Battle of Marinka (2022–present)

Initial shelling of Marinka began on 17 February, when DPR forces injured an aid worker.[12][13] Shelling began around 9:30 AM, and ended at 2:30 PM, with around 20 explosions total.[12] Shelling intensified in the days leading up to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, killing two Ukrainian soldiers and injuring four more.[14]

On 30-31 March, Ukrainian emergency services extinguished "dozens of fires" that had started in the town because of white phosphorus munitions from Russian forces.[8]

In mid-April, during the beginning of the battle of Donbas, Russian and DPR forces ramped up offensive operations, launching multiple attacks on Marinka.[15] On 17 April, two people were killed and four were injured after Russian forces shelled the city.[16] Two days later on 19 April, Ukrainian forces regained full control of Marinka after a failed Russian assault the day prior.[17][18] Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks on the town on the 23, 25, and 26 of April.[17][19]

Following the end of the siege of Mariupol, the ISW reported on 20 May that Russian and DPR forces refocused their efforts towards Marinka, allocating more forces following the end of the siege of Mariupol.[20] Throughout May, southern Marinka shifted between Ukrainian and Russian control as fighting intensified.[21] Further Russian assaults on 25 June were repelled by Ukraine.[22] The Russian Ministry of Defence claimed on 3 July that Ukraine's 54th Mechanized Brigade has lost "more than 60% of its personnel and equipment" during clashes in Marinka, although these claims could not be verified.[23]

Fighting intensified from late July through early August, beginning with a failed Russian attack on Marinka on 11 July.[24] Two more assaults occurred on 30 July and 1 August, with little success.[25][26] On 5 August, DPR and Wagner forces claimed to control half of Marinka.[27] Russian forces assaulted Marinka again on 25 August, although made no gains.[28] Throughout August, Russian forces made incremental gains in Marinka.[29] The ISW reported that the frontline in Marinka largely stagnated throughout September.[30] In October, geolocated footage showed Russian troops had advanced around the C051101 highway north of Marinka.[31]

Starting in early November, fighting intensified again with pro-Russian sources claiming marginal gains in the town, although providing no visual evidence.[32] By 13 December, Russian-DPR forces controlled 70% of Marinka, with Ukrainian forces controlling the western half of the town past Druzhba street.[33] DPR president Denis Pushilin claimed that Russian forces would "soon" take control of Marinka.[34] Donetsk Oblast governor Pavlo Kyrylenko stated on 22 December that Marinka and the surrounding areas were "unlivable", and that there is "not a single surviving house".[35] On 24 December, the Russian Ministry of Defence claimed to have made gains inside Marinka, although Ukrainian forces are deeply entrenched inside the center of the town. Ukraine claimed to have repelled Russian assaults in Marinka.[36]

In January 2023, interviewed Ukrainian soldiers stated that fighting in Marinka was "hellish", and that much of the fighting was from 10 to 20 meters away.[37] Because much of the town is destroyed, fighting takes place behind rubble, household objects, and basements.[37] Press Colonel Yaroslav Chepurnyi stated the 79th Air Assault Brigade suffered "the most losses" of the Ukrainian units stationed in Marinka.[37] On 1 February, Ukraine claimed to have inflicted "significant losses' on a Russian attack towards Marinka.[38] On February 8, former Deputy Interior Minister of the Vitaly Kiselev clarified that elements of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division were consolidating positions in parts of western Marinka.[39] According to the Ukrainian General Staff, clashes intensified on February 2 with thirteen battles lasting two hours in Marinka.[40] On February 21, further Russian assaults on Marinka were repelled.[41]

Analysis by the British Ministry of Defence claimed that the effects of the Russian winter offensive were inconclusive in Marinka, with only minimal gains captured despite "expending significant resources."[42] Russian media announced in April that Ukrainian forces was pushed back by the Russian Army to the western outskirts of Marinka, where clashes are ongoing.[43] On April 15, 2023, Ukrainian general Oleksandr Tarnavskyi released video of six captured Russian soldiers near Marinka.[44]

On 24 May, Ukraine's General Staff said Marinka remained one of the epicenters of ongoing clashes during the war.[45] On 31 May, Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of the Chechen Kadyrovite forces fighting in Ukraine, stated that his forces had been transferred to the Marinka front, including "Akhmat" Special Forces and the "Sever-Akhmat" Special Purpose Regiment.[3] Ukrainian soldiers on the front in Marinka in June claimed that Russian soldiers outnumbered Ukrainians 4:1 in manpower, and 6:1 in artillery.[46] Most battles took place at close range, and in basements.[47]

It was reported on 14 July 2023 that Ukrainian forces had captured a Russian-held position in the "Zverinets" fortifications on the Avdiivka–Donetsk line near Marinka.[48]

All of Marinka was destroyed in the fighting.[33][49][42] By May 2022, the Marinka town square was completely destroyed, the gilded dome of the local church was partially melted, and the Marinka cultural centre was destroyed.[50] The primary school of the city, Marinka school No.1, and the nearby youth center, were destroyed sometime before 15 April 2022, with only one wall left standing.[9][51] The police chief, Artem Schus, stated that every building in the city was damaged.[52]

On 3 November 2022, Ukraine claimed to have evacuated the civilian population of Marinka, totaling around 9,400 people pre-war.[10] Evacuation efforts were done by Ukrainian paramedic group White Angels.[53] This was corroborated by Schus, who claimed living in the city was impossible.[52]