The newly appointed Chief of the Ukrainian Army, Oleksandr Syrsky, recently visited the eastern battlefront, describing the situation as highly unstable.
“The conflict zone is notably challenging and fraught with tension. The Russian forces are escalating their offensive efforts and have a numerical upper hand,” Oleksandr Syrsky shared on social media platforms following his trip to the eastern frontline alongside Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
Syrsky emphasized Ukraine’s commitment to halting the advancement of Russian forces further into its territory and to securing the areas already under its control.
The specific locations visited by Chief Syrsky and Minister Umerov in the eastern region were not disclosed by the Ukrainian military. The city of Avdeevka has emerged as a significant battleground recently.
Avdeevka, a crucial town near Donetsk’s capital in the province bearing the same name, remains under Ukrainian control and is a focal point of Russian military assaults in that area. In recent times, Russian military campaigns have concentrated on Avdeevka, claiming several victories in the area.
Capturing Avdeevka would enable Russia to extend their front line by another 50-60 km, paving the way from Donetsk’s capital to other northern cities like Konstantinovka, edging closer to their objective of fully dominating the Donetsk province.
Chief Syrsky also mentioned his and Minister Umerov’s visit to the northern positions of the Ukrainian forces near Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, an area where the Russian military has intensified its attacks lately.
“Given the current circumstances, we’ve decided on several critical measures to bolster the combat effectiveness of our military units and counteract enemy maneuvers,” stated Syrsky.
Earlier on the day, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Belgorod region, reported the death of five civilians, including a child, and injuries to 18 others in a Ukrainian missile attack targeting the city of Belgorod in southwestern Russia.