Russian units are infiltrating dozens of kilometers beyond the line of contact and appearing in settlements that Ukrainian forces consider to be deep in the rear, according to active-duty Ukrainian Armed Forces Sergeant Nikita Bak.

Bak said that in some cases Russian troops have been detected in settlements located 30 to 50 kilometers from the line of contact. He declined to publicly identify the locations but confirmed that Russian units were operating there.

The Ukrainian serviceman also challenged the assumption that a continuous network of fortifications could prevent Russian forces from advancing. According to him, there is effectively no continuous front line because Ukrainian troops remain under constant pressure and are unable to establish one.

Bak described the territory between separate positions and UAV operator launch points as a broad zone of mutual infiltration. Troops from both sides move through these areas, while positions can become so fragmented that determining where friendly forces end and enemy troops begin is increasingly difficult.

He identified the condition of Ukrainian infantry as another major problem. Modern battlefield conditions, Bak said, effectively require ordinary infantrymen to operate at the level of army special forces. At the same time, the Ukrainian military has to prepare men around 50 years old for such missions, which he said significantly complicates operations.