Withdrawal from Vuhledar was controlled, as there are no confirmations of captured equipment and prisoners, Ukrainian military says
The Ukrainian military withdrew in a controlled manner from Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast, and the Russians were too exhausted by their offensive to pursue the Ukrainian forces and capture equipment and prisoners, Ihor Tymochko, the head of the Council of Reservists of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on national television.
The infrastructure of the city was "very badly" destroyed, but there remained about 100 people who refused to evacuate.
Tymochko added that the Russians were never able to surround the city while the Defense Forces were there. The Ukrainian military left there when it ceased to fulfill the role of fortifications due to attacks by guided aerial bombs.
In addition, the advantages of the height on which Vuhledar is located are "minimized", says the military officer, because the Ukrainian troops managed to take positions for defense.
Also, the Russians do not confirm the capture of a large number of Ukrainian equipment and prisoners: "In other words, we can say that the withdrawal was centralized. The Russian troops in this direction were quite exhausted and could not quickly pursue the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Exit from Vuhledar
On October 2, the Ukrainian military command gave permission to carry out a maneuver to withdraw units from the town of Vuhledar in the Volnovakha district of Donetsk Oblast.
On the evening of October 1, hromadske’s sources in the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade defending Vuhledar reported that the Russians had captured the city. However, public broadcaster Suspilne wrote that certain parts of Vuhledar were still under the control of the Defense Forces, although most of the city was already occupied.
Donetsk regional governor Vadym Filashkin, reported in the afternoon that fighting continues within the city. According to him, 107 people remained in Vuhledar. Earlier, Filashkin noted that they flatly refuse to leave. However, according to him, all the children were evacuated.