Ukrainian Shkval Unit Retakes Sichneve, Inflicts Heavy Losses on Russia’s Elite Drone Force, Video

Ukraine’s 141st Mechanized Brigade reported a successful counterattack near the settlement of Sichneve on the eastern edge of Dnipropetrovsk region on October 7, saying its Shkval assault unit inflicted heavy losses and took prisoners as it advanced.

The brigade said it “eliminated” 50 Russian troops and captured eight others during the operation, releasing combat footage that it said showed troops entering the settlement and clearing positions.

“Liberating our land, step by step… We are not only holding the defense but confidently moving forward, liberating our territories,” the unit wrote on its Telegram channel.

Sichneve sits on the administrative boundary with Donetsk region, an area that has seen intensified Russian probing since late summer. The monitoring group DeepState maps the settlement largely in a contested “gray zone,” with surrounding areas under Russian control. 

The development follows Russia’s push into Dnipropetrovsk region in August, when Ukrainian officials acknowledged that Russian units had crossed the border from Donetsk while reporting that Kyiv’s forces halted further advances toward Zaporizke and Novoheorhiivka.

“The Ukrainian Defense Forces have stopped the advance of the Russian invaders and continue to control the village of Zaporizke,” Ukraine’s General Staff said at the time. Victor Tregubov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Dnipro grouping, described the August action as “the first attack of such a large scale” in the region. 

Kyiv Independent noted that Ukraine’s assertion of progress near Sichneve comes amid broader Ukrainian counterattacks in the east. In September, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at least seven settlements were retaken during these operations, while battlefield trackers have reported incremental Russian gains near the region’s eastern border. 

Earlier, it was reported that Russia’s elite “Rubicon” drone operations center was identified inside the Patriot complex near Moscow after open-source analysis of state media footage revealed matching interior details and fixtures.

Support our team with a one-time or monthly donation

Every day we fight Russian disinformation and bring reports directly from the frontlines. Your help makes us stronger.

SUPPORT