Ukraine says Dobropillia still under its control, accuses Russian general of misleading Putin

Ukraine's Armed Forces Strategic Communications (AFU StratCom) said on 20 October that the city of Dobropillia in Donetsk region remains under Ukrainian control and that there has been no Russian "capture" of it. It also accused a senior Russian commander of knowingly misleading President Vladimir Putin about the city.

The statement was published on the unit's Telegram channel. Its claims have not been independently verified, and no Russian statement was included in the material reviewed by RealUA.

What Ukraine said

According to AFU StratCom, Colonel General Andrei Ivanaev, commander of Russia's Centre group of forces, "deliberately disinformed" the Russian president. It said Ivanaev is intimidating his own subordinates and setting them unrealistic tasks to demonstrate the capture of Dobropillia at any cost, because he has already reported the city as taken.

The statement did not say when or in what form Ivanaev made that report. It offered no evidence for the accusation that he was pressuring his troops, and it did not describe the current situation on the ground in or around the city.

AFU StratCom said Ukraine's Defence Forces are holding their positions "to protect the interests of the state and our land". "No false statements will change reality," it said.

The statement opened by referring to "difficult negotiations for lasting peace" under way "right now". It said that at "this complex moment" all sides must act in a measured way, assess the situation realistically and convey truthful information. It gave no details of the talks.

Background

Dobropillia is a city in Ukraine's Donetsk region, in the area of the Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka sectors, which have been among the most heavily contested parts of the front. The Ukrainian General Staff regularly reports Russian assaults in these areas. RealUA reported on 13 October that a statement on the General Staff channel said Russian losses near Dobropillia had reached about 200 killed a day, a claim that also could not be verified.

Russia's group of forces "Centre" is one of the Russian military's main formations in the Donetsk region. Ivanaev's name has appeared in the Ukrainian statement as its commander. RealUA has not independently confirmed his post or any report he may have made.

Both sides often make competing claims about control of towns on the front line, and such claims are difficult to check without independent access. This statement is an official Ukrainian position and should be read as such, as should any Russian claim that the city has been captured.

What is not known

• Where and when Ivanaev is said to have reported the capture of Dobropillia.
• Whether Russian forces are present inside the city's limits or only on its approaches.
• What the Russian Defence Ministry has said about the city. This was not covered in the source.