A Ukrainian commander has warned that parts of the frontline are deteriorating fast and that he has not seen such rapid Russian advances in a long time. His remarks come as the US Army Secretary Dan Driscoll holds talks with a Russian delegation in Abu Dhabi in an attempt to seal a peace deal.
As talks progress, fighting continues to rage all along Ukraine‘s extensive frontline. Vladimir Putin‘s troops are doubling down on Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, while also actively attacking in the Zaporizhzhia region to the south. Reports from the battlefield continue to suggest that Russian forces are successfully exploiting weaknesses in Ukraine’s defensive positions in the south.
Earlier in November, the Ukraine military blogger Stanislav Bunyatov claimed Russian units were “rapidly advancing on the right flank towards Zaporizhzhia”, while all eyes were on Pokrovsk.
Analysts at the US think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) confirmed recent Russian gains in the direction ofHulyaipole in their most recent bulletin.
Meanwhile, the head of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence (GUR) Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov on Monday denied that Putin’s troops had almost approached Zaporizhzhia City. However, he noted that Russian forces were attempting to advance to within artillery range of the city.
Now a Ukrainian deputy commander has warned that the situation on the frontlines could soon become “critical” for Kyiv.
In a bleak post to his Telegram channel, Maksym Zhorin wrote: “While everyone is dissecting the negotiations and each point separately, the front line hasn’t gone anywhere.
“And the situation there is only moving in a worse direction. In some areas, without urgent changes, the situation will become critical.Honestly, I haven’t seen the enemy advance at such a speed for a long time.
“The issue now is not the loss of certain settlements, but rather a significant improvement in the enemy’s operational position across entire directions.”
Zhorin is currently serving as the deputy commander of the 3rd Assault Brigade, having once been in charge of the Azov Brigade between 2016 and 2017.
Ukraine appears to be struggling to adapt to changes in Russia‘s battlefield tactics, which are proving effective – according to ISW.
Putin’s army has been using prolonged battlefield air interdiction (BAI) campaigns to degrade Ukrainian drone-based defences and logistics.
They have also sent small groups of soldiers on infiltration missions to identify, worsen and exploit weak points in Ukrainian defences. The Russians then launch mass small group assaults to make rapid advances and force Ukrainian troops to withdraw.