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The town of Maryinka located on the western outskirts of the Donetsk agglomeration remains one of the main battlefields on the Donbass front lines, where heavy fighting has been ongoing for months.
The main stage of the battles on the outskirts of Donets began in summer, after the joint Russian, DPR and LPR forces completed the mop up operations in the Severodonetsk-Lisichansk region in the LPR and after a short rest reinforced military positions in the DPR. In their turn, the AFU were forced to transfer their troops and equipment to defend their heavily fortified positions in the area.
At the ent of the year, the Russian military claimed some successes in Maryinka. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) were reportedly repelled from the central districts of the town and were forced to withdraw to the western areas. As a result, Russian forces cut off the road to Krasnogorovka where battles are ongoing on the eastern outskirts.
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So far, motorized rifle units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to push the enemy to the western outskirts of Maryinka. Bloody street fighting is ongoing on the ruins.
Ukrainian soldiers are establishing their firing points in the multi storey buildings in an attempt to stop Russian infantry. Ukrainian positions are detected and destroyed by Russian artillery:
Several videos showing the street fighting in Maryinka were shared by Russian military sources:
Ukrainian servicemen are showing the destruction too:
Russian drones and artillery are hunting Ukrainian soldiers:
Ukrainian forces hit Russian 2S4 Tyulpan 240 mm self-propelled heavy mortar full of ammunition deployed on the outskirts of Maryinka. Despite the threat of detonation, Russian servicemen managed to extinguish fire:
The battle for Maryinka is of strategic importance for Russian advance in the Donbass. Russian control of the town will allow the Russian military to pincer the AFU grouping on the western outskirts of the Donetsk agglomeration. In the case of success of the Russian mop up operation in Maryinka and Krasnogorovka, Russian forces are expected to advance along the road to the west towards Kurahovo where a strategically important railway junction is located.
Russian victory in Maryinka will also deprive Ukrainian forces from opportunity to defense their positions in the town of Ugledar located to the south of Maryinka. Russian forces have already taken control of the village of Pavlovka and they are fighting near Konstantinovka. Russian forces yet to launch any major offensive in Ugledar so they are likely waiting for the end of operations in Maryinka which will allow to secure the road between the two settlements.
