The situation became critical when Russian troops entered the city, and Ukrainian units started retreating without waiting for the order to pull out.
“If a withdrawal is not organised, it ends up being chaotic,” the machine-gunner explained. Ukrainian defenders were like Titans trying to stop the Russians, he said. But some groups, he added, had become completely disoriented because of a communication blackout. Their radios were down, and when they came under heavy fire, they had to make quick decisions on their own and often it was to retreat.
Ukrainian defence lines were devastated by Russia’s aviation bombs and thermobaric weapon systems such as its Solntsepek heavy flame-thrower, in addition to drones and multiple rocket launchers.
Facing such an onslaught, withdrawing from certain positions became unavoidable, Roman argued. “You either die or retreat.”
But getting out from a city that had been nearly surrounded was extremely dangerous. During the daytime it became close to a suicide mission.
Ukraine’s troops mostly tried to escape at night, having to cross mine fields via designated paths to avoid the road because it was closely monitored by the Russians.
Until recently, evacuation vehicles had been able to drive in under cover of darkness with their headlights off, Roman explained. But once Russian troops had reached the centre of the city, the only way to escape was on foot.
Those who managed to get out are exhausted and depressed. They are also angry at their commanders for not ordering the retreat earlier, because they argue it was obvious for some time that Ukrainian forces wouldn’t be able to hold the city for long.
“I don’t know why [they didn’t give the order],” the machine-gunner said. “Maybe it’s fear of the military leadership or maybe it was an order from the top [to hold positions] with our blood until the very end.”
Military officials from the 72nd brigade and Ukraine’s operational command in the area refused the BBC’s request to comment.
In their most recent daily briefings, the military’s General Staff kept silent about Vuhledar.
Wednesday morning’s briefing said merely that the “the enemy launched unsuccessful attacks on our positions in Bohoyavlenka’s direction”, without mentioning the situation in Vuhledar at all.
