Ukrainian National Guard Commander Says Russian Forces Outnumber Units Six to One in Parts of Donetsk Region

Oleksandr Pivnenko, commander of Ukraine's National Guard, said Russian forces outnumber Ukrainian Defense Forces by as much as six to one in some areas of the Donetsk region, according to a report from Ukrinform.

The comments came during a visit by Pivnenko to National Guard units carrying out combat operations in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, where he received briefings from unit commanders on the situation along those sections of the front.

Assessing the front line

Pivnenko's six-to-one estimate was described as applying to "some areas" of Donetsk rather than the region as a whole, according to the report, suggesting the ratio varies by sector of the front rather than representing an overall troop count for the entire region.

The report did not provide additional figures on total troop numbers for either side, nor did it specify which particular areas of Donetsk the commander was referring to.

Ukrainian and Russian officials have both made various claims about force levels and battlefield conditions throughout the conflict, and such figures from either side are generally difficult to verify independently.

Ukrinform reported that Pivnenko's visit also included receiving operational updates directly from the commanders of the units stationed in the two regions.