Ukraine’s 65th Brigade Rotated Out After 320 Days Near Novoandriivka as Drones Delay Relief
Ukraine’s 65th Brigade says soldiers have finally been rotated off positions near Novoandriivka on the Orikhiv axis after 320 days on the line, describing earlier relief attempts broken up by Russian drones and artillery and a three‑day, 18‑kilometer march to safety under autumn fog.
Ukraine’s 65th Brigade says its troops have at last been rotated out of frontline positions near Novoandriivka on the Orikhiv axis, ending a 320‑day stretch on the line that shows how difficult basic troop relief has become under Russian drone and artillery fire.
According to the brigade, multiple earlier attempts to send in replacement units failed. Incoming groups were detected and struck by Russian drones and artillery before they could fully reach the positions. One replacement group was killed before taking over, the unit says, and others were wounded on the way in.
Rotation only became possible when autumn rain and fog reduced Russian drone visibility. Using the poor weather as cover, soldiers from the 65th Brigade walked 18 kilometers over three days to reach an evacuation point. What would normally be a short vehicle move turned into a slow, risky withdrawal on foot for troops who had held the same sector for almost a year.
A deployment of 320 days in one area means living under repeated bombardment and sustaining casualties without regular relief. Over time, that erodes equipment, stamina and unit cohesion, even among experienced formations.
The Orikhiv axis in southern Ukraine has seen heavy fighting as Russian forces press toward Ukrainian defensive lines. Positions near Novoandriivka help protect deeper territory and complicate Russian efforts to disrupt Ukrainian logistics.
The brigade’s account illustrates how drones and artillery have turned routine military tasks such as rotations and resupply into complex operations. Movement to and from the front is constantly exposed to surveillance and fire, forcing commanders to wait for rare windows of bad weather and to send troops out on foot.
How often Ukraine can repeat such rotations in other sectors, whether Russian forces adapt with different drone tactics in poor weather, and whether Kyiv receives more counter‑drone and air defense equipment will determine if similar units can avoid being trapped on the line for comparable lengths of time.
Sources
- OSINT