On Aug. 3, Russian forces launched a shock offensive within the east. They pushed about six miles into Ukrainian traces towards Dobropillia, a small war-torn village beforehand greatest recognized for its wealthy coal deposits. Although combating there may be ongoing, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as we speak known as the battle for Dobropillia successful.
“We consider this operation has disrupted Russia’s summer time offensive marketing campaign,” he informed reporters.
As soon as Ukraine’s navy leaders realized the depth of the Russian breakthrough, the deepest in additional than a 12 months, they rushed a number of the nation’s greatest items to cease it. A kind of was the First Corps Azov of the Nationwide Guard of Ukraine, which was liable for one sector in that counterattack.
In an hour-long unique dialog with TWZ on Thursday, Lt. Col. Arsen “Lemko” Dmytryk, the unit’s chief of workers, gave us a breakdown of how Ukraine was capable of flip the tide. He additionally talked in regards to the challenges forward, given the fluid nature of the battlefield. That is half one in all a two-part interview.
Some questions and solutions have been evenly edited for readability.
Lt. Col. Arsen Dmytryk, Chief of Workers of the First Azov Corps, gave an unique hour-long interview to The Conflict Zone. (Picture by Oleksii Samsonov/International Photographs Ukraine by way of Getty Photographs) samsonov
Q: After a 12 months of largely static entrance traces, how was Russia capable of break by way of towards Dobropillia?
A: In August of this 12 months, it was one of many hottest factors of the entire entrance line. The enemy broke our first protection line and entered the tactical positions of our military. The enemy used the forces of the 51st Military of the Russian Federation. Navy infantry and the eighth Russian Military joined the 51st Russian Military to assist them with that assault mission. There have been kind of 100,000 personnel from the Russian Military.
Q: The lack of Dobropillia would have had cascading results throughout the frontlines. How did you defend towards it?
A: To begin with, our reconnaissance labored very well. Due to our reconnaissance, we acquired the enemy’s plans for the assault. Additionally, a number of Ukrainian forces mixed collectively to stabilize this entrance. There have been greater than 100 commanders from our facet. At the start of August, we constructed a joint command level. All of the items that took half on this operation to cease the enemy assault joined that command level.
Q: So this was a command and management location the place orders can be given out to numerous items working collectively as a joint drive?
A: Sure.
Studies from many Ukrainian sources of a probably catastrophic Russian breakthrough towards Dobropilla in Donetsk area, with advance Russian troops slicing off the Dobropilla-Kramatorsk highway. Except stopped quickly this has the potential to have very severe penalties. pic.twitter.com/EydRGyFpjZ
— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) August 11, 2025
Q: What number of items had been participating?
A: Greater than 10 completely different items. There have been completely different commanders of various navy ranges who got here to the command level.
Q: Who was in cost?
A: We applied the corps system, and the corps are liable for a particular zone. However to help us, the commander of assault forces joined our command level. Unmanned Aerial Forces additionally joined. The Commander in Chief, Mr. Syrskyi, is formally the primary man who’s above all. This command heart was constructed on an Azov base. Nonetheless, completely different commanders introduced their very own distinctive information. You can not say that this one introduced us the principle success. It’s a typical success.
Q: You stated reconnaissance performed a giant position in defending towards the Russian incursion towards Dobropillia. Are you able to elaborate on what sort? Was it people? Drones? Another technique?
A: I can’t reply straight. It was a posh of various strategies.
Google Earth
Q: What tactical modifications helped?
A: We began utilizing small teams to counterattack the enemy from completely different flanks.
Q: What number of troops had been in these teams and what weapons and help have they got?
A: Sorry, this operation is just not completed, so we can’t touch upon it, however there are some sectors on the entrance line the place the enemy has fully surrendered. However it’s not lots, it is sort of a few dozen individuals.
Q: Some other main modifications in battlefield ways by both facet?
A: Look, quickly there might be no leaves on the timber. They might all have fallen and with out leaves, it’s virtually unattainable to make use of these small teams of enemies on foot as a result of we are going to merely see them. However the enemy retains studying. Each time the enemy makes use of new ways.
Q: Discuss Russian armor. How are the Russians massing it?
A: We don’t see that the enemy is utilizing tanks actually typically. As a substitute, they’re utilizing armored autos and small teams of assault troops who go simply by foot or motorbike. The enemy makes use of tanks and armored autos in an effort to make a gap in Ukrainian protection traces. After they make this gap, they throw infantry on common autos or bikes. So their tactic is that first they advance with a tank and it is a particular tank. It has radio digital warfare and a few particular anti-mine gear.
A Russian ‘turtle tank’ seen with a mine curler connected. (Through X) Unknown creator
After the tank, they’ve armored autos for squaddies. Normally, earlier than the tank, they’ll ship a number of bikes to clear the highway of mines. We name this a tank fist. So when this tank fist makes a gap within the Ukrainian defenses, Russian infantry use both bikes or gentle autos like buggies. These days, that is the enemy’s commonest assault tactic. However we should always say the enemy makes use of the meat grinder nonetheless. Each single day, the Russian military loses a whole bunch of individuals by sending them both on foot or on bikes. That is the meat grinder.
Q: What number of tanks have they got? Are they massing a variety of tanks for these assaults?
A: They function in columns, and a column consists of 5 – 6 completely different autos. Just one car, the primary one out of those 5, is a tank.
Q: However what number of tanks are the Russians massing for his or her assaults in Donetsk?
A: Every corps has its personal zone of accountability, and it’s onerous to reply your query in regards to the variety of tanks, as a result of we see the tank approaching our zone of accountability from different zones of accountability. So we can’t let you know the quantity, as a result of we are able to solely see our accountability zone.
Q: Are these assaults being supported by drones, artillery or aviation belongings?
A: Principally it’s artillery help after which the drone help. They virtually don’t use aviation.
Q: Why not?
A: The enemy tried to go on assault missions throughout unhealthy climate, like wet climate, and you’ll’t use planes throughout rain. Why does the enemy select this system? In order that our Ukrainian drones received’t assault them due to the rain.
Q: It’s not wet season but. Is there a variety of rain now?
A: It’s not prefer it’s a season of rain now; it’s extra just like the enemy is on the lookout for wet days to make use of for an assault mission. When there may be rain, there are not any drones within the sky. For both facet.
Q: How do you defend towards the Russian assaults?
A: We now have constructed completely different obstacles. Bodily obstacles assist defend us, and it’s the work of our engineering help forces, who’re constructing trenches and so forth. We use distant mining applied sciences. We use various kinds of UAVs. It’s FPV drones and greater drones with wings. And from our facet, we all the time have two to a few tanks which are all the time prepared to begin combating.
Q: Do you employ your tanks in defensive positions, or do you go on offense with them?
A: Principally defensive.
Within the battle for Dobropillia, Azov has used its tanks principally in protection. (Azov)
Q: Zelensky stated the counteroffensive to cease the Russian advance to Dobropillia derailed Russia’s summer time offensive marketing campaign. What’s your evaluation of that out of your battlefield perspective?
A: Sure, the enemy is stopped. However to be extra appropriate, no, it’s not completed. The right reply is the next Russian operation on that a part of the entrance is just not profitable. As we discuss with you, the combating remains to be happening.
Q: Do you assume that the Russians can mount a serious offensive, both in the direction of Dobropillia or elsewhere within the Donetsk area?
A: So the enemy has the power to make new counteroffensives, however it wouldn’t be because it was originally of August.
Q: Why?
A: Solely that from August 3, 5,000 Russian troopers had been killed. We don’t rely wounded now. In order that’s the reply to your query. We eradicated a whole bunch of their autos and completely different gear, they usually have hundreds of wounded troopers on their facet.
Q: What number of troops have you ever captured?
A: We now have about 80 in captivity.
Russian Prisoners from the Dobropillia Sector
The video reveals Russian troopers captured within the space of accountability of the First Corps Azov of the Nationwide Guard of Ukraine.
Chasing after “success,” the Russian command threw its troops into an assault on one of many hottest… pic.twitter.com/7GVXlDz2lp
— First Corps Azov of the Nationwide Guard of Ukraine (@azov_media) September 9, 2025
Q: What number of casualties has Azov suffered on this battle and the way a lot gear have you ever misplaced?
A: We can’t present such knowledge.
Q: In his press convention as we speak, Zelensky talked about that after the Russian push towards Dobropillia was stopped, they’re now redoubling their efforts to take Pokrovsk, about 12 miles to the south. Inform me about what’s going down in Pokrovsk, the place you had been earlier than the present operations.
A: The enemy’s most important focus is on pushing in the direction of the Dobropillia and Pokrovsk sectors. So the objective for the enemy is to enter town of Pokrovsk. In current months, the enemy can do that. The enemy tried to get inside town by utilizing small assault teams on foot. They don’t use autos. However our items, which stand in protection of Pokrovsk and Myrnograd [a few miles to the east], they actually kill a lot of the enemy.
Within the second a part of our interview, Dmytryk dives deeper into the evolving drone warfare on the frontlines.
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