Spox Bratchuk: De-occupation of Dnipropetrovsk region would reduce risk of Russian attack on Dnipro and Pavlohrad

This was stated in a comment to Ukrinform by Serhii Bratchuk, spokesman for the Ukrainian Volunteer Army “Pivden.” 

“Today, the counterattacks by the Defense Forces continue. Their goal is to completely drive enemy units out of the Dnipropetrovsk region. This will reduce the threat and risks of a direct attack by Russian troops, in particular on Dnipro and Pavlohrad as key cities for our logistics, both for the Eastern and Southern fronts,” Bratchuk said.

In addition, according to him, the complete de-occupation of Dnipropetrovsk region will reduce artillery pressure on industrial and energy facilities in the region, as well as improve Ukraine's positions at the junction of three regions – Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia. 

“From a military point of view, we can say that such counterattacks demonstrate the ability of the Ukrainian Defense Forces to at least conduct military operations that lead to the de-occupation of Ukrainian territories,” emphasized the spokesperson for the UDA “Pivden.” 

As reported, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General Oleksandr Syrskyi said that during the counteroffensive in the Oleksandrivka direction, the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine regained control over 285.6 square kilometers of territory over the past month.

Head of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff, Major General Oleksandr Komarenko, emphasized in an interview with RBC-Ukraine that the Defense Forces had liberated almost all of the enemy-occupied territory of Dnipropetrovsk region. 

The ISW report noted that successful counterattacks by Ukrainian troops on the southern front could disrupt the Russian Federation's plan to launch an offensive in the spring and summer of 2026.