Zelensky says ‘active defense’ near Dobropillia inflicting heavy Russian losses despite troop gap
President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian forces are mounting an active defense that is gradually pushing Russian troops back, claiming about 200 Russian soldiers are killed daily near Dobropillia and that Ukraine’s frontline positions are now the strongest in a long time, even where Russian forces outnumber them six to eight times.
President Volodymyr Zelensky says Ukrainian troops are holding the line and bleeding Russian units despite being outnumbered in several sectors.
He described Ukraine’s approach as an “active defense,” saying forces are gradually pushing Russian troops back. In some areas of the front, Zelensky said, Russian forces outnumber Ukrainian defenders by six to eight times. Even so, he said Ukraine is achieving the results it needs.
Zelensky highlighted the Dobropillia area as a focus of intense fighting. He said Russian forces there are losing around 200 troops killed every day and many severely wounded. The figures come from his statement and can’t be independently verified based on the available reporting.
According to Zelensky, all attempts by Russian forces to advance or infiltrate Ukrainian positions are being stopped by the defence forces. He said that this year Ukraine’s frontline positions are the strongest they have been in a long time.
The claimed casualty rate near Dobropillia, if sustained, would represent a significant drain on Russian manpower in that sector. For Ukrainian units, maintaining an active defense under conditions of numerical inferiority requires steady supplies, effective command and reliable reconnaissance.
The main developments to track now are whether Russian troops manage any breakthrough near Dobropillia or other highlighted areas, how long Ukrainian forces can sustain this tempo of defensive operations, and whether Zelensky’s description of strengthened positions holds as fighting continues.
Sources
- OSINT