KYIV—Ukraine’s top commander stated on Sunday that Kyiv’s troops had retreated to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front, where Russia has concentrated significant forces in multiple locations.
Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi’s announcement reflected Ukraine’s worsening situation in the east, which Kyiv hopes to stabilize with the anticipated delivery of U.S. weapons under a $61 billion aid package approved this week.
“The situation at the front has deteriorated,” Gen. Syrskyi wrote on the Telegram app, highlighting the “most challenging” areas as west of Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka, the town captured by Russian forces in February.
Gen. Syrskyi mentioned that Kyiv’s troops had repositioned west of the villages of Berdychi and Semenivka, both north of Avdiivka, and Novomykhailivka, further south near the town of Maryinka.
“Overall, the enemy made some tactical gains in these areas but failed to secure operational advantages,” he claimed, noting that Russia had deployed four brigades for the assault.
Rested Ukrainian brigades were being rotated into those areas to replace units that had suffered losses, he added.
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His statement did not mention the status of Novobakhmutivka, another village near Berdychi, that Russia’s defense ministry said on Sunday its forces had captured.
Moscow’s troops have been advancing since capturing the bastion town of Avdiivka.
Online battlefield maps produced by open-source intelligence analysts suggest they have advanced more than 15 km (9.5 miles)in the direction of the village of Ocheretyne since capturing Avdiivka.
Further up the front, the Kyiv-held town of Chasiv Yar is a key emerging battleground because of its position on elevated ground that could serve as a gateway to the cities of Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk.
Gen. Syrskyi described Chasiv Yar and the village of Ivanivske to its northeast as the “hottest spots” on that part of the front. Russia’s defense ministry said it had repelled Ukrainian counter-attacks near Chasiv Yar.
Kharkiv Buildup
In what could prove a worrying development for Ukraine, Gen. Syrskyi said his forces were closely monitoring an increase in the number of Russian troops in the area of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
The northeastern city of 1.3 million just 30 km from the Russian border has been hammered by airstrikes in recent months.
Gen. Syrskyi said there were so signs that Russia was directly preparing for an offensive in the north of the country.
“In the most threatening directions, our troops have been reinforced by artillery and tank units,” he said.
Ukraine is currently expecting a shipment of U.S. military aid which officials claim is critical to holding off Russia’s two-year-old invasion. Mr. Zelenskyy said Ukrainian and U.S. teams were working on a “specific text” of a 10-year security agreement that would include weapons and other support.
