Defense official recalls 30 Ukrainian SOF soldiers hampering Russia’s advance toward Kyiv

That’s according to First Deputy Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk, who spoke in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

"Some 70,000 Russians along with their 7,000 armored fighting vehicles broke through from the Belarusian border, covering 115 km," Pavliuk said.

However, having achieved their goal, the enemy had completely used up fuel so they needed refueling for further offensive toward Kyiv.

"Fuel tankers had less than an hour to get there. But the Ukrainian resistance forces spotter a 64km-long convoy and never allowed it to get through to their troops – the ones who were ready to besiege Kyiv," Pavliuk said.

He said the invaders faced obstacles along the way, including traffic jams on flooded narrow roads, but the initial delays to the 64-kilometer convoy were due to a 30-strong specialized combat unit of Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces.

"We can now say that the initial delays to this long convoy were caused by a specialized combat unit of only 30 specops soldiers. They disabled or destroyed the three vehicles at the front and then they attacked the convoy. As it became longer and more congested, our military destroyed the bridges. The Russians had a small unit protecting the convoy, approximately 2,000 soldiers. But they were never able to get through the obstacles created by our Defense Forces. The logistical routes of the occupiers were in such a condition pretty much everywhere, while our actions and maneuvers were only improving," deputy minister said.

As reported, 1,374 Ukrainians, including 38 children, died at the hands of the Russians in Kyiv region. To date, 280 people are considered missing.