv’s forces are in retreat in Ukraine’s eastern provinces.
Calling once again for Western assistance, President Zelensky said: “If our partners lifted all current restrictions on the use of weapons on Russian territory, we would not need to enter Kursk.”
Its troops are unable to use UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles due to US objections, while the Ukrainians are instead allowed to use their French long-range rockets on Kursk.