Zelenskyy secretly arrived at the front line, successfully avoiding the Russian "decapitation" operation, and four Asian countries' mercenaries are supporting the Russian army. On August 5, 2025, local time, Ukraine reported that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy secretly arrived at the front line area for an inspection. Zelenskyy inspected the front line in Vovchansk and visited the Kharkiv theater of operations. Currently, the Russian army is launching a full-scale attack on the Vovchansk front line, and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arrived at the front line in the northeastern part of Ukraine, Kharkiv region, and communicated with Ukrainian armed forces soldiers. Zelenskyy met with soldiers from the 17th Independent Motorized Infantry Battalion of the 57th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Zelenskyy said: "We discussed the situation on the front line, the defense of Vovchansk, and the dynamics of the battle with the commanders." He added: "In addition, we raised the issues of providing drones and their use, recruitment, and direct frontline battalion-level units." Zelenskyy said that mercenaries from four Asian countries, including Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan, as well as African countries, are participating in the war against Ukraine in the Russian army, and are currently fighting near Vovchansk in the Kharkiv region.
The city of Vovchansk is about five kilometers from the Russian border. According to Zelenskyy's statement, he also spoke with the 92nd Independent Assault Brigade in the Kharkiv region. "Ukrainian fighters are holding a difficult front line sector: Lypsi, I have spoken with the commanders of the Ukrainian army on the front line," he said. "We are all fighting for the same goal: Ukraine's independence." According to statistics from Ukraine, between April 2023 and May 2024, Russia recruited more than 1,500 foreign mercenaries to wage war against Ukraine.
On August 1, the Russian military announced that after fierce battles with the Ukrainian army, they had completely controlled the right bank of the Vovchansk River in the Kharkiv region. The troops of the 68th and 69th Divisions of the 6th Army Group of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as the 44th Army of the Southern Military District, had seized the area from the Ukrainian army. According to Russian sources, several regular brigades and elite forces were deployed by Ukraine for defense, including the 57th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the 113th Territorial Defense Brigade, the National Guard and the Military Intelligence Service, as well as the Border Troops and Airborne Forces.
From the current location of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy arriving at the front line, it is said to be less than 10 kilometers from the area where the fighting with the Russian army takes place. From this point of view, Zelenskyy is indeed a man who does not fear the Russian "decapitation" operation, secretly arriving at the front line to boost the morale of the Ukrainian armed forces. After all, the Russian offensive on the city of Vovchansk is too strong, and the Ukrainian army may not be able to withstand it. If the Ukrainian army does not solve the issues of manpower, firepower, and weapons equipment, facing the Russian advantage in artillery, drone forces, and glide-guided bombs, the city of Vovchansk will eventually fall into Russian hands.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1839588072462412/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.