Latest news with #OleksandrSyrskyi
Egypt Independent
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Egypt Independent
Russia has amassed 110,000 troops near strategic Ukrainian city, Kyiv says
CNN — Russia has amassed 110,000 troops in the vicinity of Pokrovsk as part of its efforts to take over the strategic eastern Ukrainian city, the Ukrainian military chief said Friday. Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Friday that the area around Pokrovsk was the 'hottest spot'along the 1,200-kilometre (745 miles) front line which runs across the east. Russian forces have been trying to capture Pokrovsk for almost a year, staging one grinding offensive after another. But despite having a clear advantage in terms of the number of troops and weapons available, Moscow has failed to take over the city. Pokrovsk is a strategic target for Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that his goal is to seize all of the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk his forces partially occupy. Kyiv and its allies accuse Russia's President Vladimir Putin of stalling on peace efforts so that his forces can seize more Ukrainian territory. Although not a major city, Pokrovsk sits on a key supply road and railroad that connect it with other military hubs in the area. Together with Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, it forms the backbone of Ukrainian defenses in the part of Donetsk region that are still under Kyiv's control. Some 60,000 lived in Pokrovsk before the war, but the majority have left in the three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine's last operating coking coal mine was in Pokrovsk and many of its employees were staying in the area to keep it going. Once it was forced to shut down early this year, they too began to leave. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US-based conflict monitor, said late last year that Ukrainian defensive operations in Pokrovsk have forced Russia to abandon its original plan to take over Pokrovsk in a frontal assault. Residents walk next to an apartment building hit by Russian military strikes in Pokrovsk onApril 23, 2025. Nina Liashonok/Reuters The ISW said this was because Ukrainian troops began using drones as integral part of their defensive strategy, successfully integrating drone operators with their ground forces. At the same time, Russia was unable to increase the number of troops in the area by much, because it was trying to contain the surprise incursion of Ukrainian troops into its own territory in the southern Kursk region. Syrskyi told reporters last week that at one point, the Kursk operation pulled back nearly 63,000 Russian troops and some 7,000 North Korean troops. 'This allowed us to weaken the enemy's pressure on the main fronts and regroup our troops. And the enemy's capture of Pokrovsk, announced back in September 2024, has not yet taken place, thanks in part to our Kursk operation,' he said. Instead of continuing to attacking the city directly, Russian troops then began encircling the city from south and northeast. The ISW said in its most recent assessment on Friday that Russian forces were continuing assaults with small fireteams of one to two soldiers, sometimes on motorcycles, in all-terrain vehicles and buggies. In a statement issued on Friday, Syrksky said Russia continued to try to break through to the administrative border of the Donetsk region. 'They want to do this not only to achieve some operational results, but primarily for demonstrative purposes. To achieve a psychological effect: to put the infamous 'foot of the Russian soldier' there, plant a flag and trumpet another pseudo-'victory',' he said.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Putin breaks sanctions to beef up deadly drone war on Ukraine
Russian forces are using banned European and American components to make 'Kamikaze drones' fitted with AI technology more deadly in their war on Ukraine, it has been claimed. Iranian Shahed-136 Geran 2 drones are fitted with original Tehran explosives and engines but Russian mini-computers are used in them for accuracy in targeting. The new variant of drones have anti-jamming devices making them tough to disable by ground troops and AI technology to help with targeting of soldiers and civilians. And Ukrainian weapons experts have discovered banned-US, German, Swiss and even Taiwanese components added to the drones. Despite years of sanctions against importing weapons components or dual purpose items it means Russia is still able to smuggle items in for their war. It is believed sanctions-busting middle-dealers are using 'third parties' to bypass sanctions through eastern European businesses with access to Russia. One hybrid drone was downed on June 17 in the Ukrainian region of Sumy where Ukrainian experts were able to take it apart. They discovered the addition of the Russian 'Nvidia Jetson Orin' minicomputer, which helps the AI enhance the drone and video processing. It is believed these additions to the First Person View - FPV - drone make it easier for the pilot driving it to direct the weapon to its target. One Ukrainian source said: 'We've been aware for some time that components from some European countries are being used by the Russians. These are strictly banned by sanctions against Moscow and yet they are still getting through the system illegally. 'And they are being used for deadly purposes and increasingly are becoming more sophisticated.' In the past The Daily Mirror has revealed how sanctions have had an effect on Russia's ability to fight the war. At one stage it was unable to provide tanks with the correct optical devices meaning it reduced commanders' ability to aim their guns as well. This reduced effective targeting from seven miles to four miles. Ukrainian forces have halted Russia's advance into northern Sumy region and have stabilised the front line near the border with Russia, Ukraine's top military commander said. Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces, said Ukrainian successes in Sumy have prevented Russia from deploying about 50,000 Russian troops, including elite airborne and marine brigades, to other areas of the front line. Russian forces have been slowly grinding forward at some points on the 620-mile front line but their losses have been catastrophic, daily losing hundreds of troops. Recruitment has become increasingly difficult for Russian commanders because of the ferocity of fighting in Ukraine. More than 20,000 Russian soldiers have been prosecuted for refusing to fight in Ukraine, a Russian independent media outlet Mediazona reported on June 26. As of late May Mediazona documented 20,538 such cases since September 2022 - when the Kremlin announced a first wave of partial mobilisation, compared to 10,025 cases reported as of June 2024. Of these, 18,159 were cases of soldiers going AWOL, 1,369 cases of failure to comply with an order, and 1,010 cases of desertion. According to Mediazona, 17,721 of the accused have already been sentenced. Ukraine's air force said that Russia deployed 41 Shahed and decoy drones across the country overnight, wounding five people. It said that 24 drones were either intercepted or jammed.
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Ukraine halted Russian army's advance in Sumy, top general says
Ukrainian forces have halted Russia's recent advance into the northeastern Sumy region and stabilised the front line near the Russian border, Ukraine's top military commander said Thursday. The Ukrainian military's commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that a successful defence in the Sumy region has prevented Russia from redeploying around 50,000 troops, including elite airborne and marine brigades, to other parts of the front line. "Based on the results of May and June, we can say that this year's wave of the enemy's summer offensive from Russian territory is faltering," Syrskyi said on Thursday. Moscow has not yet commented on his claim. Russian forces have made slow, costly advances along parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line. Their incremental gains have come at the expense of heavy troop casualties and damaged equipment. The outnumbered Ukrainian army has relied heavily on drones to hold back Russian troops. Months of US-led international efforts to broker a ceasefire — now well past the three-year mark — have failed. The only tangible result of the talks was the agreement to carry out a series of prisoner of war exchanges. The most recent exchange took place on Thursday. Ukraine's coordination headquarters for POWs said the swap included severely injured or sick soldiers. The youngest is 24, and the oldest is 62, with officials adding that more exchanges are expected soon. Sumy, the regional capital, had a prewar population of approximately 250,000 and lies about 20 kilometres from the front line. Syrskyi said a special defence group has been formed to improve security and defence in Sumy and surrounding communities. Its focus is improving fortifications and accelerating the construction of additional defensive barriers. In March, Ukrainian forces withdrew from parts of Russia's neighbouring Kursk region — parts of which they controlled after launching an incursion in August 2024. Their withdrawal allowed Russian forces to reclaim some territory in the region of Kursk, before advancing between 2 and 12 kilometres into Ukrainian territory, according to differing estimates.
Nahar Net
a day ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Ukraine halts Russia's advance in northern Sumy region, commander says
Ukrainian forces have halted Russia's recent advance into the northern Sumy region and have stabilized the front line near the border with Russia, Ukraine's top military commander said Thursday. Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander in chief of Ukraine's armed forces, said that Ukrainian successes in Sumy have prevented Russia from deploying about 50,000 Russian troops, including elite airborne and marine brigades, to other areas of the front line. His claim couldn't be independently verified, and Russian officials made no immediate comment. Russian forces have been slowly grinding forward at some points on the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line, though their incremental gains have been costly in terms of troop casualties and damaged armor. The outnumbered Ukrainian army has relied heavily on drones to keep the Russians back. Months of U.S.-led international efforts to stop the more than three years of war have failed. Amid the hostilities, the two sides have continued swaps of prisoners of war agreed on during recent talks between their delegations in Istanbul. Russia's Defense Ministry and Ukrainian authorities said another exchange took place on Thursday. Ukraine's coordination headquarters for POWs said the swap included injured soldiers and those with health complaints. The youngest is 24 and the oldest is 62, it said, adding that more exchanges are expected soon. Sumy, the city which is the capital of the Ukrainian region of the same name, had a prewar population of around 250,000. It lies about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the front line. Russia's push into the region earlier this year compelled Ukraine to strengthen its defenses there. A special defense group has been formed to improve security in Sumy and surrounding communities, Syrskyi said, with a focus on improving fortifications and accelerating construction of defensive barriers. In March, Ukrainian forces withdrew from much of Russia's neighboring Kursk region, parts of which they had controlled after a surprise cross-border attack in August. That retreat enabled Russia to launch a counteroffensive that advanced between 2-12 kilometers (1-7 miles) into Ukrainian territory, according to different estimates. Ukrainian officials say fierce fighting is also taking place in the eastern Donetsk region. The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that its forces have captured two villages, Novoserhiivka and Shevchenko, in Donetsk. Capturing Shevchenko marked an important stage in Russia's ongoing offensive that is trying to break into Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region, which borders Donetsk and is a major industrial center, according to the ministry. Meanwhile, the two sides continued to launch long-range strikes. The Russian ministry said 50 Ukrainian drones were downed over nine regions overnight, including three over the Moscow region. Ukraine's air force said that Russia deployed 41 Shahed and decoy drones across the country overnight, wounding five people. It said that 24 drones were either intercepted or jammed.
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Commander: Ukraine halts Russian advance in northeastern Sumy region
Ukrainian forces have halted Russia's recent advance into the northeastern Sumy region and stabilised the front line near the Russian border, Ukraine's top military commander said Thursday. The Ukrainian military's commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said successful defence in the Sumy region has prevented Russia from redeploying around 50,000 troops, including elite ariborne and marine brigades, to other parts of the front line. "Based on the results of May and June, we can say that this year's wave of the enemy's summer offensive from Russian territory is faltering," Syrskyi said on Thursday. Moscow has not yet commented on his claim. Russian forces have made slow, costly advances along parts of the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line. Their incremental gains have come at the expense of heavy troop casualties and damaged equipment. The outnumbered Ukrainian army has relied heavily on drones to hold back Russian troops. Months of US-led international efforts to broker a ceasefire — now well past the three-year mark — have failed. The only tangible result of the talks was the agreement to carry out a series of prisoner of war exchanges. The most recent exchange took place on Thursday. Ukraine's coordination headquarters for POWs said the swap included severely injured or sick soldiers. The youngest of them is 24 and the oldest is 62, with officials adding that more exchanges are expected soon. Sumy, the regional capital, had a prewar population of approximately 250,000 and lies about 20 kilometres from the front line. Syrskyi said a special defence group has been formed to improve security and defence in Sumy and surrounding communities. Its focus is improving fortifications and accelerating the construction of additional defensive barriers. In March, Ukrainian forces withdrew from parts of Russia's neighbouring Kursk region — parts of which they controlled after launching an incursion in August 2024. Their withdrawal allowed Russian forces to reclaim some territory in the region of Kursk, before advancing between two and 12 kilometres into Ukrainian territory, according to differing estimates.
