Russian Forces Continue Attempts to Penetrate Siversk
As of September 15, 2025, Russian troops are persisting in their attempts to infiltrate the contested city of Siversk in Donetsk region through small groups, but have not yet entered the city, reports 24brussels.
According to Yulia Mykytenko, the commander of the drone unit in the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade named after Hetman Ivan Mazepa, Russian forces are seeking vulnerabilities in the Ukrainian defense. “They are trying to sneak in with small groups. Based on our information, the enemy has not entered Siversk. The brigade is taking all necessary measures to prevent their infiltration into the city. The increase of the ‘grey zone’ is helping us: we manage to detect the enemy and strike before they reach our positions,” she stated.
Despite the increased activity, Mykytenko noted that serious mechanized assaults have not been observed recently. “About a month ago, there was an attempt to storm, but it failed. We have maintained our defensive line, although the enemy continues their tactics. Currently, it is mostly one to three individuals moving about. We detect them and correct our fire, not allowing them to regroup,” she explained.
She added that Russian units are attempting to gather personnel near Ukrainian positions. “After such gatherings, where there could be about 10 to 13 individuals, they try to carry out direct assault attacks on our units—specifically infantry,” Mykytenko elaborated. She also mentioned that there has been no active rotation of Russian forces in this sector of the front.
Previously, Ukrainian military officials reported that Russian occupiers are trying to encircle Siversk by creating a “clamp” and significantly increased their shelling of the city—from 80-90 to 180 attacks per day. The aggressors have particularly intensified operations from the direction of the Serebryansky forest, aiming to secure positions on the outskirts of a city that has already sustained significant damage. Additionally, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), Russian troops have been reinforcing their units near Siversk to take advantage of the last warm and dry days on the front.
