Surrounded By Russian Troops, Ukrainian Military Group From Zaporizhia

Russian/Military Alexander Polegenko/TASS

JAKARTA - Ukrainian troops were forced to withdraw from several positions in the Zaporizhia region, the southeast front, due to the intense Russian attack.

Russian troops launched more than 400 artillery strikes per day and Ukrainian forces are facing the destruction of the defense stronghold, a spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces, Vladyslav Voloshyn, told ABC News on Wednesday, November 12.

The troop withdrawal had an impact on the area around Novouspenivske, Nove, Okhotnyche, Uspenivka, and Novomykolaivka, according to Voloshyn.

"The situation there is still difficult, in part because of the weather conditions that support the attack. But we continue to destroy the invaders, and I thank every unit of us, every soldier involved in defending Ukraine's position," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Evacuation must be announced in settlements about 9 kilometers from Zaporizhia. Families with children were forcibly evacuated from Malokaterynivka village in the Zaporizhia area, officials said.

The Kushuhum settlement council reported that the decision was made under an order issued by the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration on November 10.

At the same time, fierce fighting continues to take control of Rivnopillia, Solodke, and Yablukove, Voloshyn said.

Ukraine is also facing the potential fall of Pokrovsk -- a city inhabited by about 60,000 people at the time of Russia's massive invasion of Ukraine in 2022 -- into the hands of Russia after 18 months of atrition fighting. This could be one of Ukraine's most serious war defeats.