Situation in Novopavlivka axis quite difficult, enemy trying to break through to administrative border with Dnipropetrovsk region

Active fighting is underway in the Novopavlivka axis, the enemy is trying to break through to the administrative border of Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, said the spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces, Vladyslav Voloshyn.

"We have a rather difficult situation in the Novopavlivka axis, because the enemy is actively continuing both shelling and clashes, assaults by small groups of infantry, trying to break through to the administrative border of Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. That is why a lot of enemy assault infantry has gathered there today," he said during a telethon.

According to the spokesman, these are assault units from four Russian regiments, which are trying to carry out their assault actions on a relatively small section of the contact line. The Ukrainian Defense Forces are conducting maneuver defense, trying to destroy the enemy. The enemy here, according to Voloshyn, suffers heavy losses, in particular, approximately 150 personnel per day.

In addition, during the assaults, the enemy uses combat equipment, as well as a large number of motorcycle equipment, which the Defense Forces are also destroying.

Voloshin emphasized that in the Novopavlivka axis, the enemy is trying to capture several settlements (Zelene Pole, Vilne Pole, Novopil, Novosilka), which are under Ukrainian control, and break through to Dnipropetrovsk region.

"There is quite fierce and active fighting there today. However, the Defense Forces are conducting positional defense and are trying to keep the enemy out, causing him heavy losses," the spokesman stressed.

He noted that there was no "ceasefire as such" in the south, because the enemy continued artillery shelling and carried out air strikes with kamikaze drones, guided aerial bombs, and unguided aerial missiles. The Russians also carried out assault operations. In particular, in Novopavlivka, this is a fairly large number - 24 combat clashes, Voloshyn noted.

"The enemy is quite active in the south," he said.

The spokesman also reported that in the Orikhiv axis the enemy is trying to break through the defense line and seize a bridgehead near the settlements of Stepovoe, Lobkove, and Mali Scherbaky.

"He wants to take it under control in order to keep under fire control our logistical routes that go from Zaporizhia to the east - logistical routes to Hulyaipole and Orekhiv, as well as to have fire control from there on the very regional center of Zaporizhia, to shell its southern and eastern suburbs. Therefore, for several months in a row, it has been unsuccessful, but the enemy still continues its assault operations here," he emphasized.