DIU special unit "Artan" is conducting operation to liberate Stepnohirsk in Zaporizhzhia region. VIDEO
Fighters from the "Artan" special forces unit of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, together with units of the Defense Forces, are conducting a comprehensive operation to de-occupy and clear the Stepnohirsk area in the Zaporizhzhia region. As a result of the fighting, several hundred Russian soldiers and more than 20 enemy armored vehicles have been taken out.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by the Telegram channel of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence.
"Fighters from the 'Artan' special forces unit of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine are conducting a comprehensive operation to de-occupy and clear Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia sector—in coordination with other units of the Main Intelligence Directorate's Department of Active Operations and the Ukrainian Defence Forces," the statement reads.
Result of the cleanup
As a result:
- several hundred enemy soldiers killed,
- more than 20 damaged armored vehicles—tanks, IFVs, scarce electronic warfare equipment, and
- prisoners who were captured right in the middle of the city.
"This is an unusual mission for special forces. The soldiers have to spend several months in a state of standby. However, their level of training allowed them to turn that endurance into an effective offensive," says Viktor Torkotiuk, commander of "Artan" and known by the call sign "Titan."
The enemy is launching counterattacks with small groups of 1 to 10 people under cover of fog—using the "human wave" tactic that has become typical of the Russian Armed Forces. Most of the enemy scouts are eliminated while still in the gray zone. The rest are taken out in close combat.
In addition, the enemy has concentrated elite FPV drone units in this sector in an attempt to gain air superiority. However, thanks to the integrated short-range air defense system and the skill of Ukrainian pilots, the Ukrainian Armed Forces maintain control of the skies.
What Does the Return of Stepnohirsk Mean?
"The recapture of Stepnohirsk realigns the front line, deprives the enemy of a foothold it could have used to launch an offensive on Zaporizhzhia, and expands the areas under fire control over the occupiers' logistics. And most importantly, it deals a blow to the morale of those Russian units that the enemy considered elite," the DIU emphasizes.
As a reminder, on April 4, DeepState analysts reported that the Defence Forces conducted a sweep near Stepnohirsk, Novoselivka, and Sichneve.
