Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers defeated larger Russian force in strategically important town, report claims

The combined might of professional Ukrainian soldiers and local volunteers in a strategic town located in the south of Ukraine defeated a far greater Russian force looking to seize control.

The town of Voznesensk would have given Russia a gateway to the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant and a path to attack Odesa from the back, reported The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

Instead, a two-day battle that began on 2 March between the Russians and Ukrainians in the town turned the tide against the former.

Russian troops had left behind nearly 30 of their 43 vehicles including tanks, armoured personnel carriers, multiple-rocket launchers and trucks, according to Ukrainian officials, who added that they had downed an Mi-24 attack helicopter as well.

Russian troops retreated more than 40 miles to the southeast, where they continue to face fierce resistance from other Ukrainian troops.

Local officials said 10 Russian troops who had dispersed in the forests had been captured.

Officials added that, according to their estimates, 100 Russian troops died in Voznesensk.

Vadym Dombrovsky, commander of the Ukrainian special-forces reconnaissance group in the area who is also a Voznesensk resident, said Russian troops did not expect the Ukrainians to be strong.

“We didn’t have a single tank against them, just rocket-propelled grenades, Javelin missiles and the help of artillery,” he told WSJ.

“The Russians didn’t expect us to be so strong. It was a surprise for them. If they had taken Voznesensk, they would have cut off the whole south of Ukraine.”

Russian troops advancement was stopped, according to Voznesensk’s mayor Yevheni Velichko, by working with local businessmen who dug up the shores of the Mertvovod river that cuts through the town so armoured personnel vehicles couldn’t go past.

Quarry and construction business owners were brought in to block off streets and channel the Russian column into areas that would be easier to hit with artillery.

Russian soldiers also took up civilians homes and used them to set up sniper positions.

Volunteers with territorial defence force worked with the Ukrainian military to give coordinates that would help direct military fire towards the Russians.

Officials said that though the town of 35,000 people were mostly Russian speakers, there was widespread support against the invasion of Ukraine which helped their fight.

“Everyone is united against the common enemy,” Mr Velichko was quoted as saying.

“We are defending our own land. We are at home.”

When the Russian troops retreated from the area, residents have returned to their homes.

Voznesensk district council Spartak Hukasian said the city was no longer near front lines and was limping back to normalcy.

“He who laughs last laughs best,” he said.

“We haven’t had a chance to laugh until now.”

The Independent has a proud history of campaigning for the rights of the most vulnerable, and we first ran our Refugees Welcome campaign during the war in Syria in 2015. Now, as we renew our campaign and launch this petition in the wake of the unfolding Ukrainian crisis, we are calling on the government to go further and faster to ensure help is delivered. To find out more about our Refugees Welcome campaign, click here. To sign the petition click here. If you would like to donate then please click here for our GoFundMe page.