For second day in row, we have been successful in Dobropillia and Pokrovsk directions. We expect increased Russian pressure on front line - Zelenskyy said after hearing report from Syrskyi
Today, on August 16, 2025, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a report from Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi.
Zelenskyy announced this on his Telegram, Censor.NET reports.
In particular, as noted, they discussed the frontline, the defense of positions, and up-to-date information on the intentions and movements of the Russian army.
"We are defending our positions along the entire front line, and for the second day in a row, we have been successful in some extremely difficult areas in the Donetsk region - in the direction of Dobropillia and Pokrovsk.
"In particular, I would like to mention the units of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine "Azov", the units of the 7th Air Assault Corps, the units of the 38th Separate Marine Brigade named after Hetman Petro Sahaidachnyi, as well as the units of our 93rd Separate Mechanised Brigade "Kholodnyi Yar"," the Head of State stressed.
According to him, the destruction of the occupants who tried to infiltrate deep into our positions is underway. There is also an important replenishment of the exchange fund for Ukraine by the Russian military.
The Commander-in-Chief also reported on the actions of our units in the Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to all the soldiers for their resilience.
"Based on the political and diplomatic situation around Ukraine and knowing Russia's cunning, we anticipate that in the coming days the Russian army may try to increase pressure and strikes against Ukrainian positions to create more favourable political circumstances for conversations with global actors. We are recording the movements and preparations of Russian troops. Of course, we will counteract - asymmetrically if necessary. I have asked the Chief of Defence to talk to the military commanders. Ukraine needs strong positions and a really tangible counteraction to the enemy.
I am grateful to each of our soldiers, sergeants, and officers who perform combat missions and destroy the occupants in the way necessary for Ukraine's confidence," the Head of State summarised.
Earlier, the OSGT Dnipro noted that the infiltration of Russians in the Dobropillia and Pokrovske directions is not "taking control of the territory".
It was also reported that the Russian invaders were advancing in the area of Kucheriv Yar, Zolotyi Kolodyazh, and Mayske.
In turn, the former chief of staff of the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade, Bohdan Krotevych, commenting on the combat situation in the Pokrovsk sector, said that the Pokrovsk-Konstantinovka line is, without exaggeration, a complete sh**tstorm. Battalion commander of the 47th separate mechanised brigade "Magura" Oleksandr Shyrshyn called for "right decisions" to be made to stabilise the frontline in the Pokrovsk sector.
Azov said that 6 villages in the Dobropole sector had been cleared of the occupiers.
