Zelenskyy describes situation on front as very difficult

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the situation on the front line as very difficult.

“The situation is very, very difficult. (...) Everything that can be done this fall, everything we can achieve, must be achieved,” he said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Zelenskyy also promised allies from Western countries to hand over all details and arguments to ensure results on the front.

He also called the upcoming meeting of NATO leaders in the Ramstein format special. According to him, Ukraine should “ensure results in the coming months”.

Meanwhile, a UK Defence Intelligence report stated that Russia has withdrawn forces from the Volchansk area to support operations in the Kursk region, where Ukraine captured a section of Russian territory in August 2024. This manoeuvre has diminished the operational capabilities of Russian troops in the Volchansk vicinity.

The report highlights that fighting in Volchansk has been ongoing since May 2024, when Russian forces launched an offensive in the Kharkiv region, likely aiming to establish a "buffer zone" to deter and mitigate any Ukrainian attacks near Belgorod. British intelligence indicates that Volchansk, located just 5 kilometres south of the Ukraine-Russia border, has become a battleground, with both sides fiercely contesting control over the area.

By the end of September 2024, Ukrainian forces reclaimed and cleared the Volchansk Aggregate Plant, which had served as a stronghold for Russian operations, facilitating tactical maneuvers along the Volcha River. The loss of this facility is expected to significantly limit the capabilities of Russian ground forces to advance further into the Kharkiv region.

The UK Ministry of Defence also suggests that Ukrainian control over the plant will likely pave the way for further counteroffensives to push Russian troops back toward the Ukraine-Russia border.

By Khagan Isayev