Zelenskyy reports on Ukrainian Armed Forces’ counteroffensive in Donetsk region
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Office of the President of Ukraine)
Ukraine’s Defense Forces are conducting a counteroffensive operation near Dobropillia and in the Pokrovsk area of the Donetsk region. A total of 160 square kilometers of territory has been liberated, and Russian losses have exceeded one thousand troops, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in his address on September 18.
Zelenskyy arrived on a working visit to the Donetsk direction, where he presented state awards to servicemen and reported on the first results of the counteroffensive in the Donetsk region.
"We are currently carrying out one of our counteroffensive operations in the Donetsk direction, in the Pokrovsk area and near Dobropillia. The battles are tough, but we managed to inflict significant losses on the Russians," he said.
According to the president, Ukrainian forces have effectively disrupted a full-scale offensive operation planned by Russia, which they intended to carry out after their attempt to advance in the Sumy region stalled.
Liberated territory and Russian losses
According to Zelenskyy, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported the first results of the counteroffensive operation on September 18.
"Since the start of the operation, our warriors have already liberated 160 square kilometres, and more than 170 square kilometres have been cleared of the occupier... Seven settlements in the direction have already been liberated, and nine more have been cleared of Russian presence," the president said.
In total, more than 2,500 Russian troops have been neutralized during the counteroffensive actions. Of these, over 1,300 have been destroyed, and about a hundred taken prisoner, thus replenishing the "exchange pool". All Russian groups that enter the Dobropillia and Pokrovsk areas are being wiped out.
"I am proud of our warriors, proud of our people. In this war, Ukraine finds protection from every Russian atrocity. We are thwarting all Russian plans — plans to destroy our state. Our defence is always active," Zelenskyy added.
On September 17, during a press conference with European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, Zelenskyy stated that in 2025, the Russian forces had chosen four directions for their offensive. However, one of Russia’s offensives has already failed, and the president promised to provide details about another later.
On September 15, it became known that in the Dobropillia direction, Ukrainian forces were carrying out one of the most successful operations in recent months. Russian troops that had penetrated Ukraine’s defenses ended up encircled and suffered enormous losses — many times greater than those of the Ukrainians.
According to Syrskyi, Russia redeployed elite units of its naval infantry to the Pokrovsk area. However, Ukrainian forces crushed the Russian "elite."
