Independent: Biletsky is one of Ukraine's most successful commanders; his assassination would be a "special prize" for Russia
Kyiv • UNN
The Independent named Andriy Biletsky as one of the most successful commanders of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He commands the 3rd Assault Brigade and is implementing ground drones on the front line.
The British publication Independent dedicated an article to Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky, calling him one of Ukraine's most ambitious and successful military commanders, UNN reports.
The publication mentions the recent detention of a Russian agent who was preparing a targeted missile and bomb strike on the location of the Third Army Corps commander. The article states that the assassination of Biletsky would have been a "special prize" for Russia.
In 2014, he founded and led "Azov," with which he mounted armed resistance against Russian forces at a time when the Ukrainian army was "sclerotic, riddled with Russian sympathizers, and poorly managed."
In 2022, Biletsky formed a new unit that evolved into the Third Assault Brigade—a brigade that has gained cult status as the most effective in the Armed Forces and has become the largest due to a massive influx of volunteers.
Currently, the "Troika" has about 10,000 servicemen, which is twice as many as a regular brigade. Of these, 90% are volunteers. "It is now operating along a 150km front line in the areas of eastern Ukraine most coveted by Putin and where Russian forces regularly launch attacks," the Independent writes.
Officers and sergeants of the Troika have taken command of five brigades that became part of the Third Corps. It is not just holding the defense against Russia but is beginning to push Kremlin forces back across the 12.5% of the front it controls. The Corps' success in defending Lyman is of strategic importance for the most critical fortress cities of the Donetsk region—Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.
Biletsky identified the key to success and the future of the war as the fact that 40% of frontline combat will soon be conducted using ground drones—remotely controlled combat vehicles equipped with machine guns and anti-tank weapons.
When asked by a journalist whether he would run for president, the Corps commander replied: "I am a sincere opponent of any talk about elections right now. We are fighting, and we must finish the fight."