Russia captures key Donbas town amid heavy losses

Russian forces have captured the settlement of Kurakhove in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast after two months of relentless offensive operations.

“Russian forces have likely seized Kurakhove following two months of intensified offensive operations aimed at seizing the settlement and eliminating the Ukrainian salient north and south of the settlement,” the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed in its latest analysis of the conflict.

Kurakhove, a strategic point in Ukraine’s defensive line, has been under sustained assault by Russian troops. Moscow reportedly deployed up to 36,000 troops to secure the settlement and weaken Ukrainian positions in the area. However, the operation came at a high cost. “The losses the Russians have sustained in Kurakhove are unsustainable in the long term,” said Ukrainian military spokesperson Serhiy Cherevatyi. “They throw waves of men and equipment at us, but for every inch they gain, they pay with dozens of lives.”

The ISW also highlighted the challenges Russia faces following its advance: “Russian forces may struggle to advance rapidly further west of Kurakhove along the H-15 Kurakhove-Pokrovske highway should Ukrainian forces choose to defend in the Kurakhivska TPP and Russian forces fail to outflank Ukrainian positions.”

Despite their success in capturing Kurakhove, Russian forces are unlikely to achieve a significant breakthrough. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the situation, saying, “We may lose positions temporarily, but Ukraine’s resilience remains unbroken. Each inch they take costs them dearly, and their progress is measured in blood.”

Meanwhile, Russian losses across the broader front remain staggering. Over the past 24 hours alone, Moscow reportedly lost approximately 1,650 troops killed or wounded, alongside 82 tactical vehicles, 28 drones, 22 artillery systems, 18 armored personnel carriers, and 14 main battle tanks. Cumulatively, Russia’s casualties since the start of the invasion have exceeded 785,000 personnel, with more than 200,000 killed.

Despite these mounting losses, the Kremlin shows no sign of altering its strategy. ISW analysts describe Russia’s approach as one of attrition: “Since the Russian military is incapable of achieving an operational breakthrough via maneuver warfare, attritional tactics, such as human wave attacks, are the Kremlin’s only reasonable option.”

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov condemned Russia’s tactics as “barbaric and inhumane,” stating, “This is not warfare; it is slaughter. They treat their soldiers as expendable cannon fodder, sacrificing them for symbolic victories while the world watches.”

As the fighting continues, Zelensky emphasized Ukraine’s resolve. “We will continue to defend our land, no matter the cost. Each soldier, each life lost to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty, strengthens our determination to ensure their sacrifices are not in vain,” he said.