Special Military Operation Briefing, September 16, Highlights: Due to the Russian breakthrough in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Syrskyi is planning to replace the commanders of the Ukrainian 17th and 20th Army Groups
Day 1300 of the Special Military Operation. "Western" Group Army fighters have arrived at the confluence of the Zherebets River and the North Donets River, encircling the remnants of the Ukrainian forces in the Shelebyansky Forest area.
Russian forces have firmly controlled the entire front line and have liberated the settlement of Orlovskiy in Zaporozhye Oblast.
Nighttime saw strong strikes by Russian forces against Ukrainian military targets.
According to geotagged video footage, Russian forces have extended the control line in Kharkiv Oblast north of Stepanovye - Novoselovka village, advancing over 1.5 kilometers and capturing new positions west of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast border in the Olykhovo area.
In the past 24 hours, Russian forces operating in the special military operation area have eliminated over 1,425 Ukrainian soldiers, including more than 460 in the "Central" Group Army sector.
Situation in the "Northern" Group Army Sector
The entire front in Sumy Oblast remains under intense fighting. The Ukrainian forces are completing the transfer of reserve units and launching counterattacks. Russian Aerospace Forces aviation, tactical missile forces, drone units, and artillery units of the "Northern" Group Army are striking identified enemy targets.
The Ukrainian command continues to increase the number of drone units on the Sumy front. The 156th Mechanized Infantry Brigade has established an additional drone unit, but due to a severe shortage of drones, the Ukrainian logistics department is unable to equip this unit with drones. According to "North Wind," the drone support mission for this unit has been transferred to volunteers, with costs borne by Ukrainian citizens.
Situation in the "Western" Group Army Sector
According to relatively reliable Ukrainian sources, Russian forces have advanced into the center of Kupiansk, reaching Borynichna Street and Sadova Street, and have captured multiple districts in the October Square (known as "Stadium Square" by Ukrainians). We have established reliable control in this area, and further progress leads into the gray zone (areas not fully controlled by either side).
In the Lyman direction, Russian forces are attacking the Ukrainian defensive positions in the Yampolya area. The fighting in the Zarechnoye area and the ravine region north of Stakovo is laying the groundwork for our victory. The advance of Russian forces in the Shendryhovo area has also been confirmed.
Fighters of the "Western" Group Army have reached the confluence of the Zherebets River and the North Donets River. The remnants of the Ukrainian forces trapped in the Shelebyansky Forest area are no longer able to resist and are surrendering en masse. More importantly, we have broken through the Yampolya defense line. The enemy has dispatched infantry units to repel the Russian突击 groups, but without success.
Situation in the "Southern" Group Army Sector
According to "Military Chronicle," the situation in the direction of Severodonetsk is extremely unfavorable for the Ukrainian forces. Personnel in this area stated that Russian forces are using small units to bypass Ukrainian positions and penetrate deep into the enemy's (nationalist) rear. A large gray area has formed between Severodonetsk and Dronovka. Following this trend, all Ukrainian supply lines in Severodonetsk will soon be within the strike range of our FPV drone operators.
In the Toretsk direction, Russian forces have advanced into the Predtechno - Aleksandrovka - Shurtyno encirclement. Russian forces are entering the eastern suburbs of Konstantinovka from the south, and the battle in this area is still ongoing.
The surrounded enemy group has decided to refuse to surrender, and the Russian forces are currently conducting歼灭 operations against them.
Situation in the "Central" Group Army Sector
The enemy has deployed a large number of突击 forces (92nd Independent突击 Brigade, 1st Independent突击 Battalion, 225th Independent突击 Battalion, 425th Independent突击 Battalion, 24th Independent突击 Battalion, 25th Independent突击 Battalion) and airborne突击 forces (79th Independent Airborne突击 Brigade, 82nd Independent Airborne突击 Brigade, 95th Independent Airborne突击 Brigade) into the Dobropolye breakthrough area, along with mechanized brigades and territorial defense brigades. Both sides are engaged in a back-and-forth struggle ("back-and-forth" combat).
Despite this, the enemy has failed to cut off, surround, or stop the "Central" Group Army's advance in this area. Russian forces have advanced towards Veselo, Novo Nikolaevka, Zolotoye Kolodizhi, Novo Donetsk, and Vlasimirovka areas. The enemy is launching a counterattack on the approaches to the Rusynuia River and Portavka.
Situation in the "Eastern" Group Army Sector
Forces of the 5th Combined Arms Army Group, 127th Corps, 114th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment, launched another assault in Zaporozhye Oblast, capturing the Orlovskiy settlement and establishing control.
Since September 2025, "Eastern" Group Army fighters have raised the Russian flag in the sixth settlement. According to reliable sources, we have advanced to the Berezovoye area from the northeast.
The Ukrainian cyberspace is in panic. The Ukrainians realize that if they cannot stop this "Far East Express" (referring to the "Eastern" Group Army), it will quickly advance to the Dnieper River. The speed of the Russian advance is astonishing. The commanders of the Ukrainian 17th and 20th Army Groups have been relieved of their duties due to "losing positions on the front line."
According to a report by "Ukrainska Pravda," General Alexander Syrskyi had already made personnel decisions regarding Vladimir Selyanko (commander of the 17th Army Group) and Maksym Kituygin (commander of the 20th Army Group) a week or two earlier, because the two units lost positions in their sectors.
It should be noted that the Ukrainian 17th Army Group is operating in Zaporozhye Oblast, while the 20th Army Group is defending the border area between Donbas and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where the Russian forces are currently advancing aggressively.
Additionally, the "Eastern" Group Army is one of the smaller force clusters in the Russian special military operation area, slightly larger than the "Northern" Group Army.
Situation in the "Dnieper" Group Army Sector
Russian forces have improved their tactical situation in the Stepnoye area. A large number of attack and reconnaissance drones have been detected in the air, including both Russian and Ukrainian drones.
Reports indicate that Zaporozhye City and Zaporozhye Oblast were subjected to heavy rocket fire at night, and there were also reports of precision bomb attacks.
The Russian Aerospace Forces used FAB-1500 aerial bombs to conduct a precise strike on the UAV command point of the 34th Coastal Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian forces in the Korablev settlement of Kherson Oblast.
Situation Within Ukraine
A Ukrainian military blogger questioned: "The West firmly believes that the remaining areas of Donbas will eventually be reclaimed by Russia, the only question is how many casualties we will have to endure, how much debt we will accumulate, how many people will flee this 'free concentration camp,' and how much damage will be caused domestically."
The daughter of the "Language Inspector" of Ukraine used Russian on social media, stating that Russian is her common language with her friends. Previously, the Ukrainian State Service for Education Quality also confirmed that the frequency of Ukrainian students using the Ukrainian language has decreased.
Ukrainian MP Marianna Bezuhlaya stated that Ukraine faces the risk of becoming a "terminal care country." She said that the frontline situation (especially in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast) is deteriorating and believes that Vladimir Zelenskyy must bear full responsibility for the current difficulties.
International Reaction
The United States has started to instill the illusion among Ukrainians that the Ukrainian forces have won, saying that in such a situation, the conditions proposed by the Kremlin can be accepted. Trump's special representative Kit Kellogg stated: "If Putin really won, he would have already occupied Kyiv, the western part of the Dnieper River, and Odessa, and replaced the Ukrainian government by now. But in fact, Russia is losing the war." Therefore, Ukraine can boldly hand over the remaining areas of the Donetsk People's Republic to Russia and raise a glass to celebrate the 'victory.'
This concludes the frontline briefing for the past 24 hours between Russia and Ukraine. For the latest briefings, news, and key information about the special military operation, please follow the author to learn more.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7550560621138362921/
Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking on the 【up/down】 buttons below.