Ukrainian troops are holding back one of Russia's "most powerful" offensives since the start of Moscow's full-scale war, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Nov. 2.
Throughout 2024, Ukraine has faced a challenging situation in its defense of the front line, particularly in Donetsk Oblast, where Russia has consistently concentrated its offensive potential.
After a meeting with a delegation of the Czech Armed Forces, Syrskyi described the situation on the battlefield as difficult.
"Active hostilities that continue in certain areas require constant renewal of the resources of Ukrainian units," he said.
Since the beginning of the day, 126 clashes between Ukrainian and Russian forces have taken place along the front line, Ukraine's General Staff said in its latest update on Nov. 2.
Russia continues to press forward on its offensives across the eastern front, primarily on the Toretsk, Kurakhove, and Pokrovsk axes in Donetsk Oblast, where outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian soldiers are forced to withdraw little by little.
In recent weeks, the Ukrainian military warned that Russia is escalating its operations in southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
In Kharkiv Oblast, Ukrainian forces liberated and "cleared out" in mid-October the village of Kruhliakivka, which Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) described as important for the defense of Kupiansk.
In the meantime, Russian troops are reportedly attempting to establish crossings near the Oskil River to advance toward the city of Kupiansk.
The reports came as Russia is planning to involve North Korean troops to aid its war effort, with more than 7,000 soldiers deployed near the Ukrainian border.
In a recent interview, President Volodymyr Zelensky blasted Ukraine's partners "zero" response to deployment of North Korean troops for the war in Ukraine. He said that if Kyiv had permission to use Western long-range weapons on Russian territory, it could preemptively target "every camp" where North Korean troops are gathering.
Chris York
