Andrii Sokolov

The troops, around 1,600 in total, were overextended as they moved to defend a large territory from an incoming Russian force of 20,000.

[2] On the eve of the invasion in February 2022, Sokolov only had 1,600 soldiers in his command, compared to 20,000 Russian troops coming from the south.

As the situation was escalating, the 137th prepared to save civilians by holding practice drills and studying retreat routes.

[2] On 14 January, Sokolov held a meeting with multiple Ukrainian defense organizations, as well as the heads of the 137th and 59th, discussing the positioning of troops.

Hours before the invasion started, Sokolov and his military command at Melitopol viewed aerial intelligence about the situation in Crimea.

[5] On the afternoon of the 24th, Kherson's 124th Territorial Defence Brigade, which had not previously given a mobilization order, was allowed to fight.

The Operation Command South headquarters were moved from Melitopol to Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and Sokolov was given more reinforcements: two incomplete National Guard battalions and the 110th Territorial Defence Brigade.

[2][5] They withdrew back to the area of Vasylivka and Tokmak and then possibly to Kamianske; Sokolov did not remember the exact location when interviewed.

Meanwhile, the Russians took control of two key crossings on the Dnipro River: the Antonivka bridge and the Nova Kakhovka dam.