A large group of Russian soldiers SEIZED by Ukrainian troops

Recently in the Huliaipole direction, Ukraine’s two hundred and twenty-fifth assault regiment captured a massive group of sixty-four Russian infiltrators in the rear. Ukrainian soldiers conducted a sweep in five villages and the surrounding area from Ternuvate through Vozdvyzhivka to Verkhnia Tersa, as Russian infiltrators kept surrendering when they approached. The regiment spokesperson stated that as a result of the successful clearing operation, the Ukrainian prisoner of war exchange fund has been significantly replenished, allowing for sixty-four captive Ukrainian soldiers to come home in a future prisoner exchange.

These Russian soldiers were captured after successfully infiltrating behind the Ukrainian defense line. The task of these Russian soldiers was to infiltrate through Ukrainian positions and conduct raids on command posts and supply lines, thereby creating chaos in the Ukrainian rear. Additionally, some were tasked with searching for Ukrainian drone crews behind the line and engaging them in order to deprive the Ukrainian soldiers on the frontline of drone support, while denying Ukrainian commanders the ability to surveil the frontline in real time with reconnaissance drones. Additionally, their job is to gather intelligence, identify weak points in the Ukrainian defenses, and map out Ukrainian positions, which then can be targeted by Russian drones, artillery, and glide bombs. Usually, expendable Russian soldiers with minimal training are sent on these missions, with some of them only being sent in to raise a Russian flag in a certain village, so that Russian commanders can say they have captured it, subsequently marking vast amounts of uncontrolled territory as under Russian control.

This is exactly the shortcoming of these tactics because only a small team of one to three soldiers can get through the Ukrainian lines. Approximately eighty to ninety percent of infiltration attempts are neutralized by Ukrainian drones. As a result, only a handful of Russian soldiers manage to slip through, meaning they need to wait for a long time to accumulate enough forces to pose a threat. The Russian disadvantage is that they are cut off from reinforcements and are mostly undersupplied. During the infiltration, they can only carry limited supplies with them, and without stable logistics, they can only be resupplied by Russian drones, which can reveal their position. This leaves them without food and necessities, while they also lack ammunition for sustained firefights, prompting them rather to surrender than die in vain; as proven by Ukraine’s recent operation, where sixty-four Russian infiltrators that finally made it through the line were immediately detected, caught, and taken prisoner.

When Russian forces are either detected or suspected to be operating in the rear, Ukrainian teams are first dispatched on dedicated clearing missions. Throughout the operation, they are supported by reconnaissance drones providing constant overwatch, while FPV drone crews remain on standby to strike immediately once the enemy is located. When contact is made, Ukrainian forces prefer to eliminate the infiltrators with FPV drone strikes flying into the Russian position, in order to minimize the risk to their own soldiers.

If FPV strikes are not feasible, drone-dropped or hand-tossed grenades are used instead, as Russian infiltrators typically hide in basements, cellars, and other concealed underground positions where grenades like these are especially effective. If the Russian soldiers still refuse to surrender, Ukrainian forces continue using drones and grenades until the enemy is neutralized or forced out of cover. Only then do Ukrainian infantry move in to conduct the final close-quarters clearing action, systematically searching every room and underground shelter to ensure no infiltrators remain there alive.

Overall, Ukraine’s clearing operation demonstrated that Russian infiltration tactics can achieve temporary disruption but rarely produce lasting battlefield gains. By systematically detecting, isolating, and capturing infiltrators, Ukrainian forces denied Russia a foothold while significantly strengthening their prisoner exchange fund. The capture of sixty-four Russian soldiers highlights how effective coordinated infantry operations can turn Russian infiltration attempts into a strategic advantage for Ukraine instead of a success for Moscow.