Colonel Ivan Vinnik, commander of Ukraine's 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade currently defending the embattled town of Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast, has been transferred, the brigade confirmed on Sept. 29.
According to Operational Command "North," Vinnik was transferred "for the purpose of promotion and to transfer combat experience."
It was not announced who would replace him.
Vinnik was appointed commander of the 72nd Brigade in August 2022. Under his command, the brigade has defended Vuhledar for more than two years. Russian forces have been trying to capture the town since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
"Since the summer of 2022 till today, I have had a long and difficult journey. But it was not difficult, because I did not overcome it alone. I had a loyal and motivated team by my side," Vinnik said in a post on Facebook.
"I thank each and every one of you for your patience, willpower and strength. Thank you for listening, hearing, talking and offering suggestions. Thank you for our joint struggle.
"Thank you for being by my side. I really appreciate it! I am honoured to be a part of the Black Cossacks, and the bond that has been formed between us will remain forever."
The reshuffle comes at a time when fierce fighting for Vuhledar is still ongoing. The front-line town lies about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of occupied Donetsk and roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the administrative border with Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Russian troops had not reached the outskirts of Vuhledar as of Sept. 25, Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin. A day later, the brigade refuted reports that it was retreating from the town and released a video from the town.
The crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState claimed on Sept. 29 that Russian troops trying to gain a foothold in high-rise buildings on the outskirts of Vuhledar. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these reports.
"The loss of Vuhledar would be not only a morale blow for Ukraine since this city has resisted plenty of assaults since 2022, but also a very serious development that can potentially threaten the security of the entire southwestern portion of Donetsk Oblast not yet occupied, along with the threat to Pokrovsk's southern flank," Federico Borsari, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), told the Kyiv Independent earlier this month.
Kateryna Hodunova
