Ukraine-Russia talks, Russian attempts to cross Oskil River, Oncilla armored vehicle. Serhiy Zgurets' military review

For Russia, negotiation process is more important than result

On May 16, the delegations of Russia and Ukraine held talks in Istanbul. What was the outcome? Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that the goal was a ceasefire and the exchange of prisoners, probably “a 1,000 for 1,000.” They also discussed preparations for a possible meeting between Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Vladimir Putin. 

According to some media outlets, Russia put forward unacceptable and unrealistic conditions for a ceasefire. In particular, the Russians wanted the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the territories held by the Ukrainian army so that a truce could be declared. Of course, these are not realistic demands. We could not expect anything else from the aggressor country. 

Russia continues to manipulate, bluff and lie. It is the process that is more important to the Russians than any result, because of the diplomatic smokescreen. As army chief Syrskyi said at the NATO-Ukraine Council, we expect to achieve a just peace, but active hostilities continue on the 1,100-kilometer front, and Moscow has turned aggression into a war of attrition. It is now using up to 640,000 troops in total.

Frontline situation: Kupiansk district (Kharkiv region)

Ihor Romanenko, an officer with the 3rd Separate Tank Iron Brigade, said the situation is consistently tense in the Kupiansk sector of the Kharkiv region. There is a constant threat, including attempted assaults. He added that many different units can operate in the same area of the frontline, so there is constant interaction. The enemy is constantly trying to gather forces and attack. There are no special changes in the Russian tactics — an attempt to infiltrate in small groups, accumulation of troops in certain locations and then an attempt to attack. Over the past months and weeks, armored vehicles have rarely appeared in our brigade's line of defense. The Russians mostly use civilian vehicles to deliver combatants to the front line — motorcycles and buggies. There are fewer armored vehicles.

How weather changes affect

The officer said that the appearance of greenery and leaves on the trees makes it much more difficult to detect small assault groups and vehicles. But on the other hand, it also helps us to camouflage Ukrainian equipment. Some of the brigade's fighters are holding the defense in the direction of the Oskil River, and it is easier for the enemy to cross. The military observes constant attempts to cross the river and gain a foothold on the right bank of the Oskil River.

Use of tanks and heavy equipment

According to the officer, tanks are mostly used as artillery — firing from closed positions — 8-9 km to the target. This is to support their and adjacent units. The classic use of tanks is very rare, but these are really unique cases. Once, there was an attempt to break through the Russian adjacent units and tanks were used right in the field to eliminate it.

According to Romanenko, the Russian troops are mainly trying to cross the river by watercraft — boats to ferry infantry. Perhaps they want to seize larger bridgeheads to try to cross heavy equipment later.

Recruiting for brigade

As for the 18-24 program, Romanenko said that there is a constant shortage of people of all ages. They are very pleased that the brigade has joined this program — here people spend a month getting acquainted with the life of the brigade, being tested and interviewed. After a month, they sign a contract and go to the training center for 1.5 months. Immediately after signing the contract, they receive their bonus of UAH 200,000, after the training center, another UAH 300,000, and after six months, half a million. The process is not easy, but it is active — brigade has dozens of applications. So far, there are many applications, but few signed contracts. The day before yesterday, a man came. He served in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, was captured by Russian troops, and is going back to war after the prisoner exchange. Such examples deserve praise.

Oncilla armored vehicle

Next, we'll talk about weaponry, particularly from our partners — arms supplied by Ukraine’s allies and those co-produced with our Polish partners. Specifically, we’ll focus on the Oncilla armored vehicle: the versions currently delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, how it’s used, the experience gained by Polish manufacturers, and how that feedback shapes the updated models.

Just a few days ago, a major event in Poland showcased various Oncilla versions. We know it has Ukrainian roots in the Dozor armored vehicle. But in reality, they now only share a similar exterior. Internally, the Polish version is a completely different weapon system that has addressed all of Dozor’s flaws.

Today, Oncilla is used by the National Guard, Special Operations Forces, and units of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine. At least 200 vehicles have been delivered to the security and defense forces. They provide mobility for our units and protection from enemy shell fragments. Several vehicles have hit explosive devices, but the crews survived. Oncilla was also used in combat during operations in the Kursk region, proving to be a highly effective mobile asset.

Oleksandr Leshchenko, Development Director at the company MISTA, which manufactures the Oncilla, stated that the company is implementing a long-term strategy for supplying equipment. They are committed to supporting the vehicles at the front line, providing replacement units, and carrying out repairs within Ukraine. For this, they work with their partner company, KB Beryl.

Ongoing, planned cooperation with end users allows them to respond quickly to operational needs during combat deployment. There is constant communication with the military and heads of technical units — their suggestions, comments, and concerns are addressed as quickly as possible. This enables Oncilla to be continuously improved to meet the demands of the battlefield.

Leshchenko reported several incidents where the vehicles were hit by mines and explosive devices. There were no fatalities, only injuries. Overall, the vehicle’s design and level of protection helped save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. The company is proud that their engineering solutions contributed to this.

He also noted that the company can rapidly scale up production. Some vehicles are already being manufactured in Ukraine, meaning production can continue in both Poland and Ukraine. In terms of volume, the company can produce more vehicles in cooperation with Ukrainian partners, provided there are orders. Oncilla can be fully produced in Ukraine, and the company is ready to support Ukraine’s goal of localizing military equipment manufacturing on its own territory.

Other company projects

The company has established cooperation with private military research institutions and manufacturers in both Poland and Ukraine to organize the production, development, and advancement of ground robotic systems. There is close collaboration, including with the end user — the Command of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces — and they hope to deliver new prototypes of unmanned ground robotic systems for testing soon.

The company is also working on creating SHORAD systems — short-range air defense. Efforts are underway on several fronts to rapidly develop effective, proven, and affordable systems to counter aerial threats at close range. Leshchenko expressed hope that these developments will soon be tested on the battlefield.