“Kill zones everywhere”: Ukrainian military describes new “combination” replacing mass assaults across main fronts

Mass mechanized assaults in open terrain have effectively disappeared along the Ukrainian front line, says Ruslan Muzychuk, spokesperson for the National Guard of Ukraine, Ukrainian Radio reports. They have been replaced by a new reality — wide kill zones formed as a result of the large-scale use of drones. 

“We are talking about kill zones because there are no longer mass mechanized assaults in open areas. What we see now is a combination of air strikes, artillery, and drone operations on both sides of the front line,” he explained.

Kill zones are no longer set between positions 

The Ukrainian spokesperson emphasized that a kill zone is no longer a narrow strip between opposing positions. It has evolved into a much broader area of destruction.

“A kill zone is not just the area between our and Russian positions. It can extend beyond the defensive line, and it must be calculated in both directions,” he said.

Depth of engagement is up to tens of kilometers

According to National Guard assessments, the depth of these kill zones can reach up to 30 kilometers, primarily due to the active use of drones by both Russia and the Ukrainian Defense Forces.]

“It can reach up to 30 km because Russian troops use drones, and from our side the sector is also covered,” Muzychuk stressed.

Kill zones observed on key axes

Such zones are already being recorded across several operationally critical directions.

“Right now, on the Kupiansk axis, the Pokrovsk axis, and in the Dobropillia area, kill zones are present virtually everywhere,” the Ukrainian spokesperson noted.

He added that the most intense engagement zone is 5–10 km, but strikes are regularly recorded much deeper.

“We have seen strikes even against frontline settlements up to 30 km away,” Muzychuk concluded.