Ukrainian troops positioned near the village of Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk Oblast are at risk of encirclement by Russian forces, military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov said on Jan. 23.

Russian forces are attempting to take control of access routes to the village through heavy fire, according to Trehubov, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia group of forces.

"Velyka Novosilka is currently in a rather difficult situation. Ukrainian soldiers are doing everything to prevent further advances of the enemy," Trehubov said.

However, the geographical layout of the area, including a river that cuts through the village, complicates defensive maneuvers, according to Trehubov.

According to Trehubov, Russia's numerical advantage in manpower in the area poses significant challenges.

"They are constantly conducting rotations, adding personnel, and replenishing their deployed forces. They still have this resource," Trehubov added.

He said that preventing encirclement and maintaining access to Velyka Novosilka remains a priority for Ukrainian troops.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi previously described the ongoing Russian offensive in the east as "one of the most powerful" since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Throughout the fall of 2024, Russian forces made operational gains in southern Donetsk Oblast, including areas near Toretsk and Chasiv Yar, while advancing near Kupiansk and on Russian soil in Kursk Oblast.

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The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek