How the Dnipropetrovsk OVA leadership failed to defend the region
During Defense Council meetings in 2024–2025, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration repeatedly stated that “fortifications are a priority” and that the situation was “under control.”
This was reported by lawyer Volodymyr Orlov.
While the statements sounded confident, recent events have shown a stark gap between official reports and the actual state of defensive fortifications. Deficiencies in fortification preparation became one of the reasons for the escalation on the Synelnykove–Pavlohrad direction.
As early as 2024, military unit T0920 officially warned the regional head about critical issues. The military highlighted disrupted logistics, poor-quality concrete, and chaotic construction processes. These warnings went largely unheeded. Where defensive structures were supposed to be built, time was lost, and accountability was diluted.
Despite these warning signals, the OVA head made a visit to Novopavlivka that appeared more like a PR stunt than a substantive inspection. Instead of meeting with the local community and military personnel awaiting him, he stopped near a destroyed bus stop—for a photo opportunity. Residents, located a few kilometers away, never received the chance to speak with him. One local leader wrote at the time: “Maybe he wants the enemy to enter through Novopavlivka?”
On December 16, 2025, this warning became a harsh reality. Russian forces landed near Novopavlivka, and enemy combat vehicles reached the southeastern outskirts of the village. Ukrainian Armed Forces are currently engaged in intense fighting, but the situation highlights that errors at the regional leadership level have had very costly consequences.
Earlier, in Kupiansk, occupiers have been putting up “very strong” resistance, while Ukrainian forces continue clearing operations.
