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Russian forces on the Hulyaipole axis are stepping up combat operations, conducting dozens of assaults daily and deploying thousands of drones against Ukrainian defenders, the General Staff said in a Facebook update.
“The situation in southern Ukraine, particularly in the Hulyaipole sector, is indeed tense. The enemy is intensifying assault actions, increasing artillery fire and the use of kamikaze drones,” the statement noted.
According to the General Staff, over the past 24 hours Russian troops carried out more than 30 assaults, fired over 500 artillery strikes using more than 2,100 munitions, launched around 10 airstrikes, carried out 250 drone drops and employed nearly 2,000 kamikaze drones.
The military stressed that Russia is simultaneously waging an information campaign, deliberately exaggerating its supposed successes and overstating problems in Ukraine’s Defence Forces to spread panic and provoke rash reactions among Ukrainians.
Ukrainian forces hold the line
Despite the pressure, Ukrainian troops maintain their defensive positions, with communications, logistics and support functioning, the General Staff said. Each day, Ukrainian defenders eliminate 250–300 Russian personnel and destroy more than 50 units of enemy equipment.
Over the past day alone, two Russian tanks, around 15 artillery systems and nearly 40 vehicles were put out of action.
“Fierce battles are being fought for every metre of land. The situation is difficult, but there is no encirclement. Communication with our units is stable, logistics are functioning and evacuation of the wounded continues. Claims about so-called barrier troops blocking our units are false,” the statement added.
Command decisions
The General Staff emphasized that commanders make balanced decisions based on real-time assessments: holding the line where resources allow, or preserving personnel by repositioning to more advantageous locations when necessary—positions that can later be regained through coordinated fire and counteraction.
The military urged media and citizens to rely on verified information and avoid amplifying narratives that serve Russian interests.
Situation on the Hulyaipole axis
Earlier, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russian forces had captured three settlements in Zaporizhzhia region, with heavy fighting continuing for two more. Reports also indicated that Russian troops had cut one of the key supply routes to Hulyaipole as they attempt to advance from the east and north.
On 21 November Ukraine’s Defence Forces denied claims that Ukrainian units on the Hulyaipole axis had been encircled, calling such reports untrue.
In its morning update, the General Staff reported that Ukrainian defenders repelled 16 Russian assaults near Dobropillia and Hulyaipole, as well as in the areas of Vesele, Zatyshshia, Zelenyi Hai and Vysoke.
