Russia allegedly capture Kalynivske in Dnipropetrovsk region: Ukraine's Forces clarify real situation

Today, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed they had allegedly captured the village of Kalynivske in the Dnipropetrovsk region. It is located near Novomykhailivka.

What the Dnipro OSUV says

According to Belskyi, on average, the enemy carries out 20 to 30 assault actions per day in the Novopavlivka direction. In particular, today the enemy conducted 20 attacks near the settlements of Filiia, Zelenyi Hai, Piddubne, Maliivka, Sichneve, Komyshuvakha, Vorone, Novomykolaivka, and Zaporizke.

"The main objectives of the invaders during the autumn-winter campaign are the complete capture of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as the city of Kupiansk and parts of the Kharkiv region. The Dnipropetrovsk direction remains secondary for the enemy but is still important," Belsky said.

According to him, the attacks on Dnipropetrovsk serve several purposes for the enemy:

• To prevent the redeployment of some Ukrainian servicemen and equipment from this direction to reinforce others, for example, in the Donetsk region;

• Gradually, to pursue the main goal of Russian President Vladimir Putin — to seize all of Ukraine;

• Under the guise of "liberating" part of the region and "concern" for Russian-speaking residents, to, if needed, integrate the Dnipropetrovsk region into the Russian Federation for Putin.

In the north of the Dnipropetrovsk region, the enemy has long been attempting to capture the settlement of Novopavlivka. However, they cannot even approach the outskirts of the village, as the Defense Forces block all attempts by the Russian troops. The enemy currently sends a large number of small groups of 1–2 soldiers for assaults.

"These groups move through green zones wearing protective ponchos and suits. Thanks to their camouflage, some of them manage to infiltrate deep into Ukrainian defenses. Each infiltrated group has a clearly defined mission," the serviceman said.

Their goal is to reach the outskirts of the villages closest to the frontline, raise the Russian flag, and record a video. The Russian Ministry of Defense then "reports another victory."

"In this way, the Russians have 'liberated' about a dozen settlements in the Dnipropetrovsk region. For example, the occupier Vostok military group 'liberated' the village of Kalynivske near Novomykolaivka on September 22," Belskyi said.

What really happened

He noted that the Defense Forces respond extremely quickly to such actions by the Russian troops, and these small groups are swiftly destroyed by drone strikes, artillery, or cleared by assault units. The settlements allegedly "liberated" by the Russian army remain under Ukrainian control.

"The Armed Forces of Ukraine use an active defense tactic in Dnipropetrovsk region — this is a military approach that involves not just holding positions but actively employing maneuvering, strikes, counterattacks, and firepower to inflict maximum losses on the enemy and disrupt their advance," he emphasized.

Hostilities in the Dnipropetrovsk region

According to him, as of September 22, 2025, the enemy has managed to occupy five villages in the Dnipropetrovsk region: Novoheorhiivka, Zaporizke, Sichneve (Yanvarske), Maliivka, and Vorone.

In seven other villages, despite intense enemy pressure and constant shelling, the Defense Forces have been able to hold their positions.

"The enemy’s active advance through Dnipropetrovsk region has been stopped, and the situation has been stabilized," he emphasized.

Situation on the front

According to the General Staff, over the past 24 hours, there have been 156 combat engagements on the front. Currently, the enemy is most actively assaulting in the Pokrovsk direction, where Ukrainian soldiers repelled 49 attacks.