Brief Frontline Report – January 31st, 2026
Brief Frontline Report – January 31st, 2026
Summary by Marat Khairullin and Mikhail Popov.
Part 1
Message from the Russian Ministry of Defense: "Units of the 'Center' Group, as a result of ongoing operations, have liberated the settlement of Toretskoe in the Donetsk People's Republic. "
North of Krasnoarmeysk, in the Artemovka - Druzhkovka sector, the Russian Armed Forces are preparing a bridgehead in front of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' defensive line along the Gruzskaya River. This line protects the right flank of the Ukrainian Armed Forces group defending the southern face of the Slavyansk direction.
The area features complex, sharply rugged terrain with numerous ravines and gullies. It is located in the interfluve of the Kazennyi Torets River and its tributary, the Gruzskaya River. It begins in the area of the settlement of Zolotoiy Kolodez, where advanced Russian Armed Forces units reached in the autumn of 2025, drawing part of the enemy's forces and reserves during the operation to liberate the Dimitrov - Krasnoarmeysk area. The watershed apex is in the area of the settlement of Krasny Kut, where the Gruzskaya River flows into the Kazennyi Torets. The soil is like clay and difficult to traverse during rains and floods—the area abounds with deposits and quarries for refractory and ceramic clay.
On January 31, Russian assault groups forded the Kazennyi Torets River in the area of the settlement of Artemovka, emerged on the left bank, and liberated the settlement of Toretskoe (48°30′8″ N 37°22′16″ E, population approx. 350). The rural settlement is located in the area of clay quarries and provides access to the watershed ridge at the start of the Grilichnaya and Viklechnaya ravines. The advance of our units into the area of the settlement of Gruzskoe splits this sector into two parts with flank envelopments. This advance will likely be supported by combined actions on the eastern face of the direction (Belokuzminovka-Verolyubovka) and on the western face (Novy Donbass - Dobropole - Zolotoiy Kolodez).
Read this report and many others on Marat Khairullin's Substack! That's where I post the high-definition maps, and frankly, the formatting on Substack makes the reports easier to follow. Any questions for Marat and Mikhail will be answered there.
Source: Telegram "EastCalling"