«We see how quickly, unfortunately, Toretsk is disappearing» — Luhansk military group spokesperson on the situation in the city

Russians continue their attempts to advance in the city of Toretsk, located in Donetsk Region. Ukrainian troops have been holding back the offensive so far, but since yesterday, the occupiers have made some progress.

Anastasia Bobovnikova, spokesperson for the Luhansk operational and tactical group, shared this information on Hromadske Radio.

«The situation in Toretsk is difficult, to say the least. Urban fighting is challenging and unstable. The Ukrainian military has been holding the offensive so far, but the Russians are bringing in more forces,» Bobovnikova said.

She added that the occupiers are advancing along Tsentralna Street, destroying buildings as they go. This has forced the Ukrainian military to reposition, as there is little left to hold onto in these areas.

«We are clearly seeing the scorched-earth tactics in action,» Bobovnikova stated.

Since yesterday, the occupiers have been advancing in Toretsk, aided by extensive artillery fire. According to Bobovnikova, Russian tactics remain consistent: the city is subjected to artillery bombardment, followed by the deployment of small assault groups.

After the artillery shelling, groups of 3 to 5 Russian soldiers enter the city, attempting to break through its defenses. While most of these groups are eliminated, some soldiers survive and are sent back to attack again. Since the fighting is taking place within the city, the Russians are not digging in, instead relying on small groups to push through.

«They have already wiped out parts of the city, forcing our troops to reposition. The enemy is pressing forward with numbers and sheer mass, and unfortunately, we see that this tactic is working. Toretsk is disappearing right before our eyes,» Bobovnikova added.

She also noted that it is currently difficult to estimate what percentage of Toretsk is involved in the fighting due to the constantly shifting situation.

«One day, the Russians may advance, and the next day, we might push them back. The situation is dynamic, so it would be incorrect to provide any percentages,» she explained.

Number of Russian forces near Toretsk

Bobovnikova emphasized that the number of Russian forces in the Toretsk sector far exceeds that of the Ukrainian troops.

«We are starting to forget that we are at war with one of the strongest armies in the world. We must not underestimate the enemy. They have superior manpower, equipment, artillery, and ammunition,» she warned.

However, in other areas under the control of the Luhansk military, no significant increase in enemy attacks has been observed. In the Chasiv Yar area, «things have even become a bit calmer.»

«That being said, the situation can change very, very quickly,» Bobovnikova cautioned.

As a reminder, the Russians have been actively using guided aerial bombs in the Toretsk sector, sometimes launching up to 20 airstrikes per day. The strike zone of a single bomb is 120 meters.

«Yes, they are using guided aerial bombs. The enemy carried out 14 airstrikes in the Toretsk, Chasiv Yar, and Siverskyi directions. While this may seem like a small number, the kill zone of a KAB is 120 meters, enough to destroy several residential buildings. This is a stable figure for airstrikes—sometimes more, up to 20 strikes, but it’s consistent, plus or minus, every day,» Bobovnikova said previously.