Battle of Toshkivka

Battle of Toshkivka
Part of the eastern Ukraine offensive's battle of Donbas in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Map of combat operations in the vicinity of Toshkivka
Date 9 May – 21 June 2022 (1 month, 1 week and 4 days) Location Toshkivka, Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine Result Russian victory [1]
Belligerents
Russia   Luhansk People's Republic	Ukraine
Units involved
Russian Armed Forces   Russian Ground Forces 1st Guards Tank Army 144th Guards Motor Rifle Division 45th Engineer Regiment LPR People's Militia	Ukrainian Armed Forces   Ukrainian Ground Forces 81st Airmobile Brigade [2] Territorial Defense Forces

The battle of Toshkivka was an armed conflict around the city of Toshkivka, a mountainous municipality in the Sievierodonetsk Raion of Luhansk Oblast, as part of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Background

Further information: Battle of Popasna and Battle of Sievierodonetsk (2022)

On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, in a steep escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which had begun in 2014. The invasion caused Europe's fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II, ^{[3] [4]} with more than 6.5 million Ukrainians fleeing the country ^[5] and a third of the population displaced. ^{[6] [7]} On 8 May, Serhiy Haidai, governor of Luhansk Oblast, said on his Telegram channel that the Russians controlled only half of the city of Popasna, ^[8] but later admitted Ukrainian forces had pulled out. ^[9] By 12 May, Russian forces had defeated Ukrainian forces in the battle of Rubizhne and established full control of the city, furthering their attempts at encircling Sievierodonetsk. ^{[10] [11]}

Toshkivka is a village of 5,000 just south of the major city of Lysychansk and, with the nearby town of Ustynivka, was a strategic city for Ukrainian and Russian/pro-Russian forces in the battle of Donbas. For whoever holds the town, there is access to Lysychansk and the other few towns in Luhansk Oblast west of the Donets river.^{[ citation needed ]}

Battle

The battle began on May 9, after Russian and LPR forces launched multiple attacks on the settlements of Toshkivka, Voevodivka, and Nyzhnie, but were repulsed by Ukrainian forces. Nine tanks, one Orlan-10 drone, and various other equipment on the Russian side were destroyed. ^[12] After a few days of low-level fighting, the battle raged again on May 20 and May 23, although the Russian forces were unable to gain much ground. ^{[13] [14]} In an attempt to relieve troops fighting in the much larger battle of Sievierodonetsk, Russian forces launched an assault on Toshkivka, which partially succeeded. ^[15] On June 21, both the Russian and Ukrainian Ministries of Defense stated that Russian and LPR forces were in control of Toshkivka, with the Ukrainian side stating that their troops had also withdrawn from the pocket enveloping the towns of Hirske and Zolote. ^[16]

See also

• Battle of Sievierodonetsk (2022)
• List of military engagements during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine

References

1. "Russia has captured Donbas frontline village Toshkivka: Ukraine - Times of India". The Times of India . 21 June 2022. Archived from the original on 21 June 2022. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
2. "Exhausted Ukrainian soldiers return from eastern front". May 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-05-01. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
3. Blake, Daniel Keane, Elly (15 March 2022). "What is the Homes for Ukraine refugees scheme and how do you apply?". Evening Standard . Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
4. Pita, Antonio; Costa, Raúl Sánchez (3 March 2022). "Ukrainian exodus could be Europe's biggest refugee crisis since World War II". El Pais . Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
5. "Situation Ukraine Refugee Situation". United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees . Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
6. Ratcliffe, Rebecca; Clayton, Abené; Gabbatt, Adam; Chao-Fong, Léonie; Lock, Samantha; Ambrose, Tom (19 March 2022). "Biden outlines 'consequences' if China aids Russia – as it happened". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
7. "Ukraine war: Putin being misled by fearful advisers, US says". BBC News. 31 March 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
8. "Сергій Гайдай / Луганська ОДА". Telegram. Archived from the original on 2022-06-06. Retrieved 2022-05-09.
9. "Luhansk governor refutes Russia's claims of capturing entire oblast". Archived from the original on 2022-06-13. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
10. "Ukrainian forces lose foothold in eastern town". CNN. 2022-05-13. Archived from the original on 2022-05-13. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
11. "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 12". Institute for the Study of Warfare. 12 May 2022. Archived from the original on 13 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
12. "На Луганщині точаться бої за Воєводівку, Тошківку та Нижнє". Укрінформ. 2022-05-10. Archived from the original on 2022-06-13.
13. "Російські військові та ЗСУ ведуть бої за Тошківку в Луганській області, - Генштаб". Українські Новини. 2022-05-20. Archived from the original on 2022-06-22.
14. "ЗСУ вибили росіян з села Тошківка на Луганщині, - Гайдай". Новини Еспресо. 2022-05-23. Archived from the original on 2022-06-13.
15. "Assault on Sievierodonetsk continues, Russia tries to break through near Toshkivka – Luhansk Military Administration". Ukrayinska Pravda. Archived from the original on 2022-07-13. Retrieved 2022-07-13.
16. "Ukraine loses key town as Russia claims it surrounds troops". Reuters. 2022-06-24. Archived from the original on 2022-06-25. Retrieved 2022-07-13.