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Zelensky: Ukraine deals heavy losses to Russia in Vuhledar direction

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Zelensky: Ukraine deals heavy losses to Russia in Vuhledar direction
A Ukrainian soldier fires from 82mm mortar toward the Russian position near Vuhledar, Donetsk Oblast, on April 21, 2023. Illustrative purposes only. (Sergey Shestak/AFP via Getty Images)

Russian forces attempted to advance in the Vuhledar direction in Donetsk Oblast but were fought off by Ukrainian defenders, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Nov. 2.

Moscow's troops suffered heavy losses as a result, including "dozens of vehicles and many killed and wounded," Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel.

Vuhledar, a Ukrainian-held front-line town around 50 kilometers southwest of occupied Donetsk, was the site of a major Russian defeat in early 2023 as attacking forces reportedly lost thousands of soldiers and over 100 armored vehicles.

Ukraine also continues its offensive operations in the south and defensive operations near another Donetsk Oblast's front-line town, Avdiivka, Zelensky said.

Russia intensified its attacks against and around Avdiivka in early October in an attempt to encircle the town. This resulted in heavy Russian losses in both manpower and equipment, Kyiv said.

According to the U.S.-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the situation around Avdiivka illustrates the Russian military command's inability to learn from past mistakes.

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Martin Fornusek

Assistant Editor

Martin Fornusek is an assistant editor at the Kyiv Independent. Until recently, Martin held the role of foreign affairs reporter specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, focusing on developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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