Zelenskyy says frontline combat is ‘tough’, but Ukraine is ‘dominating’ Russia

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday that Ukrainian troops were facing fierce battles throughout all battlefronts and yet were defeating the Russians.

“The battles are tough, the occupiers are trying their best to stop our guys. The assaults are very fierce. Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Maryinka, Avdiivka directions. Southern directions. It is difficult everywhere,” he said.

He added: “But no matter what the enemy does, it is the Ukrainian force that dominates. And I am grateful to everyone on the frontline for this!”

Zelenskyy spoke about the Russian use of the Iranian-made kamikaze Shahed drones, saying Russia has launched at least 1961 of them against Ukraine. “A significant number of them have been shot down. Unfortunately, not all of them. We are working to shoot down more – to shoot down as many as possible. We are working to have more air defense systems.”

Meanwhile, spokesperson for Operational Command South, Natalia Humeniuk, said the Russian forces in the Southern front are losing their artillery fire advantage as their ammunition stocks keep getting hit, which leads them to lose ground.

And Ground Forces Commander, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces continue to thwart Russian attempts to break through Ukrainian defenses in the Kupiansk and Lyman directions.

Read more:

Kyiv: Pressure in South on Russians slows down logistics, forces them to lose ground

Ukraine thwarting Russian attempts to break through defenses in Kupiansk, Lyman: Kyiv

Most Russian contract soldiers try not to get to frontline: Ukraine intelligence