Mala Tokmachka, the Tiny Ukrainian Village That Keeps Stopping Russian Forces

Mala Tokmachka has an almost playful name—at least in part. “Mala” means “small” in Ukrainian, and the village lives up to it: just a few streets with around a hundred houses. But for more than a year, Russian forces have failed to seize it. The situation has gone so far that Mala Tokmachka has even become a meme in Russia.

On the broadcast of the program Bolshaya igra, which airs on Channel One Russia—the country’s main television channel, as it describes itself—on April 8, 2026, Boris Rozhin, who calls himself an “expert at the Center for Military-Political Journalism,” commented: “The Russian army is advancing in the Zaporizhzhia region near the village of Mala Tokmachka.” Everything seems correct—at first glance.

Now rewind a year, to May 2025. On the same program, Bolshaya igra, again airing on Channel One Russia, the same “expert,” Boris Rozhin, says: “The Russian army is advancing in the Zaporizhzhia region near the village of Mala Tokmachka.”

He repeats this same claim month after month—for an entire year.

There is indeed some truth in the “expert’s” words—the Russian army has been assaulting the village all year. But it has not been able to capture it. Russian losses in this area may amount to up to 2,000 soldiers killed and wounded, according to unconfirmed reports. One of the largest offensives took place in October 2025: in several assault waves, Russian forces deployed up to 26 pieces of equipment, including tanks.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled the attack and destroyed the equipment, including through pre-laid mines and the use of FPV drones. As a result, Mala Tokmachka remained under Ukrainian military control.

The village, which had a population of around 3,000 before the start of the full-scale invasion, has been located near the line of contact since the very beginning of the war, when Russian forces occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region.

In 2023, Ukrainian forces partially pushed back the front line by launching an offensive in the south. However, by late 2025, Russia began a new large-scale offensive along the entire front line. One of the directions of attack was southern Ukraine, specifically the Zaporizhzhia region. The Russian military was ordered to occupy as much territory as possible, with the aim of influencing the course of negotiations.

However, the Russians failed to capture the settlement. The village of Mala Tokmachka remains under Ukrainian control, says Serhii Bratchuk, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, although Russian troops continue attempting to enter and seize it. This direction remains one of the most difficult on the front line, Bratchuk says, even though the number of attacks has decreased.

The decline is attributed to a deep crisis within the Russian army: over the past quarter, more soldiers have been killed and wounded than the Kremlin has been able to recruit. At present, Russia’s spring offensive campaign is being thwarted by Ukrainian defenses, which are effectively leveraging drone warfare.

This includes Ukraine’s “Middle Strike” strategy—launching drones with a range of up to 200 kilometers. Ukrainian drone operators are targeting Russian logistics, destroying ammunition depots, forcing longer supply routes, and hunting military equipment. This has a direct impact on the intensity of assault operations.

The village of Mala Tokmachka was founded in the late 18th century and is about 250 years old. It was established by settlers from the Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Poltava regions who came to these lands in search of a better life. Today, not a single intact house remains in the village—it has been completely destroyed by the Russian army.

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