Skelya and Azov Thwarted the Russians' Advance Toward Dobropillya
Defense forces conducted a joint operation near Dobropillia in the Donetsk region and repelled Russian troops. Units from the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelya” and the 1st Corps of the Ukrainian National Guard “Azov” took part in the operation. Ukrainian military officials stated that they cleared dozens of Russian positions and thwarted the enemy’s plans to advance further toward Dobropillya.
Prior to this, Russian troops had been amassing forces in the Dobropillia area. According to the Ukrainian military, their goal was to reach key logistics routes, create conditions for a possible encirclement of Druzhkivka, and continue their advance toward Dobropillia. To counter this, the Defense Forces conducted a joint operation, involving several units at once.
The following units participated in the combat operations: the “Shkval” Battalion of the 425th Special Forces Regiment “Skelya,” the 1st and 6th battalions of the 12th “Azov” Special Forces Brigade, the Ultima Ratio special-purpose reconnaissance detachment, and the “Tuman” separate special-purpose detachment of the 1st “Azov” National Guard Corps. Fire support and other assistance were provided to the Ukrainian assault troops by servicemen of the Lasar’s Group Special Operations Unit of the National Guard of Ukraine.
Ukrainian troops cleared dozens of positions
During the operation, Ukrainian assault groups operated in the area of Hruzke and Novomykolaivka. According to “Skelya,” the fighters cleared dozens of Russian military positions there. Afterward, Russian units were forced to retreat. Separately, the regiment reported on the battles fought by soldiers of the “Shkval” battalion. According to military sources, during small-arms firefights alone, they eliminated more than 40 Russian soldiers.
“Skela” emphasized that the joint actions of Ukrainian units made it possible to inflict losses on Russian troops and halt their further advance. “Defense forces managed to inflict casualties on Russian units and thwart their plans for further advancement toward Dobropillia,” the military stated. Thus, Ukrainian units carried out counterattacks precisely in the area where Russian troops were attempting to create conditions for a further offensive. According to “Skelya,” after clearing enemy positions, the Russians were pushed back, and their plans to advance toward Dobropillya were thwarted.
At the same time, all data regarding the number of Russian soldiers killed and the results of the operation currently come from the Ukrainian side. It is impossible to independently verify these figures based on the provided materials. The “Skelya” Regiment reported this on Facebook and published footage of the operation and the work of the assault teams.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the “Center” military group had allegedly completed the encirclement of the defensive stronghold in Dobropillya and is continuing its advance toward Oleksandrivka. Ukrainian servicemen holding the line in this sector have refuted these claims.
