Russian troops entered flank near Huliaipole

One of the Ukrainian units withdrew from its positions without coordination near the settlement of Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, allowing Russian forces to the flank of Ukraine's defence forces. Several Ukrainian soldiers were reported as missing in action after the clash.

Source: Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesman for Defence Forces of Ukraine's South, in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine

Quote: "Our troops carried out a regrouping and their defensive structure was rearranged in order to preserve personnel and strengthen the defence of Huliaipole. However, one of the units withdrew from its positions on its own, without clearing it with the command. This exposed one of the flanks of our operational line in the area, leaving the personnel of the neighbouring unit without any cover. The Russians took advantage of the situation and challenging weather conditions to attack the Ukrainian defence forces' flank."

Details: Voloshyn reported that several Ukrainian soldiers went missing during the fighting.

Quote: "The exact details of what happened there are currently being clarified and verified."

Details: Voloshyn stressed that if it is confirmed that Russian troops committed a war crime in violation of the Geneva Convention, Ukraine will turn to the relevant human rights and judicial bodies to punish the perpetrators.

Quote: "Ukraine's defence forces continue to hold the line, doing everything to honour their fallen brothers-in-arms and defend their dignity."

Details: The spokesperson said that the command of the Defence Forces of Ukraine's South acted promptly to reinforce defences on the Huliaipole front, including the deployment of the reserves.

Background:

• The Russians have significantly slowed down their advance towards Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast due to the successful actions of Ukraine's defence forces' military command, as reported by DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts.
• The Russians had captured the village of Zelenyi Hai in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and the Russian forces had shot and killed five soldiers of the Ukrainian defence forces near the village.

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