MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/. Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Alexander Syrsky has described the situation as challenging along almost the entire line of engagement.
"I have done some work in two brigades, where the situation is steadily becoming more challenging and there is a threat of enemy units advancing deep into our battle array," he said on Facebook (banned in Russia as it’s owned by Meta Corporation, which is designated as an extremist organization in Russia)
The commander conceded that the "operational situation remains challenging" along the entire engagement line. He said Russia forces "continue their offensive operations, focusing their main efforts in the areas of Terny, Ivanovskoye, Berdychi, Tonenkoye, Verbovoye and Rabotino."
On February 29, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a state of the nation address that Russian troops held the initiative and were advancing in some operational areas, liberating more territories.
As commander-in-chief, Syrsky replaced Valery Zaluzhny on February 8. Politico reported that the new commander-in-chief is extremely unpopular among the troops, who call him a butcher because of his tendency to put the lives of soldiers at risk. For example, he was blamed for setbacks near Artyomovsk (known in Ukraine as Bakhmut) and the heavy losses that were suffered there. Following his appointment, Syrsky conceded that Ukrainian forces had been on the defensive since the fall of 2023, and described the situation in the Avdeyevka and Kupyansk areas as extremely challenging and tense.