The Russian forces are relying on infiltration tactics, the spokesperson says.
Russian troops are pouring major military assets into the Lyman area in eastern Ukraine. Military officials confirmed that the zone has turned into the chief focus of Moscow’s current ground strategy.
According to Ukrainian military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov, commanders in Moscow view the town as a vital stepping stone. Securing the town opens the path to bigger urban centers like Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.
Speaking on national television, as reported by RBC-Ukraine and Censor.NET, Trehubov explained why the area matters so much. He stated that “the Lyman direction is currently the biggest point where the Russian side concentrates efforts.”
He added that Russian troops “really want to capture it to further develop an offensive through it directly toward the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration.”
Small groups, hefty price
To break through Ukrainian lines, forces rely on continuous infiltration rather than massive single waves. Small infantry units simply try to slip through gaps. They then build thin control zones along the border.
Russian commanders appear to have plenty of equipment and fresh troops available. This steady supply lets them keep grinding away at defensive positions along the front.
Yet this tactic comes at a massive cost. Trehubov noted that Moscow is taking unprecedented hits to its manpower during these small-scale attacks.
“At the same time, the enemy is suffering truly record losses,” Trehubov said. “This is not a figure of speech; for example, there were 270 losses per day this week in the operational zone, most of them killed. This is a very high figure; these are numbers we have not seen before.”
Probing for weaknesses
The fighting is not limited to a single village. Forces are testing Ukrainian defenses along nearly the entire line of contact to find weak spots.
Despite heavy casualties, small units keep probing defenses day and night. Ukrainian officials report that the overall situation remains exceptionally tough across five key directions.
For now, Ukrainian units are standing firm against the surge. Still, with Russian forces actively trying to create a wider buffer zone, the battle for Lyman remains intense.