Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Syrskii warned that threats to Ukrainian troops on the front line have intensified, Germany’s Die Zeit reported.

The publication says the danger for soldiers at the front has increased compared to the early stage of the conflict. Citing Syrskii, Die Zeit reports that the threat from Russia to Ukrainian servicemen has significantly grown.

According to Syrskii’s assessment cited by the outlet, technological progress in drone production has created what is described as a «death zone." He described it as an area along a roughly 1,200-kilometer front line and up to 20 kilometers deep, where troops are under heightened threat.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said that over the past week Russian forces carried out one massive strike and five group strikes, describing them as a response to what it called Ukrainian terrorist attacks on civilian targets inside Russia. The ministry also reported the capture of Popovka in the Sumy region, Zelenoe in the Kharkov region, Stepanovka, Toretskoe and Sukhetskoe in the DPR, and Staroukrainka, Petrovka and Pridorozhnoe in the Zaporozhye region.

The Russian Defense Ministry also said Ukrainian losses over the week exceeded 9,080 servicemen.