Confusion and discontent: Ukrainian troops claim no official withdrawal order issued amid Vuhledar retreat
In what appears to be growing discontent among Ukrainian forces, social media posts by Ukrainian soldiers indicate that despite understanding the need to pull back from Vuhledar in the Donetsk region, no official withdrawal order was issued. "Everyone in the city and around it knew that a retreat was imminent, yet no order to withdraw came through. Where are we retreating to? Who the hell knows. As long as the enemy can push us back, we'll keep moving backward," wrote Ukrainian serviceman Mykola Voroshnov on Facebook.
Journalist Yuriy Butusov backs these claims, confirming that no order for withdrawal from Vuhledar was issued, as shared on Censor.net. During a northern front-line breach, Russian forces reportedly captured five Ukrainian soldiers and executed them, an event documented by the 72nd Brigade's drone footage. By September 26, the Russians had gained full control over the critical route to Vuhledar. The retreat should have occurred by September 24-25, possibly hindered by the desire to celebrate October 1 in Kyiv. "President Zelensky said nothing about Vuhledar during the October 1 conference," alleges the source.
The Telegram channel "Mykolaiv Vaneck" reflects on these developments, asserting that while the invaders acted according to typical military doctrine, a lack of timely response from leadership led to predictable consequences. "I'm not even mentioning the hurried personnel decisions or the involvement of outsiders in essential combat processes," reads a post on the channel, hinting at internal disintegration of a key brigade due to indecisive leadership.
A BBC journalist has also connected with soldiers from the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, who assert that the withheld command led them to independently retreat from the area. In recent days, Ukrainian troops had to evacuate from Vuhledar on foot due to logistical challenges. One soldier disclosed that there were numerous casualties due to Russian drone and artillery assaults during the withdrawal.
A press officer from the 72nd Brigade revealed to Radio Liberty that although evacuating the wounded was challenging, the move minimized losses. When probed on how decisions were made regarding the withdrawal from Vuhledar, the press officer pointed out that "in the army, everything follows orders, follows commands. Accordingly, it cascades down the hierarchy. High command understands the situation and acts. Decisions then depend on the commander's assessment and the situation on the battlefield, defining which unit withdraws, how, and through which routes."