Ukrainian Commander Marks War Anniversary: Russia Fails to Seize a Single Region in Four Years.

Address by Andriy Biletsky

According to TSN.ua: On the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Andriy Biletsky, commander of the Third Army Corps, highlighted the critical importance of Ukrainian resistance. He stated that over four years of conflict, Russian forces have failed to capture a single Ukrainian oblast in its entirety. Addressing military personnel and the public, Biletsky noted that Russian attempts to seize Kyiv within three days at the war's outset were unsuccessful.

"The Russians failed to take Kyiv in three days. They failed to break Ukraine in four years. And they will not succeed in tricking us into capitulation." — Andriy Biletsky

He further emphasized that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians continue to fight for their land, "driving the enemy like a mammoth into a trap." This struggle is vital for defending not only Donbas but other Ukrainian cities as well. The conflict has evolved into a protracted war of attrition, testing the resolve of both nations.

Threat to Territorial Integrity

The commander of the Third Army Corps stressed that abandoning Ukrainian land and people in Donbas could lead to the loss of other regions, such as Kharkiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson. He posed the question:

"If today we abandon Ukrainian land and our people in Donbas, what guarantee is there that we won't similarly abandon Ukrainian Kharkiv, Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson under the threat of renewed warfare?" — Andriy Biletsky

A significant factor in sustaining Ukrainian military capability is the use of captured enemy equipment. The Third Assault Brigade currently operates with:

• 13 captured Russian tanks;
• a captured Russian 'TOR-M' air defense system, now deployed to protect a Ukrainian city.

These details underscore the ongoing and active nature of the Ukrainian military's confrontation with the aggressor.

Andriy Biletsky's speech highlights the duration and resilience of Ukrainian resistance against Russian aggression, now entering its fifth year. His emphasis on Ukraine's territorial integrity and the active defense of regions beyond Donbas illustrates the high stakes of the conflict and the necessity of continued struggle. The effective utilization of captured Russian weaponry demonstrates the Ukrainian forces' adaptability and their efforts to strengthen defensive capabilities, which may prove decisive in the conflict's future trajectory.