Russia Retreats Amid Ukraine's Advances In Donetsk. This map based on analysis by the Institute for the Study of War shows Ukrainian advances on Russian positions in Chasiv Yar, Toretsk and near Pokrovsk. Newsweek/ISW/Esri
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.
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.
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This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 10:11 AM.