Battle of Toretsk

The battle of Toretsk is an ongoing engagement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine between the Russian Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of Ukraine for control of the city of Toretsk and the satellite cities east of it of Pivdenne, Zalizne, Druzhba, Pivnichne, and Shumy, and the settlement south of it of Niu-York, beginning on 18 June 2024. The effort to control the city is part of a renewed effort to capture portions of Donetsk Oblast and, according to a Ukrainian military spokesman, an attempt to flank the highly contested city of Chasiv Yar from the south.

First attacks and capture of Shumy (18 June – 1 July)
The first offensive engagements in the direction of Toretsk by the Russian Armed Forces began on 18 June 2024, when the settlements of Pivdenne, Pivnichne, and Niu-York saw the first assaults in recent months. Ukrainian officials the same day reported a "sudden increase" in Russian attacks in the main city's direction. DeepStateMap.Live showed on 18 June a Russian advance in the general direction of Druzhba and Pivnichne.

Russian milbloggers first claimed advances of Russian forces in the Toretsk direction on 19 June, including an advance into Pivnichne, although these claims were not corroborated by western sources. Russia continued to assault the settlements coming under fire the previous day, and in addition the localities of Zalizne, Druzhba, and Shumy.

On 20 and 21 June, Russian forces continued assaults on cities surrounding Toretsk, and Russian sources claimed an advance up to southern Niu-York. Nazar Voloshyn, a Ukrainian Armed Forces spokesperson, on 21 June analyzed that the new Russian offensive was likely an attempt to "develop an offensive" on the contested city of Chasiv Yar from the south.

DeepStateMap.Live showed and a Ukrainian source reported on 21 June that Russian forces had captured Shumy, and Russian milbloggers continued to claim advances in Pivnichne, as well as in Pivdenne and Druzhba on 22 June. On 23 June, the claims of Russian advances in Pivnichne, in addition to the seizure of Shumy, were confirmed by a Ukrainian military observer.

Russian forces advanced near Druzhba on 24 June, and continued attacks in Pivnichne, Pivdenne, and Niu-York. Russian sources claimed on 26 June further advances in Pivnichne and Druzhba, and an advance in the direction of southern Niu-York. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on 27 June analyzed that advancing in Toretsk was not currently a major priority for Russia, as they had not committed many forces to the operation so far, and assessed that major Russian gains in the area would not be likely to come quickly. Russian sources claimed on 27 June that Russia had reached outer Zalizne and entered Niu-York, although the latter claim would not be confirmed by non-Russian sources until early July. Toretsk was claimed by a Russian source to be 1.5 kilometers from the frontline due to recent Russian advances, but this was refuted by the ISW who assessed on 28 June that Russian forces were around three kilometers from Toretsk.

On 29 June, Russia made slight gains in Druzhba, and Russian sources claimed advances near Pivnichne, Pivdenne, and Zalizne. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed on 30 June that their forces had advanced through Pivnichne by making a surprise attack on Ukrainian positions by bypassing land through an underground tunnel. A Ukrainian military observer stated that the Russian advance in the Toretsk direction on 30 June was 2.6 kilometers, and noted that the advances in Pivdenne by Russia had encountered "little resistance".

Entrance into Niu-York and further advances (2 July – present)
DeepStateMap.Live showed on 2 July that Russian forces advanced around four kilometers towards Niu-York, the first confirmed advance near the settlement, and in the process occupied parts of the village of Yurivka. A Russian and Ukrainian source both reported similar advances. Russian forces on 3 July and the days prior advanced significantly in the Toretsk direction from the east, reaching and contesting eastern Pivnichne and Druzhba.

Toretsk itself first came under Russian pressure on 5 July through additional Russian advances in Pivnichne and Druzhba, but is not yet contested and has not been entered by Russian forces.

By 12 July, Russian forces had further advanced in Niu-York and were contesting the central portion of the settlement. A Ukrainian spokesperson stated a Russian decrease in prioritization of the battle of Chasiv Yar, and that more effort was being given to advance towards Toretsk. Russia continued to attempt to advance towards Toretsk from both Niu-York in the south and the collection of villages in the east on 12 July. The ISW reported that central Zalizne had been reached by Russian forces on 13 July, and Russian sources claimed further advances near Pivnichne.

On 17 July, Ukrainian forces recaptured territory southeast of Niu-York along a windbreak. The same day, Russian sources claimed further advances in southern Niu-York, and confirmed Russian advances were made on 18 July in the eastern portion of the settlement. Russian sources claimed advances in Druzhba, Pivnichne, and Zalizne as well. On 19 July, Russia made further confirmed advances in eastern Druzhba, particularly along Petra Velykoho Street, and Pivnichne. Advances were claimed by Russian sources in Zalizne and southwestern Niu-York as well.

Casualty claims
On 15 July, Nazar Voloshyn, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military's Khortytsia group claimed that Russian casualties over the previous week in the "Toretsk sector" amounted to 635 personnel killed, 855 wounded, and 12 prisoners of war. On the morning of 16 July, Voloshyn claimed that Russia had lost 224 more personnel – with 72 killed, 147 wounded, and five POWs.