Ukraine’s army has pulled out from the village of Urozhaine in the eastern Donetsk region, an official said Thursday, surrendering another front-line position as Russian forces blast Ukrainian defenses in a relentless onslaught.
The village was reduced to rubble which “made it impossible to hold the positions there,” Nazar Voloshyn, a spokesperson for local ground forces, told The Associated Press in a written message. He did not say when the pullout occurred.
Russia seized Urozhaine in the early days of the war that began after Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022. Ukrainian troops recaptured it almost a year ago. Russia’s Defense Ministry had claimed its army retook the village several days ago.
Ukrainian firepower has improved since U.S. lawmakers approved a much-needed military aid package this spring, but it is not yet arriving quickly enough to stop the Russian push, especially in Donetsk.
It’s more than that. Ukraine is leaving because the area is indefensible. How is Russia going to defend that? There’s a reason why “no-man’s-land” exists. You can’t exist there.
Indefensible and worthless. Barren land is often easier to build in than destroyed infrastructure. It’s not great for Ukraine, but having Russia use resources to get something of little or no value is of strategic value for Ukraine. Far better than giving them intact infrastructure.