The head of the Ukrainian Armed Forces admits that the situation on the front has worsened
The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Sirski, admitted this Sunday that the situation on the front “it has gotten worse”since Russian troops have superiority in men and weapons in several areas and have made tactical advances, especially in the eastern Donetsk region.
“The situation on the front has worsened. In an attempt to seize the strategic initiative and break the front line, the enemy has focused its main efforts on several areas, creating a significant advantage in forces and means,” he said on the Telegram channel.
Sirski stressed that Russia “is actively attacking along the entire front, and in some areas is having tactical success”. The head of the Ukrainian Army indicated that the situation is dynamic and some positions change hands several times during the day.
Ukraine occupies new positions after Russian advances
Sirski made these statements after Russia assured today that it had taken the town of Novobajmutivka, north of the city of Avdivka, a Ukrainian stronghold taken by Russian forces last February. Unconfirmed news is also circulating that Russian troops had taken the town of Ocherétine, north of the city of Donetsk, and Ukraine’s Deep State military analysis channel claimed today that they had also occupied Berdichi, somewhat further south.
To save lives, Ukrainian units have withdrawn “to new lines west of Berdichi, Semenivka and Novomikhailivka”Sirski noted in this regard. The lieutenant general said in a detailed report that Ivanivske and Chasiv Yar, west of the occupied city of Bakhmut, “remain the hottest spots” in the Kramatorsk sector and that the Russians are trying to regain control of Klishchiivka, to the south, and reach the Donets River or Siversk River.
He explained that the situation is even “more difficult” in the Pokrovsk and Kurájove sectors, where they continue “fierce battles” and where Russia has deployed up to four brigades to try to develop an offensive west of Avdivka and Márinka, making its way towards Pokrovsk and Kurájove.
Rested troops as reinforcement
To reinforce the defense in these areas and replace units that have suffered losses, brigades that have recovered their combat capacity are being relocated, he added. In parallel, Sirski is monitoring the accumulation and regrouping of enemy troops in the Kharkov sector. There, in the most threatening areas, the troops have been reinforced with artillery units and battle tanks. In turn, in the neighboring Luhansk region, he said, Russian troops are trying to take advantage of their air, missile and artillery ammunition superiority to try to reach the oblast’s administrative border.
The main areas of concentration of enemy efforts in the Kupiansk sector are the villages of Stelmajivka and Berestove, he stated. Russian troops had partial success there, but it was stopped, he said. They also continue to attack the village of Terni in the Liman sector, trying to push the Ukrainian units beyond the Chorni Zherebets river, “but they are not successful”held.
In the Siversk sector, the enemy advances in the area of Bilogorivka and Rozdolivka, trying to break through and block Siversk to create, without success, according to Sirski, the conditions for a new offensive on Sloviansk. In the south, the “situation remains tense” In the regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, and in northern Ukraine, Russia continues to bomb border towns in the Ukrainian regions of Sumi and Chernihiv, he summarized.
