Editor's note: This story is being updated.
The Ukrainian military acknowledged on Aug. 12 that a group of Russian troops bypassed Ukrainian defenses near Dobropillia in Donetsk Oblast but denied that this constitutes a breakthrough.
The statement comes as the Ukrainian battlefield monitoring group DeepState reported on Aug. 11 that Russian forces made a push toward the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway in Donetsk Oblast, allegedly piercing Ukrainian defenses.
Dobropillia lies 94 kilometers northwest of Russian-occupied Donetsk, and about 22 kilometers north of the embattled city of Pokrovsk.
According to the Ukrainian military's Strategic Communications Department (Stratcom), Russian forces are employing infiltration tactics by sending small groups of troops beyond the first line of defense, often incurring significant losses.
Stratcom claimed this approach, used near Dobropillia, did not result in any breakthrough.
In one instance, a small Russian unit bypassed Ukrainian positions and attempted to conceal itself behind the front lines, Stratcom claimed. Russia previously used such tactics near Pokrovsk last week and failed, according to the statement.
The Kyiv Independent could not immediately verify the claims.
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