Russian Defense of Coal Mining Town Toretsk Collapses as Ukraine Advances Beyond City Center

Russian Forces Also Struggling in a 40-Square-Kilometer Pocket Near Pokrovsk

Precise. Relentless. Calculated.

Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief played the long game, absorbing every ounce of pressure Russia unleashed between October 2024 and January 2025. He let them advance, even into mineral-rich territory, knowing they would pay for every inch in blood. Day after day, Russia threw troops into the grinder—losing as many as 2,000 soldiers in a single day.

By the end of January, the toll was undeniable. Russian forces were drained, their offensive momentum stalled. And now, the tables have turned.