The Ukrainian Defense Forces are making gradual advances in their southern operational zone, according to General Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This update follows a meeting with unit commanders engaged in ongoing combat operations.
During his visit to the southern front, Syrskyi met with leaders of the offensive group and commanders from various brigades, regiments, and battalions. He received briefings on the outcomes of previous missions and the current situation in designated areas.
“The Ukrainian Defense Forces are holding their positions, inflicting damage on the enemy, and gradually advancing while fighting to liberate populated areas,”
stated Syrskyi. He emphasized the importance of maintaining operational momentum.
Earlier, Syrskyi noted that the Defense Forces aim to seize operational initiative and compel the enemy to respond to Ukrainian strategies. He highlighted ongoing counteroffensive operations in the Oleksandrivka direction, where airborne units have regained control over 285.6 square kilometers in just one month. Overall, since the beginning of the operation, over 400 square kilometers have been reclaimed.
In related developments, Commander Dmytro “Perun” Filatov of the 1st Separate Assault Brigade indicated in an interview that the town of Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region is “almost occupied,” but he assured that this is part of a broader strategy.
The Defense Forces are regaining control over territories at the junction of the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, referred to as the Oleksandrivka direction in reports from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The specifics of the counteroffensive operations in this area remain largely undisclosed, with Ukrainian defenders operating under a near-total information blackout.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned in a March 3 interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera that Ukrainian forces have reclaimed 460 square kilometers of territory since the beginning of the year. He reiterated that Ukraine is not losing the war and expressed a desire for dialogue and peace.
General Oleksandr Syrskyi reports that Ukrainian Defense Forces are making steady progress in the southern operational zone, reclaiming significant territory. The focus remains on maintaining operational initiative against enemy forces while striving for peace.