Ukraine’s Top General Says Russian Army Still Attacking Despite Heavy Losses

December 19 ------ Oleksandr Syrsky, the commander of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) said that Russia has concentrated 710,000 troops inside Ukrainian territory for its ongoing winter offensive. Russian attacks continue in the northeastern and eastern sectors, despite heavy losses, with AFU units along the more than 1,000-km (621-mile) front holding their positions, Syrsky said on Telegram.

Syrsky’s remarks video conference of senior Ukrainian officials with allies at the 33rd Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting, known as the “Ramstein” group, which coordinates foreign military aid to Ukraine. In a briefing to allies, Syrsky described the current fighting as “difficult.” “To conduct a strategic offensive operation, the enemy has increased the grouping of troops in Ukraine to about 710,000 people. Despite significant losses, the Russian army continues to attempt offensive actions, although it has not achieved significant operational successes,” he said. Syrsky’s report, per his account, cited recent counterattacks liberating territory taken by Russian forces and claimed Ukrainian combat elements recently had “pushed back the occupiers from the city Kupyansk and taken control of almost 90 percent of the city’s territory.”

Contested accounts over Kupyansk

On Nov. 20, Russian President Vladimir Putin received a formal report on national television from Col. Gen. Sergey Kuzovlev, commander of Russia’s Group of Forces West, that Russian troops had secured full control of Kupyansk in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. On Dec. 9, in another televised military event, Putin awarded Kuzovlev Russia’s highest bravery honor, the Hero of Russia medal, for leading his troops to “victory.” On Dec. 12, Ukrainian President Zelensky posted a video from Kupyansk, congratulating AFU forces for regaining control of most of the city, tacitly accusing the Kremlin of spreading false information.

Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov on Wednesday doubled down on Kremlin claims that its forces had total control of Kupyansk, saying in comments televised nationally in Russia: “The Group of Forces West has occupied the strategically important city of Kupyansk, which the enemy is unsuccessfully trying to return to its control.” Fresh battle reports from units fighting in the Kupyansk sector, tracked by Kyiv Post, confirm recent successful Ukrainian counterattacks and the transfer of most of the city’s central districts from Russian to Ukrainian control, but combat is still in progress.

Battle video in Kupyansk, published by the AFU’s 429th Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) Regiment “Achilles” on Wednesday, showed first-person view (FPV) drones and bomber drones attacking soldiers identified as Russian service personnel, as they attempted to cross open fields during daylight. The footage documented “intense attacks” and “heavy enemy losses” in a rural region near Kupyansk city, a regimental statement said. “The situation is characterized by high intensity of combat operations. The enemy continues to use the tactics of small assault groups under the cover of artillery and armored vehicles,” it added.

Source: kyivpost.com