Ukrainian Commander Syrskyi: fierce fighting continues near seven cities in Eastern, Southern Ukraine

The heaviest fighting on the front lines continues near seven cities across the Donetsk, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia regions, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Thursday.

In a social media post, Syrskyi wrote about his conversation with the Chief of the Defence Staff of France, Fabien Mandon, during which he briefed him on the current situation in combat zones.

“The situation along the front remains difficult. The fiercest battles are taking place near Kupiansk, Lyman, Siversk, Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad and Huliaipole”, Syrskyi stated.

He also discussed key needs of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, including pilot training for Mirage fighter jets, strengthening air defence and other areas of defence cooperation.

Tensions have recently escalated in southern Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Zaporizhzhia region earlier today, where he met with military leadership following the withdrawal of defence forces from the village of Rivnopil.

Discussions also focused on reinforcing the Stepnohirsk sector and evacuating civilians. Following the visit, Zelenskyy announced an upcoming meeting of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief’s Staff, expected to address defense measures in Zaporizhzhia and surrounding areas.

Meanwhile, the situation remains critical in the Donetsk region’s Pokrovsk area. Russian forces recently attempted to advance into the city using light armored vehicles and achieved partial success, but Ukrainian defence forces reported that the enemy is being destroyed both within the city and on its outskirts.