Azov International Battalion details drone-led defense on Dobropillia axis

Speaking on Radio NV, Kil described how the situation evolved over the past year.

“If we go back to 2025, the enemy had some success and broke through to a depth of about 15 kilometers,” he said. “At that moment, the 1st Azov Corps took responsibility for this sector and quite quickly managed to break them into small groups, encircle them in populated areas and then gradually destroy them — sometimes using infantry, and sometimes through tactical encirclement relying solely on UAV capabilities.”

He said Ukrainian forces prevented Russian troops from establishing supply lines or reinforcing their units by maintaining constant drone pressure.

“We did not allow the enemy to build any logistics. They couldn’t send reinforcements because they were under continuous UAV pressure. They were being destroyed and hiding in basements,” Kil said.

By early fall, Ukrainian forces had stabilized the front line, he added. Russian troops then shifted tactics, launching large-scale mechanized assaults that also failed to achieve breakthroughs.

“Our battalion effectively closed this chapter with the clearing of Zolotyi Kolodiaz,” Kil said. “During that operation, we captured 30 prisoners and eliminated nine enemy servicemen who refused to surrender.”

He said that for about a month afterward, Russian forces refrained from active operations on the Dobropillia axis, attempting only to infiltrate small infantry groups. Recently, however, their activity has intensified again.

“They are beginning to operate again, choosing favorable weather conditions, conducting assaults using quad bikes and increasing infantry infiltration on foot,” he said. “So far, we haven’t seen mass mechanized assaults, but I think everything has its time.”

On Feb. 6, the 12th Azov Brigade reported that its International Battalion captured 18 Russian troops within 24 hours on the Dobropillia front.

On Dec. 30, 2025, the brigade said it had taken up defensive positions in the sector and was actively conducting counter-sabotage and strike-search operations while strengthening the defensive line.

In November, Air Assault Forces Commander Oleh Apostol said Ukraine’s Defense Forces had completed an operation in the Dobropillia sector, helping stabilize the situation around Pokrovsk and disrupt Russian offensive plans.

The Dobropillia axis remains one of several contested sectors in eastern Ukraine, where fighting continues amid shifting tactics and heavy use of drones on both sides.