Syrskyi explains the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Siversk
The Defence Forces of Ukraine were forced to withdraw from the town of Siversk in Donetsk Region due to the enemy’s critical technological superiority.
In an interview with Channel 24 on 29 December 2025, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, explained that the decisive factor was massive pressure from Russian fibre-optic controlled drones.
These unmanned aerial vehicles have an operational range of more than 20 kilometres and are resistant to electronic warfare systems, which forced Ukrainian drone crews to gradually pull back deeper into their rear areas, leaving infantry units without sufficient aerial support.
The terrain around Siversk — including the Serebrianskyi Forest and Bilohorivka — has historically been favourable for defence due to its commanding heights. However, modern drone warfare has changed the rules of the battlefield. For a long time, this sector was considered less intense than the Pokrovsk or Bakhmut directions, but recently the occupiers have concentrated significant resources there.
Syrskyi stressed that under conditions in which drone crews were forced to manoeuvre constantly under enemy pressure, continuing to hold urban positions posed a serious risk of encirclement and heavy losses. The decision to withdraw was taken in order to preserve personnel and to occupy more advantageous defensive positions on the surrounding high ground.
Current situation and further plans
- Fire control: Despite the physical withdrawal from the settlement, Siversk remains under the fire control of Ukrainian artillery and long-range strike systems.
- Enemy containment: The Defence Forces are currently taking measures to cut off enemy logistics as Russian units attempt to entrench themselves in the ruined town.
- Reserve defensive lines: Withdrawal to dominant heights enables Ukrainian forces to more effectively deter further Russian advances towards Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
- Countermeasures: The Commander-in-Chief announced forthcoming “response actions” in this sector, the details of which are not being disclosed for security reasons.
The situation around Siversk remains dynamic, with Ukrainian command focusing on restoring the technological balance, particularly by increasing the number of domestically produced fibre-optic drones and introducing new anti-drone defence systems.
