Russian troops have expanded the area of active hostilities by almost 70 kilometers, focusing their main efforts on the direction of Strilecha - Liptsy and on the seized Vovchansk in Kharkiv region, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky, reports UNN.
The enemy has expanded the area of active combat operations by almost 70 kilometers, thus trying to force us to use an additional number of brigades from the reserve
According to the Commander-in-Chief, the enemy focused its main efforts on the direction of Strilecha - Lypky and the capture of Vovchansk, with further access to Bilyi Kolodyazh and the launch of an offensive in the rear of Ukrainian troops.
For this purpose, the Russian military leadership created and significantly strengthened the operational and tactical grouping of troops "North", which included combat units of the 6th Army, 11th and 44th Army Corps.
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According to Syrsky, the enemy launched an offensive much earlier than planned when it noticed the redeployment of Ukrainian troops, but it failed to break through the Ukrainian defense.
However, the Commander-in-Chief pointed out that "there will be heavy battles ahead and the enemy is preparing for it."
"Under such circumstances, we must prevent further advancement of the enemy troops by steadily holding the occupied borders and positions, strikes by aviation, missile systems, artillery and tank fire to inflict maximum losses on them, as well as create conditions for defeat by mobile assault groups and units with attacks to the flank and rear from different directions," said Syrskyi.
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