Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi revealed that the country's Defense Forces conducted three offensive operations in 2025, two of them on Russian territory, according to Ukrainian media outlets. Syrskyi told journalists the unannounced operations disrupted Russia's plans to seize Donetsk Oblast and create so-called buffer zones along the border.
Three secret offensives
In an off-the-record meeting with journalists on 6 February in Kyiv, Syrskyi said:
"In 2025, Ukraine's Defense Forces conducted three offensive operations, two of which were on Russian territory: in [Russia's] Belgorod Oblast and in Kursk Oblast. The third operation took place in the Dobropillia direction."
He stressed that none of the operations were announced publicly. Yet all three were extremely important and achieved their goals of containing and destroying enemy forces.
Russia pushes along 1,200 km but Ukraine pushes back
The Russian army continues pressing along the entire line of contact, Syrskyi said regarding the current situation. The active front stretches roughly 1,200 km. Russia has deployed about 711,000-712,000 troops. The most difficult directions remain Pokrovsk, Ocheretyne, and Oleksandrivka. But the Ukrainian military is not just defending.
"In certain sectors, about a quarter of combat engagements are offensive actions by Ukrainian units," Syrskyi noted.
Drones stretch kill zones to 20 km deep
The chief commander also stressed that development of unmanned systems continues to reshape the battlefield. Combat formations now expand not along the front line but deeper into kill zones. Those zones already reach 15-20 km in depth.
Kursk, Belgorod, and Dobropillia counteroffensives
In April 2025, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the presence of Ukrainian troops in Kursk and Belgorod oblasts. Ukrainian forces later returned to Ukraine.
The Dobropillia counter-offensive operation in Donetsk Oblast began on 21 August. Russian losses during the operation reportedly reached 12,000, including 7,000 killed, Zelenskyy reported.
