Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, has reported a deterioration of the situation on the front, particularly due to increased Russian activity in the Zaporizhzhia direction. He shared the update on Facebook following a final meeting summarizing the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ performance in May 2025.
According to Syrskyi, the enemy is focusing its main efforts on the Pokrovsk, Toretsk, Lyman, and Novopavlivka directions, as well as in the border areas of Sumy region. Meanwhile, Russian troops are conducting active offensive operations in the Zaporizhzhia sector.
“The Defence Forces are holding the line and inflicting significant losses on the enemy, but the situation remains difficult. We are taking measures to strengthen our defences in critical areas, including deploying reserves and increasing firepower,” the Commander-in-Chief stated.
He noted that Ukrainian forces are using artillery, aviation, and drones to destroy Russian troops before they reach Ukrainian positions. As of May 31, Russian forces had lost over 34,000 personnel during the month.
Syrskyi also confirmed that deep strikes into Russian territory continue: in May, Ukrainian forces hit 58 targets using DeepStrike systems, including military facilities and sites belonging to the Russian military-industrial complex — such as explosive production plants and drone manufacturing sites.
A separate Ukrainian operation is ongoing in the Kursk direction. Russia has deployed its elite units there, originally intended for use in the east, but Ukraine’s Defence Forces are inflicting heavy losses and preventing a breakthrough toward the northern borders.
At the same time, Syrskyi acknowledged that Russian forces have a technological advantage in the use of fiber-optic drones, which makes them harder to detect and neutralize.
He also announced the continued transition of the Defence Forces to a corps-level command structure, which aims to improve operational control and the effectiveness of combat brigades.
“I’ve assigned specific tasks to strengthen our defences. I thank every defender for their courage. We continue to destroy the occupiers and bring a just peace closer,” Syrskyi concluded.