The withdrawal comes a day after Russian troops reached the center of the the strategic town. Meanwhile, China's Xi Jinping told Vladimir Putin he was ready to "expand" cooperation. DW has the latest.
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Ukraine's army has ordered troops in the mining town of Vuhledar in the eastern region of Donetsk to withdraw after two years of fighting.
The town holds strategic importance because of its high ground and its location near the junction of eastern and southern Ukraine, which are two main battlefields.
Russian forces had reached the center of Vuhledar on Tuesday.
Here's a look at the latest developments regarding Russia's war in Ukraine on Wednesday, October 2:
10/02/2024October 2, 2024
Ukraine's military says it is pulling troops from Vuhledar
The Ukrainian eastern military command said in a statement that it ordered troops to pull back from the strategic town of Vuhledar, in the eastern Donetsk region.
"In an attempt to take control of the city at any cost, reserves were directed to carry out flanking attacks, which exhausted the defense of the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the statement said. "As a result of the enemy's actions, there arose a threat of encircling the city."
The announcement came a day after Russian forces reached the center of Vuhledar after two years of fighting over the hill town.
https://p.dw.com/p/4lKWa
Skip next section Russia jails 13 over bid to thwart Ukraine offensive10/02/2024October 2, 2024
Russia jails 13 over bid to thwart Ukraine offensive
A military court in the Siberian city of Chita said it handed jail terms to 13 people over sabotage attacks on "strategically important transportation infrastructure facilities" and critical energy sites.
The terms ranged between four and 23 years.
Prosecutors had argued that the 13 people were trying to sabotage Russia's offensive in Ukraine.
The court said the group was planning on burning Russian fighter jets at a military base in the Far East when they were arrested.
There have been several sabotage attempts against Russia's railway network, which is used to transport troops and equipment for the war in Ukraine.
https://p.dw.com/p/4lKOj
Skip next section Ukraine ramps up drone production10/02/2024October 2, 2024
Ukraine ramps up drone production
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country is capable of producing 4 million drones a year — an industry that was almost nonexistent in Ukraine before Russia launched the war in 2022.
"In extremely difficult conditions of the full-scale war under constant Russian strikes, Ukrainians were able to build a virtually new defense industry," Zelenskyy told executives of arms manufacturers in Kyiv, in remarks that were authorized for publication Wednesday.
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told the same meeting that Ukraine had tripled its overall domestic arms production in 2023, adding that the volume had already doubled in just the first eight months of this year.
However, Ukraine has not provided detailed figures to back the claim.
Ukraine adds 'dragon drones' to its weaponry
https://p.dw.com/p/4lKH9
Skip next section China's Xi ready to 'expand' ties with Putin10/02/2024October 2, 2024
China's Xi ready to 'expand' ties with Putin
Chinese state media reported that President Xi Jinping told his Russian counterpart and ally Vladimir Putin he was ready to "expand" cooperation.
Xi also hailed his and Putin's efforts to strengthen ties in recent years "in the face of major changes unseen in a century."
"Political mutual trust between the two sides has continued to deepen, practical cooperation has achieved remarkable results," he said, according to Chinese news agency Xinhua.
The remarks came as China marks 75 years of Communist Party rule and the subsequent establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties.
Putin, who congratulated Xi on the anniversary, said Russia was the first country to recognize the People's Republic of China.
Xi is one of Putin's closest allies. In 2022, Beijing and Moscow described their relationship as having "no limits," just before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
China has since come under pressure from Western leaders who have urged Xi to use his influence on Putin to end the war in Ukraine.
DW asks Blinken about China's support for Russia
https://p.dw.com/p/4lKEV
Skip next section Russian forces reach Vuhledar center, media claim capture10/02/2024October 2, 2024
Russian forces reach Vuhledar center, media claim capture
Vadym Filashkin, the governor of Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk, said that Russian troops had reached the center of the town of Vuhledar.
The small mining town has been under intense pressure in recent days as Russian forces renewed their efforts, reportedly for the fifth time since the start of the war, to capture it.
Filashkin described the situation as "extremely difficult."
The town, which had more than 14,000 residents before the war, now has a population of only 107 civilians, according to Filashkin.
On Wednesday, Russian media and bloggers claimed that Vuhledar was captured, citing unverified footage.
The Russian Defense Ministry has not confirmed the reports. DW could not immediately verify the claims.
Control of Vuhledar is significant to both sides as it sits on elevated ground, making it a natural platform to shell targets in the area.
The town also lies at the intersection of the eastern and southern front lines.
fb/nm (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
https://p.dw.com/p/4lKC9