Ukrainian forces faced tactical encirclement in Vuhledar, new 72nd Brigade commander explains
Ukrainian troops faced a tactical encirclement in Vuhledar, Donetsk Oblast, as Russian forces outnumbered them nine to one, according to the new commander of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade, Oleksandr Okhrimenko, in an interview with Glavcom.
Okhrimenko took command of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade on September 28, just before the brigade's withdrawal from Vuhledar, although the official announcement of his appointment was made on October 7.
"I want to note that I took command of the unit at a very difficult time: after September 27, the situation in which the 72nd was carrying out its combat tasks was very tense, especially on the flanks, which made it impossible to hold Vuhledar any longer. Essentially, it was already a tactical encirclement – carrying out evacuations and resupplying ammunition was extremely difficult," Okhrimenko said.
He noted that the reserves, which could have been deployed earlier, were already under enemy fire by September 27-28, and in some areas, the enemy was using large-caliber weapons.
"With the forces and means at our disposal, it was objectively impossible to hold Vuhledar. On the other hand, the situation in southern Donbas had changed by the end of September, making the defense of Vuhledar less significant," Okhrimenko said.
He emphasized that when he took command, an assessment of the situation was conducted, including an evaluation of the enemy's forces and resources. The Ukrainian Defense Forces faced Russian units including the 36th Motorized Rifle Brigade, the 39th Motorized Rifle Brigade, the 57th Brigade, the 91st Rifle Regiment, and other units.
The commander noted that the enemy had an advantage in tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery systems, anti-tank weapons, and personnel.
"Any theoretical calculations show that with a force ratio of 1:3, the enemy gains an advantage. Here, near Vuhledar, it was 1:9. Objectively, you can understand the chances of holding this settlement and the defense line within the brigade's area of responsibility," he added.
On October 2, the Ukrainian Armed Forces officially announced that the Defense Forces had withdrawn from Vuhledar.
The following day, the 72nd Brigade, which defended the city, provided details of the withdrawal from Vuhledar. According to the military, the enemy was pressing from the flanks, and the situation was complex.
On October 6, the former commander of the 72nd Brigade revealed that the Russians had a tenfold advantage in artillery around Vuhledar.