Ukraine's Foreign Minister on how group of 31 soldiers made offensive on Robotyne possible

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, while on a visit in France, has recounted the story of Ukrainian defenders’ successful counteroffensive in the village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. 

Source: speech by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at a conference of French ambassadors, quoted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Quote from Kuleba: "Right now, the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to advance in their counteroffensive. It is extremely difficult. The number of minefields and fortifications is unprecedented. Russian drones, helicopters and aircraft dominate the air. But we are gradually succeeding.

A few days ago, we broke through the Russian defences in one of the most difficult sections of the front and liberated the strategically important settlement of Robotyne."

Details: Kuleba told diplomats how this became possible.

The foreign minister said that for several months, one Ukrainian unit had been conducting continuous assaults in this area of the front, and due to exhaustion and losses, at some point, this unit lost the ability to continue the offensive. And then "radical decisions" were made: the unit's leadership was changed.

The minister said that the new commander asked to assemble soldiers who were motivated and ready to perform combat missions. A consolidated group of 31 soldiers was created, a third of whom had no combat experience, but all of whom had the knowledge and will to win.

Kuleba added that thanks to the leadership of the commanders and sergeants, this group established "horizontal links" with neighbouring units and started working on the contact line.

Quote: "For 18 hours, they crawled literally on their stomachs through kilometres of minefields, where the Russians had placed six mines per square metre.

Finally, the unit reached a strip of trees dividing farmers' fields. Everyone in Ukraine knows this word - 'a tree planting'. It’s in these plantations, invisible on maps, that the greatest tragedies and heroism of the war take place. So, our unit drove the Russians out of there and held the position for two days until reinforcements arrived.

Subsequently, this group walked another 10 kilometres with backpacks weighing 35-40 kilograms through minefields. They only had time to catch their breath briefly and immediately stormed the fortified Russian positions, drove the enemy out and held out until the main forces arrived.

In total, this unit conducted six assaults and two reconnaissance missions in 40 days. A group of 31 men did the work of an entire battalion, which should have consisted of about 400 men. The losses amounted to seven wounded, including only one seriously injured after stepping on a mine.

In fact, the work of this group made it possible for an entire brigade to attack Robotyne and liberate it after weeks of assaults. After securing its flanks, we open the way to Tokmak and, ultimately, Melitopol and the border with Crimea."

Background:

• Ukrainian defence forces from the 47th brigade have entered the recently captured settlement of Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and organised the evacuation of civilians, while the Russians shelled the village with artillery.
• On August 23, Andrii Kovalov, the spokesman of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that Ukrainian troops had successfully gained ground near Novoprokopivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and were consolidating their positions.
• On August 23, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has posted a video from the village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, which Ukrainian troops recently entered. The Ukrainian flag is already flying over the village.
• On August 28, Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar has confirmed that Ukraine’s Defence Forces have completely liberated the village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

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