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Active Russia-Ukraine front line has expanded, Syrskyi says

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Active Russia-Ukraine front line has expanded, Syrskyi says
Oleksandr Syrskyi awards Ukrainian fighters of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade “Edelweiss” in the Soledar direction on July 2, 2023 in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Photo by Yuriy Mate/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

The active Russia-Ukraine front line has recently expanded as intense fighting continues in the areas of Pokrovsk and Toretsk, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on July 2.

He added that the intensity of fighting in other segments of the front line has recently decreased.

The Toretsk sector in Donetsk Oblast has become another hotspot in recent weeks, the general said. Fierce fighting of different intensity is also ongoing in the Kurakhove, Vremivka, Kramatorsk and Kharkiv sectors, according to Syrskyi.

Moscow's troops have increased their attacks near the town of Toretsk in June after a "long lull" in fighting in the area. Russia carried out 17 attacks in this direction, Ukraine's General staff said in its latest update on July 2.

The situation in the Pokrovsk sector is difficult, according to Syrskyi. Russia wants to break through Ukraine's defenses and has rotated strike units, removing the units "whose assault forces have completely lost their combat capability," Syrskyi said.

"Despite the reinforcement of our units with reserves, this area requires constant attention and additional ammunition and firepower," he added.

The key problem for Ukrainian commanders are "manning units with motivated, well-trained military," Syrskyi said, as well as providing soldiers with modern electronic warfare and air defense equipment capable of effectively countering Russian drones.

"We have an advantage in the number and quality of combat copters, primarily bombers and FPV drones, and the skill of the operators who use them. This is the key to our success and the safety of our soldiers," Syrskyi said.

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Kateryna Denisova

Politics Reporter

Kateryna Denisova is the reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in Ukrainian politics. Based in Kyiv, she focuses on domestic affairs, parliament, and social issues. Denisova began her career in journalism in 2020 and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. She also studied at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.

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Along the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine, the front line has remained largely static, but fighting continues every day. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko embedded with Ukraine’s forces in Kherson Oblast, following FPV drone and night bomber teams tasked with defending river islands.

Earlier on Jan. 1, Volodymyr Saldo, a Ukrainian politician turned top Russian proxy head of Russian-occupied parts of Kherson Oblast, accused Kyiv of launching three drones at a hotel and a cafe on the Black Sea coast. Saldo claimed that the alleged New Year drone strike on the village of Khorly killed 24 people, including a child, and wounded more than 50.

Ukraine formally joined the European Union's single roaming zone on Jan. 1, allowing Ukrainian citizens to use their mobile phone service across the European bloc without incurring additional charges.

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