Ukraine Forces Achieve Rare Victory in Donbas Region After 11 Months of Russian Invasion

Ukraine’s forces have achieved a rare victory in the Donbas region, confirming a retreat from the town of Soledar on Wednesday. This comes after almost 11 months of Russian invasion in the region.

Vadym Skibitsky, deputy chief of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, told CNN Monday that the Russians have begun dispersing military supplies “across the entire territory of the Russian Federation”, with the Crimean peninsula being used as a logistical hub.

Serhii Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s forces in the east, said the retreat from Soledar was to “preserve the lives of the personnel”. Military analysts believe the appointment of Gen. Valery Gerasimov as the commander of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine is a last throw of the dice by the Kremlin after multiple reshuffles of its military hierarchy.

Ukraine’s officials say the Russians are learning from their battlefield mistakes and making it harder for Ukraine’s missiles to hit their ammunition depots and logistics hubs. This could be a sign of the Russians adapting to the Ukrainian forces’ tactics, making it harder for them to gain ground.

The retreat from Soledar is a modest victory for Ukraine, but the conflict is far from over. The Ukrainian forces will have to continue to be vigilant and adaptive if they are to gain any further ground in the Donbas region.