The Armed Forces of Ukraine are restoring positions in the Dnipropetrovsk region, the occupiers are increasing pressure on other sections of the front

Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has regained 460 sq. km of its territory. The most tangible successes of the Defense Forces were in the Dnipropetrovsk region, where the occupying army was immediately pushed back by more than 400 sq. km.

The Defense Forces continue the counter-offensive operation at the junction of Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions with the forces of the Airborne Assault Troops and with the support of mechanized brigades. The advance of our units in the Oleksandrivka direction was successful, where we managed to almost completely restore control over the occupied territory of Dnipropetrovsk region.

The Russians wanted to use the Dnipropetrovsk region factor exclusively as an element of political pressure on the Ukrainian side during the negotiations. This concerns the creation of a buffer zone in the Dnipropetrovsk region, which involves expanding the geography of the theater of hostilities into the territory that is not part of the occupying country according to the decree of the Russian dictator from 2022. This also concerns the formation of a precedent for territorial exchange.

What did the Russians propose? Exchange the territories of Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, and Kharkiv regions, which are temporarily under occupation, for the territory of Donetsk region, which is controlled by the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

Accordingly, the de-occupation of the territories of the Dnipropetrovsk region destroyed the plans of the Russian side. Note that after the successful counter-offensive actions, the dates of the negotiations between the Ukrainian and Russian delegations were postponed. This was dictated by the fact that the enemy had no leverage left to put pressure on Ukraine with successful actions in the territories that are not included in the occupying country.

In Sumy region, Russian troops also tried to expand their presence on the eve of the announced international meetings on the end of the war in Ukraine. But there is no reason to talk about the implementation of the enemy’s plans to establish a wide buffer zone. The Russians themselves have now admitted the failure of the next operation “Pipe” in Sumy region, which involved reaching the rear of Ukrainian units through underground gas pipelines. This operation led to numerous losses in the manpower of the occupiers.

At the same time, it is worth paying attention to other “hot spots” of our defense line and explaining their role in the overall theater of hostilities. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrsky stated that the Russian invaders have increased pressure on several areas of the front, but the Defense Forces are actively countering them and restoring positions.

“With the change in weather conditions, the Russian aggressor has increased pressure on several sections of the front at once. For several days in a row, the number of combat clashes has exceeded 200,” he said.

Kharkiv region. Volchansky khutory is the most problematic area in the Kharkiv direction. These are dominant heights, so it is no coincidence that hostilities have intensified here. The occupiers are trying to capture them in order to keep our rear logistics under fire control.

Kupyansk is actually completely under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Small assault groups of 20 to 40 people are actually blocked in the center, in the area of high-rise buildings and the central hospital. They are cut off from ground logistics. Accordingly, their neutralization is a matter of time.

It is also important that the Ukrainian Defense Forces fully control Kupyansk-Vuzlovy. That is, the Russians cannot use it to transfer operational reserves by rail from the territory of the Russian Federation and the occupied areas of Luhansk Oblast for the subsequent formation of a strike group to advance towards Sloviansk along the Oskol River.

Pokrovsk direction. The situation there is complicated. The main battles are near the villages of Hryshyne and Rodynske. These are key logistical hubs of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. Battles are also ongoing in the vicinity of Pokrovsk and Myrnograd, in the “promok” area. There is no zone of stable presence of our units in Pokrovsk. There is a raid method of action of assault groups there. But a wide cordon zone has been created that does not allow the occupiers to advance further into Ukrainian territory. In fact, this is a trap for the Russian occupation troops, given that Pokrovsk and Myrnograd are under total fire control of the Defense Forces.

In the near future, the main emphasis on the Pokrov direction will be shifted to the Dobropil direction. The occupiers plan to capture this industrial city.

Kostyantynivka direction. The situation there is also difficult – the occupiers are trying to act by infiltrating small assault groups directly in the city. Plus, there are certain tactical successes on the flanks of the Ukrainian group. This is in the area of Chasovy Yar and Stupochy. In Chasovy Yar, an additional redeployment of the occupiers’ operational reserves has been recorded in order to establish full control over the settlement.

The situation is complicated by the fact that Kostyantynivka is located in a lowland, and the occupiers control the dominant heights in both Chasovy Yar and Toretsk, practically on the flanks. This gives them the opportunity to keep the Defense Forces locations under fire control. This is the problem of the Ukrainian group in Kostyantynivka.

Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration. The occupiers have some successes in the Lymansk direction, where they are advancing along the right bank of the Seversky Donets towards Zakitne. There is a threat of capturing this strategic settlement, where an important commanding height is located.

Accordingly, there is an advance in the area of Platonovka and Riznykovka, which gives the occupiers the opportunity to reach the dominant heights in the area of the settlements of Kryva Luka and Kalenivka, where there is also an intersection of several important transport routes. At the same time, the occupiers are trying to infiltrate along the Bakhmut – Sloviansk highway. After Solidar, the occupiers are actually approaching the village of Rai-Oleksandrivka (Kramatorsk district).

The main danger of this situation is that Rai-Oleksandrivka is located only 7 km from the Sloviansk CHPP. And from the Sloviansk CHPP to Sloviansk itself is 5 km. That is, in fact, the distance to Sloviansk is approximately 12 km, and to Kramatorsk is approximately 16 km. That is, the occupiers will use the tactic of first controlling fire over the locations of the Defense Forces, and then try to establish direct control to create a threat to the operational environment.

Let me remind you that, according to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, enemy losses have increased significantly: in just the last three days, about 4,840 occupiers have been neutralized, killed and wounded.

The day before, it became known that the Russian troops are moving into the initial phase of the spring offensive campaign , changing the tactics of assaults. At the same time, the Kremlin plans to attract more than 400 thousand new soldiers, avoiding the official announcement of a mass conscription.

Recall that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, reported that Russian troops have increased pressure on several sections of the front at once, and the number of combat clashes exceeds 200 per day. At the same time, the losses of Russian troops have also increased – in just three days, Ukrainian forces neutralized about 4,840 occupiers, killed and wounded.

Earlier it became known that the Russian occupation army is demonstrating increased activity at the front against the backdrop of improving weather conditions. According to Syrsky, the enemy is not backing down from its intentions and continues to prepare for further aggression. In particular, this year it is recruiting another 409 thousand soldiers.

In early March, it was reported that the Russian military was preparing for a new offensive in the Pokrovsko-Mirnogradsk agglomeration area in the Donetsk region. The Russians are seeking to completely occupy these two cities. However, units of the Defense Forces are holding certain positions on the northern outskirts of the settlements.

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