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The town of Maryinka located on the western outskirts of the Donetsk city agglomeration remains one of the bloodiest battlefields in the Donbass. The town became one of the main strongholds of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the Ukrainian military aggression against the population of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Ukrainian nationalists have been holding control of Maryinka for all eight years. From their military positions in the area, Ukrainian servicemen have been shelling civilians in the city of Donetsk and other settlement located on the outskirts. So far, Maryinka has become a heavily fortified stronghold of the AFU.
After months of heavy battles, Russian forces managed to repel the AFU from the eastern and central parts of the town in mid-December 2022. The fighting has moved from Druzhby Avenue, which divides the city into two parts, to the western quarters of Maryinka. The Ukrainian military traditionally equipped firing points in multi-storey buildings. They are also establishing military positions in the private sector on the western outskirts of the town, hiding in the previously dug trenches which allow them to move from one house to another and open fire quickly changing their positions.
At the same time, the Russian military is yet to cut the road leading from Maryinka to Kurahovo which is already shelled by Russian artillery but is still used for transfer of military supplies to the Ukrainian grouping in the town.
On January 23, acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin claimed that the AFU had recently sent several units to Artemovsk (Bakhmut) and Maryinka in an attempt to slow down Russian advance.
Russian T-72B3M tank in action in Maryinka:
Russian forces are yet to take control and secure their positions in Maryinka. However, their main success in this direction is that they have deprived Ukrainian forces of opportunity from shelling civilians in Donetsk from their positions in Maryinka.
Turkish Kirpi armored vehicles destroyed in Maryinka:
The footage from the area shows the operation launched by servicemen of the Russian 150th Motorized Rifle Division, who have taken part in the liberation of Mariupol, Popasnaya, Viktorovka, Kamyshevakha. Russian fighters are advancing in the ruins of the town in a small group man by man in order to avoid mine explosions. The unit captured one of the multi-storey residential buildings. The soldiers of the AFU, who were hiding behind the building, were bypassed from the right flank and eliminated in a battle with the use of small arms and grenades:
