By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) - Ukrainian troops have retaken control of eight settlements along the Oleksandrivka front since the end of January, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said Monday.
In a statement on Telegram, Oleksandr Syrskyi said he held a meeting with commanders amid a front-line visit to the country’s south, during which they discussed the execution of combat missions and identified priority steps to support Ukrainian units.
Describing the situation in this area of the front line as “difficult,” Syrskyi said that while some of Ukraine’s forces are holding their defensive line, others are conducting offensives.
“Since the end of January this year, formations of the Air Assault Forces together with adjacent units have restored control over 400 square kilometers (154 square miles) of territory and eight settlements on the Oleksandrivka direction,” he said.
Syrskyi gave no further details on the settlements recaptured.
The Oleksandrivka front concerns an area located at the intersection of three regions, namely Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.
Russian authorities have not yet commented on Ukraine’s claims, and independent verification of the claims is difficult due to the ongoing war, which will mark its fourth year on Tuesday.