Military: Situation near Robotyne 'in flux' but not critical
The line of contact near the village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast is "in flux," but the situation is "not critical" despite Russian troops assaults in the area, Nataliia Humeniuk, spokesperson of Ukraine's Southern Operational Command said on March 20.
The village of Robotyne, which lies some 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of Orikhiv and 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) southeast of Zaporizhzhia, was liberated by Ukraine during its counteroffensive in the summer of 2023 and has been on the front line since.
Robotyne sits by the main road toward Russian-occupied Tokmak and further to occupied Melitopol, one of the key logistic hubs for Russian forces in southern Ukraine.
"We need to remember that on such open surfaces as this region, the line of contact is in flux. Positions can change even within a day - by a few meters, a few tens of meters. But this is not critical, it is a normal development of combat events," Humeniuk told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on March 20.
"The enemy is continuing to attack and put pressure (on Ukrainian troops in the area), has a numerical advantage, and uses 'human wave' attacks," she said.
Russian forces actively use counter-battery fire, such as artillery and drones, near Robotyne, according to Humeniuk.
There were six assault attempts by Russia in this area over the past day, all of which were repelled by Ukraine's Armed Forces, she added.
Russian troops are also having trouble gathering groups to assault territories controlled by Ukraine on the east bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast, she said.
Asami Terajima
