Zelenskyy Discussed the Situation on the Front Lines with Combat Brigade Commanders
17 July 19:26
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that on Friday, July 17, he heard important reports from combat commanders on the situation along the most intense sections of the front. He announced this on his social media accounts, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
According to the President’s post, five commanders participated in the meeting.
- Robert Brovdi, commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Unmanned Systems Forces;
- Denis Prokopenko, Commander of the 1st Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine “Azov,”
- Ihor Obolensky, Commander of the 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine “Khartiya,”
- Andriy Tkachuk, Deputy Commander of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,
- Valeriy Skred, Acting Commander of the 19th Army Corps.
“The commanders reported on the situation at the front lines, the destruction of the occupying forces, and key aspects of supply for our units. Ukraine’s defense remains active, and the tasks assigned to each sector are being fully carried out. We focused on the need for a larger-scale supply of drones deployed at operational depth,” the president said.
Zelenskyy also discussed with the commanders the issues surrounding the production and supply of fiber-optic drones. According to the head of state, the effectiveness of the program for the equitable distribution of personnel among combat brigades was noted.
“We focused on the need for a larger-scale supply of drones deployed in the operational depth. We discussed the issues surrounding the production and supply of fiber-optic drones. The effectiveness of the program for the equitable distribution of personnel among combat brigades was noted. This program has been in operation since December of last year and will continue,” Zelenskyy said.
The president emphasized that the Charter’s unique experience in recruiting foreign volunteers to defend Ukraine should be scaled up to other units. Zelenskyy and the commanders discussed what is needed to achieve this.
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The head of state thanked Denys Prokopenko for his special attention to the prisoner exchange process and the fate of Ukrainian prisoners of war. He said that appropriate instructions would be issued based on what was discussed today.
Zelenskyy specifically commended the Airborne Forces units for their effectiveness in implementing active defense and also thanked the Special Forces for their accuracy.
The President announced the formation of a special command center involving corps commanders and major manufacturers of weapons and equipment currently needed on the front lines.
As a reminder, earlier on July 16, the former chief of staff of the 12th Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine “Azov,” Lieutenant Colonel Bohdan (Tavr) Krotevych, addressed the officers of the combat brigades, urging them to be candid with Zelenskyy during the meeting.
“Tomorrow, your commanders will have the opportunity to tell the truth about what is happening in the army—or to remain silent. You know the cost of such silence far better than I do and understand the consequences it can lead to,” he emphasized.
On July 16, former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated during a briefing that Ukraine needs to replace Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi in order to “defeat the enemy asymmetrically.”
He also confirmed a conflict with the commander-in-chief, stating that Syrskyi had blocked all of his initiatives and was unwilling to discuss problems, but was instead “ready to engage in intrigue.”
According to Fedorov, Syrskyi “issued an ultimatum.” Furthermore, he emphasized that instead of devising a way to defeat Russia asymmetrically, the Commander-in-Chief “came up with a way to divide the country.”
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