Ukrainian forces control 20% of Donetsk’s New York settlement, sources say

UP military sources refute Russian reports on the fall of Donetsk's Niu-York as Ukraine controls 20% of the settlement in the north, while the Russians advance using large reserves.

Aug 20, 2024 - 05:25

Ukrainian forces control 20% of Donetsk’s New York settlement, sources say

ukrainian forces control 20% donetsk's new york settlement sources say situation niu-york (new york) toretsk donetsk oblast 20 august 2024 deestate map niu torest

Ukrainian defense forces, including the 53rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, continue to hold positions in the northern part of Niu-York settlement in Donetsk Oblast, also known as New York, according to sources within the 53rd Brigade and the Luhansk Operational Tactical Group speaking to Ukrainska Pravda (UP) on 20 August.

As Ukraine’s continues its incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, Moscow prioritizes its offensive operations in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast over Kursk, with Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Chasiv Yar directions being the hottest spots of the front.

A source from the 53rd Brigade stated,

“We are in New York, holding the defense. We control approximately 20% [of the settlement]. The Russians are advancing due to a large number of reserves. We kill them, but they keep coming. Unfortunately, we don’t have such reserves.”

Another UP source reported problems with the motivation of military personnel and a “rather high” rate of those who have left their positions in the New York and neighboring Toretsk areas.

Russian forces have reportedly captured a significant portion of Donetsk’s New York in just two months. As of late June 2024, New York and Toretsk were the last settlements where the line of combat engagement remained at the boundaries of the frontline prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), in its 18 August report citing Russian military bloggers, suggested that the occupiers control most of New York and may have “captured the settlement.”

The New York direction has been problematic since the beginning of the Russian summer offensive. In early July, soldiers from the 206th Battalion of the 241st Territorial Defense Brigade (Kyiv), attached to the 41st Separate Mechanized Brigade in the Toretsk direction, reported a lack of proper support from this brigade, according to UP. Subsequently, the 53rd Brigade was sent to reinforce the New York direction, but the situation did not improve.

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