In Vuhledar, Russia Kept Falling Into the Same Trap

Ukraine is still months out from getting the Abrams and Leopard tanks the US and Germany have promised; tanks Russia dragged out of Cold War-era storage arrived on the battlefield much more promptly—only to be obliterated. The New York Times reports on what Ukrainian officials are characterizing as the biggest tank battle in the year-long war: a 3-week fight near the mining town of Vuhledar, which remains in Ukraine's hands. Officials say Russia's attempt to seize it ended up costing Russia some 130 tanks and armored personnel carriers; they did not provide figures on their own losses. The Times attributes two factors to Ukraine's alleged success: Russian conscripts' inexperience and Ukraine's ambush methods, which Russia has fallen victim to before.

• In terms of the apparent dearth of experienced Russian tank commanders, Ukrainian soldiers say they captured a medic who had been recast as a tank operator.
• Lt. Vladislav Bayak with Ukraine's 1st Mechanized Battalion of the 72nd brigade explains the strategy Ukrainian soldiers used, which included identifying approaching tanks via drone video, putting anti-tank teams armed with infrared- and laser-guided missiles in the tree lines along a dirt road, and mining the adjacent field. As the tanks approached, the shooting began, and tanks that tried to turn around in the field triggered the mines.
• Sky News reports the Ukrainian troops it spoke with in Vuhledar say holding on to the town is key as it gives Ukrainian forces a place from which it can attack Russian supply lines.

Elsewhere in the Donetsk region: A similar scenario is reportedly playing out a mile away in near the town of Mykilske, where Forbes reports a single intersection has morphed into "a bizarre death trap for Russian troops." As in Vuhledar, missile-armed troops hide near the intersection, which has been mined. "But that hasn’t stopped the Russians from trying to cross the intersection. Repeatedly"—and fruitlessly.

story continues below

Meanwhile, the AP reports the Ukrainian military is still fighting to retain control of the key stronghold of Bakhmut. Russia has been hammering it for months, trying to surround the city using skilled troops from the private military company the Wagner Group; CNN reports that as of Tuesday Russia hadn't yet been successful in that effort. (More Russia-Ukraine war stories.)