Toretsk is a city in the Bakhmut district of Donetsk region, located about 7 kilometers from the contact line. Every day, the occupiers shell Toretsk, like every Ukrainian frontline settlement.
In 2014, Dzerzhinsk, and now decommunized Toretsk, was a typical mining town among the Terikons. Until recently, one of the mines was called “Holy Matrona of Moscow”, now it is abbreviated as “Holy Matron”.
Since 2014, the city has been on the demarcation line and has been continuously hit by Russian shelling. Pro-Russian militants held a so-called “referendum on the status of the “DPR” on May 11, 2014. For three months Toretsk was occupied, but on July 21, 2014, the Ukrainian military launched an assault on the city. The fighting lasted 8 hours. Then there were no dead among the Ukrainian servicemen, four were wounded. On February 18, 2016, Dzerzhinsk was renamed Toretsk.
The small mining town escaped a prolonged occupation in 2014, but life on the line of fire could not provide peace and tranquility. Since 2022, Toretsk has become a constant target for Russian shelling. As of March 2024, not a single surviving building remained in the city: high-rise buildings, private households and civil infrastructure were partially damaged or completely destroyed. The occupiers also hit the mines, on which the city budget was held. Those who do not leave their home run the risk of being injured or losing their lives.
Today in Toretsk there is no gas supply, water supply and sewerage do not work, instead of technical water — rainwater. In the city there are rescuers who eliminate the consequences of enemy attacks, and also deliver drinking water with volunteers.
Since 2014, shells and mines have constantly fallen into the Toretsk-Horlivka reservoir. Because of this, the city often found itself without drinking water. During the full-scale invasion, the water situation became critical: drinking water is brought only by charitable foundations and organizations, and technical water can be obtained in tanks.
“What problems do we have here? Here are these: this house thrived and here's what they did. Then, on July 26, 2022, it flew - and the 4th entrance was completely broken. On May 12, there was also an arrival. On June 1, he flew there, and so on... I can call dates and show places for a long time,” wails a passer-by local resident. “I think this war will never end. It will be until Toretsk is wiped off the face of the earth. The next city will be Konstantinovka, and then something else.”
The man did not have time to introduce himself and tell more about life near the line of contact, the conversation was interrupted by gunfire.
Before the full-scale invasion of Toretsk, 70,000 people lived, as of April 2024, about 5 percent of them remained. Children's laughter has not been heard in the streets for a long time, the forced evacuation of families with children continues in the community. Free travel to safe regions is offered almost every week to everyone who wants to leave the frontline territory. However, there are families who categorically refuse to evacuate. Police officers go around the streets, interview neighbors and persistently remind citizens of the possibility of rescue.
“There are more shelling now, and there are fewer people,” says Lilia, who works as a supervisor at one of the city shelters. The woman says that among the locals there are those who leave and then return to their broken homes anyway. “We don't need anyone anywhere,” she sighs.
Lily and her dog Boney watch for warmth in the bourgeois shelter, where the Torechtians come during active Russian attacks. The real hype here is always around 10 in the morning when the locals charge their phones. There is everything you need to not only wait for the shelling, but also to live temporarily.
“At the moment, no one is staying overnight, but everything is prepared for it. There are beds, and most importantly - there is electricity,” the woman explains.
The lily shows the generator and kettle, as well as the destruction caused by the previous shelling. Then part of the seemingly reliable and deep Soviet shelter suffered serious damage. As it turned out, even it is not adapted to protect against the weapons with which Russia is fighting against Ukraine today.
The number of Russian shelling of Toretsk has increased significantly since May 2023, after the occupation forces took control of the shraply destroyed Bakhmut. Therefore, the line of contact shifted and the war to the Torečci became even closer. All their problems with water, electricity and unemployment remain unresolved due to the activity of hostilities.
It is difficult for the Ukrainian military to defend settlements where civilians still remain. However, they continue to hold the line of defense in this direction, where Russian forces are constantly trying to advance. To all the problems is added a tangible shortage of ammunition.
Such a problem exists on the entire 1000-kilometer front line. It is also spoken by the soldiers of the artillery unit of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. That is why a unit can only fire at precise targets in order to use each ammunition as efficiently as possible. At the same time, the military faces a continuous stream of Russian artillery strikes.
“Difficult situation at the front. We don't have enough ammunition. It would be much easier for the infantry if we had them,” says the commander of the artillery unit Igor. He notes that it is often necessary to change positions due to the activity of Russian drones in the sky.
The soldier with the nickname “Kapets” repeats that it is very difficult to fight now, but at the same time there is no way to relax, because the Russians have imperial ambitions and they will go further to Lithuania, Latvia and other European countries.
“It's inevitable! This red infection will climb further, so it is better to stop them in Ukraine at the initial level, and not later — at the global level.”
The soldier is convinced that ending the Russian-Ukrainian war with negotiations is not the best option, so we must fight until victory.
“I believe that if we agree to talks with the Russians, then in 2-3 years they will go on such an offensive that they will stop near the borders of Poland,” the soldier is convinced.
Until the weapons from the Western partners arrived, the support of the brigade fell on the shoulders of the servicemen of the repair unit of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. From several destroyed units of equipment, they can make up a new one in parts. Every detail is worth its weight in gold. They disassemble damaged or trophy equipment into the smallest particles, patch, draw Russian “Z”, sometimes clean everything not only from dirt, but also from blood.
With tired eyes and black hands in the grease, the soldiers continue to do filigree work: to repair what seems to be no longer recoverable.
The servicemen of the 80th Separate Landing and Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repair their weapons without complaining of fatigue. What can be repaired in the walls of the armory will save someone's life on the battlefield.
“In other brigades, weapons are repaired in army workshops. These are military units, where 30-50 people work. We repair everything ourselves - the two of us. There is also a third person — a turner,” explains the soldier, who wished to remain anonymous.
These walls speak not only about the lack of ammunition and equipment, but also about the lack of human resources.
Although the troops hope that the renewed military assistance from the United States will stabilize the situation on the front, each of them is waiting for the mobilization of society so that they do not have to lose a single Ukrainian city. The stakes are too high right now.
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, photographer, editor: Olga Kovalyova
Author of the text: Vira Labych
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
Toretsk is a city in the Bakhmut district of Donetsk region, located about 7 kilometers from the contact line. Every day, the occupiers shell Toretsk, like every Ukrainian frontline settlement.
In 2014, Dzerzhinsk, and now decommunized Toretsk, was a typical mining town among the Terikons. Until recently, one of the mines was called “Holy Matrona of Moscow”, now it is abbreviated as “Holy Matron”.
Since 2014, the city has been on the demarcation line and has been continuously hit by Russian shelling. Pro-Russian militants held a so-called “referendum on the status of the “DPR” on May 11, 2014. For three months Toretsk was occupied, but on July 21, 2014, the Ukrainian military launched an assault on the city. The fighting lasted 8 hours. Then there were no dead among the Ukrainian servicemen, four were wounded. On February 18, 2016, Dzerzhinsk was renamed Toretsk.
The small mining town escaped a prolonged occupation in 2014, but life on the line of fire could not provide peace and tranquility. Since 2022, Toretsk has become a constant target for Russian shelling. As of March 2024, not a single surviving building remained in the city: high-rise buildings, private households and civil infrastructure were partially damaged or completely destroyed. The occupiers also hit the mines, on which the city budget was held. Those who do not leave their home run the risk of being injured or losing their lives.
Today in Toretsk there is no gas supply, water supply and sewerage do not work, instead of technical water — rainwater. In the city there are rescuers who eliminate the consequences of enemy attacks, and also deliver drinking water with volunteers.
Since 2014, shells and mines have constantly fallen into the Toretsk-Horlivka reservoir. Because of this, the city often found itself without drinking water. During the full-scale invasion, the water situation became critical: drinking water is brought only by charitable foundations and organizations, and technical water can be obtained in tanks.
“What problems do we have here? Here are these: this house thrived and here's what they did. Then, on July 26, 2022, it flew - and the 4th entrance was completely broken. On May 12, there was also an arrival. On June 1, he flew there, and so on... I can call dates and show places for a long time,” wails a passer-by local resident. “I think this war will never end. It will be until Toretsk is wiped off the face of the earth. The next city will be Konstantinovka, and then something else.”
The man did not have time to introduce himself and tell more about life near the line of contact, the conversation was interrupted by gunfire.
Before the full-scale invasion of Toretsk, 70,000 people lived, as of April 2024, about 5 percent of them remained. Children's laughter has not been heard in the streets for a long time, the forced evacuation of families with children continues in the community. Free travel to safe regions is offered almost every week to everyone who wants to leave the frontline territory. However, there are families who categorically refuse to evacuate. Police officers go around the streets, interview neighbors and persistently remind citizens of the possibility of rescue.
“There are more shelling now, and there are fewer people,” says Lilia, who works as a supervisor at one of the city shelters. The woman says that among the locals there are those who leave and then return to their broken homes anyway. “We don't need anyone anywhere,” she sighs.
Lily and her dog Boney watch for warmth in the bourgeois shelter, where the Torechtians come during active Russian attacks. The real hype here is always around 10 in the morning when the locals charge their phones. There is everything you need to not only wait for the shelling, but also to live temporarily.
“At the moment, no one is staying overnight, but everything is prepared for it. There are beds, and most importantly - there is electricity,” the woman explains.
The lily shows the generator and kettle, as well as the destruction caused by the previous shelling. Then part of the seemingly reliable and deep Soviet shelter suffered serious damage. As it turned out, even it is not adapted to protect against the weapons with which Russia is fighting against Ukraine today.
The number of Russian shelling of Toretsk has increased significantly since May 2023, after the occupation forces took control of the shraply destroyed Bakhmut. Therefore, the line of contact shifted and the war to the Torečci became even closer. All their problems with water, electricity and unemployment remain unresolved due to the activity of hostilities.
It is difficult for the Ukrainian military to defend settlements where civilians still remain. However, they continue to hold the line of defense in this direction, where Russian forces are constantly trying to advance. To all the problems is added a tangible shortage of ammunition.
Such a problem exists on the entire 1000-kilometer front line. It is also spoken by the soldiers of the artillery unit of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. That is why a unit can only fire at precise targets in order to use each ammunition as efficiently as possible. At the same time, the military faces a continuous stream of Russian artillery strikes.
“Difficult situation at the front. We don't have enough ammunition. It would be much easier for the infantry if we had them,” says the commander of the artillery unit Igor. He notes that it is often necessary to change positions due to the activity of Russian drones in the sky.
The soldier with the nickname “Kapets” repeats that it is very difficult to fight now, but at the same time there is no way to relax, because the Russians have imperial ambitions and they will go further to Lithuania, Latvia and other European countries.
“It's inevitable! This red infection will climb further, so it is better to stop them in Ukraine at the initial level, and not later — at the global level.”
The soldier is convinced that ending the Russian-Ukrainian war with negotiations is not the best option, so we must fight until victory.
“I believe that if we agree to talks with the Russians, then in 2-3 years they will go on such an offensive that they will stop near the borders of Poland,” the soldier is convinced.
Until the weapons from the Western partners arrived, the support of the brigade fell on the shoulders of the servicemen of the repair unit of the 80th separate airborne assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. From several destroyed units of equipment, they can make up a new one in parts. Every detail is worth its weight in gold. They disassemble damaged or trophy equipment into the smallest particles, patch, draw Russian “Z”, sometimes clean everything not only from dirt, but also from blood.
With tired eyes and black hands in the grease, the soldiers continue to do filigree work: to repair what seems to be no longer recoverable.
The servicemen of the 80th Separate Landing and Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine repair their weapons without complaining of fatigue. What can be repaired in the walls of the armory will save someone's life on the battlefield.
“In other brigades, weapons are repaired in army workshops. These are military units, where 30-50 people work. We repair everything ourselves - the two of us. There is also a third person — a turner,” explains the soldier, who wished to remain anonymous.
These walls speak not only about the lack of ammunition and equipment, but also about the lack of human resources.
Although the troops hope that the renewed military assistance from the United States will stabilize the situation on the front, each of them is waiting for the mobilization of society so that they do not have to lose a single Ukrainian city. The stakes are too high right now.
The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, photographer, editor: Olga Kovalyova
Author of the text: Vira Labych
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar
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