Ukrainian withdrawal from Vuhledar highlights Western delays

"Where is it located?" the military officer asks rhetorically. Vuhledar, defended for nearly two years by soldiers of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade, has finally been taken by the Russians, as confirmed by the Ukrainian command.

"We discuss a place that's hard to find on the map and assign it some extraordinary significance," says Gen. Roman Polko, former commander of GROM, to Wirtualna Polska.

"Despite suffering numerous losses due to prolonged fighting, the enemy did not give up trying to capture Vuhledar. In their efforts to seize control of the city, they managed to send reserves to conduct flank attacks that weakened the defence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As a result of enemy actions, the city faced the threat of encirclement," stated the Ukrainian operational-strategic group Chortyca in a report regarding the "withdrawal" from the city.

Earlier reports emerged directly from one of the city's defenders from the 72nd brigade, who spoke about the soldiers' dire conditions. The military personnel were deprived of ammunition and support. "We simply had neither the manpower nor the means to fight," said the soldier anonymously. According to his account, the city's fall became inevitable about 2-3 months ago. The fighting groups maintained positions sometimes at just 10% personnel capacity. Under these circumstances, it was no longer possible to function, leading to the eventual fall of the city.

Gen. Polko says the city's loss is not significant. "It certainly does not have strategic importance and no operational significance," he emphasizes.

The fall of Vuhledar does not represent a significant territorial gain. Before the war, several thousand people lived in the city, mostly associated with nearby mines. Analysts tracking the progress of Russian troops in Ukraine calculated that over the course of a year (as of 1 October 2024), the Russians captured 0.1% of Ukraine's territory.

According to these calculations, as of 1st October 2023, Russia controlled 111,123 square kilometres of Ukraine. A year later, this increased to 112,738 square kilometres.

These small territorial successes, however, were achieved at the cost of enormous losses, running into tens of thousands of dead and wounded. "Parties are fighting, of course, to capture footholds and communication hubs. However, it's a war of attrition," says Gen. Polko bluntly. "Let's hope it's an attrition of Russian capabilities," he adds.

The expert simultaneously emphasises that the fall of Vuhledar should be viewed as a symptom of inadequate support coming from the West for Kyiv. "Aid is reaching the area inadequately, too late. Additionally, restrictions are being imposed on Ukraine. I think the Middle East is more significant for Ukraine than Vuhledar," he points out.

The general also highlights the urgent need to enhance air operation capabilities. "Ukraine didn't have these capabilities. Overcoming these disparities is crucial because Russia can act with impunity in Ukraine," he emphasises. The military officer is referring here to lifting the restrictions imposed by the West in the context of strikes on targets in Russia.

"I think the takeaway for the West, which doesn't want Ukraine to lose, is to lift these restrictions on striking military targets in Russia. Then they (the Russians - editor's note) will have to withdraw some of their forces, reducing their capability to conduct operations like those in the Donbas," Gen. Polko emphasises.

"The West must end its opportunistic actions," says the expert to WP. "The West must consolidate. We can afford it. Two or three percent of GDP for defence is insufficient. Western countries spent up to 10% of GDP during the Cold War," he concludes.