Ukrainian forces encircled Russian units on the Dobropillia axis and reclaimed nearly 175 square kilometers in a counteroffensive that reversed months of enemy advances, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced on 29 September 2025.
“Thanks to the well-planned and courageous actions of our troops, some enemy units have become encircled,”
Syrskyi said after meeting with commanders involved in the operation.
So far, only General Syrskyi has spoken publicly with such information. However, a few days ago a BBC News Ukraine source within the command said:
“As a result of the Ukrainian army’s actions, the Russians had “fallen into a trap.” The operation is not yet over and is still ongoing,”
Dobropillia sits on the main highway to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk the two largest Ukrainian-controlled cities in Donetsk Oblast. Losing this junction would have opened a direct route for Russian forces to these strategic hubs.
Throughout the summer, Russian infantry pushed from Novotoretske toward nearby settlements, attempting to cut the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway, according to Socportal. Analysts from the Ukrainian project DeepState reported intensifying enemy movements in the northern sector between Dobropillia and Druzhkivka beginning in summer 2025.
By July, the situation had become so dangerous that Ukrainian emergency services warned civilians not to travel the road day or night due to constant FPV drone strikes. The complex, heavily mined terrain made both offensive and defensive operations brutally difficult.
RBK-Ukraine reported that Russian forces had employed a similar infiltration tactic in mid-April 2024 to facilitate the capture of strategically important ground northwest of Avdiivka. But military expert Kyrylo Sazonov predicted that Ukrainian forces could encircle Russian saboteurs if they succeeded in cutting supply routes.
By late September, that prediction materialized: some Russian units that had penetrated deep into Ukrainian defenses now find themselves trapped, cut off from their supply lines. This could mean the “Avdiivka scenario” won’t repeat itself, giving Ukraine a chance to stabilize the front, push Russian forces back from these key settlements, and deny them a route into the heart of Donetsk Oblast.
The operation also highlights another pattern in the war: when Russian forces overextend pursuing tactical gains, they become vulnerable to Ukrainian counterattacks that turn advances into traps. Similar dynamics played out during Ukraine’s 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive and multiple failed Russian offensives in 2024.
The Ukrainian counteroffensive has inflicted 3,185 casualties on Russian forces, including 1,769 killed, according to Syrskyi. The enemy has also lost 969 units of weapons and military equipment. Ukrainian troops have cleared nearly 175 square kilometers, eliminating Russian sabotage groups that had been operating behind front lines.