Kyiv says 'no significant changes' at Robotyne after ISW said Russia captured village
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on July 28 that according to geolocated footage, Russia has likely "seized all of Robotyne" in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The Tavria group of forces spokesperson, Dmytro Lykhovii, disputed this claim in a comment for the Kyiv Independent on July 29, saying that the situation in the sector was "without any major changes."
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.
Russia said it had captured the settlement already back in May, a claim that Ukraine had denied at the time.
The ISW referred to geolocated footage shared on both Ukrainian and pro-Kremlin Telegram channels on July 27 showing Russian ground troops north of the village.
"Elements of the Russian 42nd Motorized Rifle Division... are reportedly operating near Robotyne," the U.S.-based think tank said in its report.
While denying any significant changes in the area, Lykhovii did not disclose additional details on the situation in Robotyne.
In its morning report on July 29, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said Russian forces continue in their attempts to dislodge Ukrainian troops from positions in the Orikhiv and Huliaipole directions in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
The General Staff's report named battles near Mala Tokmachka, Huliaipole, Novodanylivka, and Novoandriivka but did not mention any engagements near Robotyne.
If confirmed, the loss of Robotyne would mean the loss of another settlement liberated during Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive. Earlier in July, the Ukrainian army confirmed the withdrawal from the village of Urozhaine in Donetsk Oblast, which was liberated in August 2023.
Martin Fornusek
