Russians attempted to break through near Dobropillya in small groups but failed to establish a foothold – Trehubov

"When they crossed the first line of Ukrainian defensive structures… these were small groups of a few people. Then they accumulated directly behind the first line, trying to merge into larger structures. They tested a similar tactic in the Kupiansk area when they crossed the Oskil River. Now they needed to overcome Ukrainian positions. And then they took certain actions, in particular, tried to break through further towards Dobropillya... Now we are talking about groups numbering dozens of people. This is not as significant a breakthrough as it might seem, but after these small groups merged, these are two large groups of dozens of people each. This poses a certain problem, the elimination of which required certain efforts," he said.

According to Trehubov, this breakthrough occurred due to a shortage of personnel on the first line.

Responding to a journalist’s question about the possibility of Ukrainian forces cutting off this salient, the spokesperson noted that the salient could not be cut off because it was not a territory occupied by the Russians, but a route they had crossed.

"The map based on open sources records movements. The forces that entered physically could not have taken all this territory. There simply weren’t enough of them. This was their route. In fact, they were at the end of this route — at two points of this «claw.» That’s where they are now. From where they started their journey directly, they left on their own. They weren’t even driven out from there; they just moved further towards Dobropillya. This was part of the infiltration: when they infiltrate, they pass the first line and run further, without entrenching themselves along the entire length of this ’corridor,’" he explained.