Russians Forced To Retreat On 3 Major Fronts: Pokrovsk, Toretsk, Chasiv Yar

Counterattacking Ukrainian troops have forced Russian units to retreat on three major Donbas fronts: Pokrovsk, Toretsk and Chasiv Yar. 

The Russians are in disarray after repeated fruitless meat attacks have caused them serious manpower, weapons and vehicle shortages. The turnabout is especially notable in these sectors after a year of western media predicting "imminent" Russian capture of those cities, all of which remain in Ukrainian hands. The Russian retreats come at an inconvenient time for Putin, who is trying to convince Trump and the rest of the world that he is on the verge of success, whereas the reality on the ground demonstrates that his military is so degraded it may not be able to continue. JL

Brendan Cole and John Feng report in Newsweek:

Ukrainian troops are making gains along three parts of the front as Russian forces face a manpower shortage and poor command. Specifically, Ukrainian forces are exerting growing pressure on Russian troops in the Donetsk region, counterattacking in several locations across Donbas, including Pokrovsk, Chasiv Yar, and Toretsk. The Russians report serious issues with manpower, depleted by Gerasimov’s endless meat assaults. The reports of Ukrainian gains show that Kyiv's forces have not allowed waning U.S. support for the fight against Russia to have an immediate battlefield impact.

Ukrainian troops are reportedly making gains along three parts of the front as Russian forces face a manpower shortage and poor command.

One pro-Moscow military blogger has lamented how Ukrainian forces are exerting growing pressure on Russian troops in the Donetsk region, as a map shows the latest state of play.

It comes amid recent advances by Ukrainian forces near Toretsk and Pokrovsk and concerns about continued United States aid for Kyiv's war effort.

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment.

Ukrainian servicemen prepare a 2S7 Pion self-propelled cannon to fire toward Russian positions, at a front line in the Donetsk region, on February 22, 2025. GENYA SAVILOV/Getty Images

Why It Matters

The reports of Ukrainian gains show that Kyiv's forces have not allowed the debate about waning U.S. support for the fight against Russia to have an immediate battlefield impact.

The fierce fight in the Donetsk region continues amid warnings that the Trump administration pulling aid could start hurting Ukraine's ability to fight Russia within a few months.

What To Know

The X account War is Translated, which shares battlefield accounts from Russian sources, noted a "devastating" post by a pro-Moscow milblogger about the situation Moscow's troops face near Pokrovsk.

 

The Telegram post described the Russian troops' situation as "extremely difficult" as it complained of a manpower shortage.

While there were slight advances near the city of Chasiv Yar, Ukrainian strikes on logistics were hampering progress, and urban combat was ongoing in the city of Toretsk, the post said.

It also described how Ukraine is dominating the lower airspace with aerial assets such as drones and that Russian soldiers are being "treated like serfs," echoing reports during the war of low morale among Moscow's troops.

 

Junior and mid-level Russian commanders were apparently under constant pressure from their superiors to produce results and had stopped listening to their own troops' complaints.

In its Wednesday update, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank said that Ukrainian forces had advanced south of Pokrovsk, in southwestern Toretsk, while bad weather in the Chasiv Yar direction was making it difficult for Ukrainian drone operators to detect Russian forces.

What People Are Saying

War is Translated, citing a Russian milblogger on X, formerly Twitter: "While Trump is saving Putin, the latter is facing problems on the front lines—AFU are counterattacking in several locations across Donbas, including Pokrovsk, Chasiv Yar, and Toretsk."

 

The Institute for the Study of War, in its Wednesday update: "Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Toretsk and Pokrovsk."

 

What Happens Next

Battlefield gains for Kyiv will deliver a morale boost amid concerns about U.S. military aid, which the Trump administration has paused.

Viktor Kovalenko, a Ukrainian analyst who produces the Ukraine Decoded Substack, told Newsweek that without Washington's assistance, which European partners can partially and temporarily replace, Ukraine can defend itself only until midsummer.

 

The cessation of the aid would immediately impact Kyiv's defense capabilities, as high-intensity hostilities prevent the maintenance of major ammunition stockpiles. However, Ukraine would be able to continue long-range drone strikes in Russia, he added.