On the Novopavlivka axis in Donetsk region, 34 combat engagements were recorded overnight, indicating Russia’s intention to advance toward the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk region.
This was stated during a TV broadcast by Viktor Trehubov, Spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group of Troops, according to Ukrinform.
“There were 34 clashes on the Novopavlivka front in the past 24 hours. That’s a very high number for this sector of the front. It indicates the Russians are making very active attempts to move toward Dnipropetrovsk region border. But so far, they’ve been unsuccessful,” Trehubov said.
He added that intense fighting continues across the entire front line – including the Toretsk, Kramatorsk, Kupiansk, and Kharkiv directions.
Regarding the goal of reaching Dnipropetrovsk administrative border, Trehubov explained that the invaders are eager to demonstrate some level of presence, but as of now, there is no sustained Russian military presence in that area.
“They wanted to achieve this by May 9, likely for symbolic reasons. But they failed then and continue to fail now. They’re fighting hard to push the front line toward the border, mainly to show they’ve reached it — to claim partial success in meeting their political goals. From a military perspective, it makes little sense, but politically, it might,” he emphasized.
He emphasized that Ukraine’s Defense Forces are putting up very active resistance against the Russians, with a large number of enemy troops being eliminated. However, the number of combat engagements in the Novopavlivka sector is “abnormally high.”
As previously reported, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that there was no advance of Russian troops into Dnipropetrovsk region.
On June 11, the Khortytsia OSGT refuted Russian claims about allegedly reaching the administrative border between Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Source: Khortytsia Command: Russian push toward Dnipropetrovsk thwarted by Ukraine’s defenders
