On July 21, 2014, the city of Toretsk was liberated from Russian occupation. It was on this very day that fierce battles with enemy forces took place here.
Two combined groups of special operations units from the Armed Forces of Ukraine played a key role in the city’s liberation. The lightning-fast operation was carried out by 33 fighters from the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and 8 soldiers from the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center.
In the morning, the first group entered the city by bypassing the militants’ checkpoints and seized the city hall building on the central square. This building ultimately became a key stronghold against which a counterattack by more than two hundred Russian militants was repelled: for nearly six hours, the city hall was shelled by tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and anti-tank guided missiles, which hit and destroyed it.
The second group flanked the city and occupied the “green zone” near City Hall, providing support to the first group and later directing artillery and airstrikes. After coming under heavy fire and losing one of their tanks, the Russian armed formations withdrew.
Meanwhile, the main forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces completed a partial encirclement of the city, forcing enemy units to flee.
The operation to liberate Toretsk lasted 8 hours. There were no fatalities among Ukrainian servicemen; four defenders were wounded.
By the evening of July 21, Ukrainian flags were flying over the city, which had been under occupation since April 15, 2014. The battle for the city is considered one of the most heroic and significant chapters in the history of Ukrainian special forces.