Robotyne has not fallen. Orikhiv never will. A view from Zaporizhzhia

Those are two takeaways from my recent trip to the frontlines in the heavily fortified and ever-defiant Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Despite Russian-infused propaganda permeating and poisoning the public narrative surrounding the many successes of the Ukrainian Defense Forces commanded by the Operational and Strategic Group Tavriia (OSGT), the ongoing resilience shown by the military and civilian populace in the region is a testament to the fortitude of Ukraine as a whole. 

The last weekend of June saw temperatures spike in the Oblast’s namesake city, but inside the cool shadows of its central train station, a different heat was present. Long queues of disembarking passengers formed as ever-vigilant members of Ukraine’s National Police Forces thoroughly checked the identification of every arriving passenger. These guardians of public peace were tasked with rooting out any threat posed by infiltrators and saboteurs sent to the area by the Kremlin. 

Once above ground, the passengers witnessed typical scenes of city life unfold around them. Infused by the robust energy and significant presence of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, shops and cafes were bustling and alive. Despite the ongoing heat wave and the ever-looming threat of genocidal Russian terrorism, the people of Zaporizhzhia carried on. 

Ukrainian flag flying on Orikhiv

Photo credit: Sarah Ashton-Cirillo

Departing the city proper, winding roads and pristine farmland led to the garrison city of Orikhiv. There, among edifices charred and ruined by a relentless campaign of shelling and bombings carried out by the illegitimate Moscow regime, the epitome of the Ukrainian soul is on display. According to the former spokesperson of the OSGT, Dmytro Lykhovii, Russian attacks reached a staggering number in the spring, with 16 separate assaults carried out in the vicinity of Orikhiv during one 24-hour span in March. In an interview given to RFE/RL news outlet in early May, the Deputy Mayor of the Orikhiv, Svitlana Mandrych, offered shocking numbers related to the civilians in the area. “We currently have no children in town,” she stated and followed up by offering up that more than 80% of all homes and business structures had been damaged or destroyed in the city, with most damage now coming from 500 and 1500-hundred-kilogram bombs dropped on the city by the Russian terrorists.

Exploring the wreckage and ruins firsthand with fellow members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine deployed to the area, what struck me most was the absence of any civilians. While hundreds remain, refusing to bow to the enemy’s ongoing evil and desire to genocide them, they are forced to move about in ways that give them the best chance at not just staying alive but living. This capacity of the average Ukrainian to resist Putin’s feudal tyranny is one of the prime reasons why Ukraine remains free, and Orikhiv has never fallen.

Orikhiv and its surroundings have seen a massive influx of troops from the Ukrainian Defense Forces flow in to match up against a staggering number of Russian soldiers holding precarious positions nearby. One of the areas of focus for these troops is the ongoing defense of Robotyne, a village liberated by Ukraine in the late summer of 2023. 

Located just 15 miles from temporarily occupied Tokmak, Robotyne, despite its small size, is a key transit point on the way to the eventual liberation of Melitopol. Following a visit by President Zelenskyy in February, this key speck on the map of liberty came under renewed Russian assaults in the spring of 2024. As the valiant efforts of Ukrainian troops stymied Moscow’s military objectives, the Kremlin disinformation machine ramped into high gear, proclaiming they had seized Robotyne once more. This lie was refuted by Lt. Serhii Skibchyk of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s 65th Brigade. In a widely reported comment six weeks ago, the Lieutenant made clear that “…the majority of the village is still our position,” with the remainder being under the fire control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

It remains the same today. While occasional videos show Russian movements north of the village, these are isolated cases. The message is clear in direct discussions with members of the Armed Forces who are actively taking part in the defense of Robotyne and conversations with officers from the General Staff in Kyiv. Ukraine has kept Robotyne from Russian control. 

As attention waxes and wains across the extensive frontline, and the bold leadership of President Zelenskyy, Colonel-General Syrskyi, and so many others are on display as Ukraine repels ever more desperate attempts by the invaders to regain a battlefield edge, certain areas are overlooked at the moment. In the case of Orikhiv, Robotyne, and the villages and towns around them, when history is written, the residents and defenders of these areas will be remembered as among the war’s most heroic and patriotic servants of Ukraine.

Sergeant Sarah Ashton-Cirillo, Armed Forces of Ukraine

The author's opinions do not necessarily reflect those of Ukrinform's editorial board.