Heavy losses urge Russians redeploying airborne units to Ukraine's Huliaipole
Illustrative photo: Russians redeploy airborne units to Huliaipole (Russian media)
The Russian army has begun redeploying airborne units to the Huliaipole direction, indicating heavy enemy losses in that section of the front, according to Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The spokesperson said that the movement of Russian airborne units toward the Huliaipole and Orikhiv directions has been recorded. This points to a high level of Russian losses in these areas.
Heavy losses are affecting the combat readiness of units that had previously been stationed there, which is why the enemy "pulls" reinforcement from the Kherson direction.
Overall, about 50 combat engagements took place over the past day in the Huliaipole, Orikhiv, and Oleksandrivka directions, including 31 in the Huliaipole direction, which remains one of the most difficult.
"The enemy also tried to break deeper into our defense line. As for the Orikhiv direction, the enemy attacked our positions in Huliaipole, Dorozhnianka, Solodke, and several other settlements near Huliaipole. In addition, the enemy actively uses aircraft, carrying out strikes with guided aerial bombs," Voloshyn added.
Totally, 164 combat engagements were recorded along the front line on January 16. Russian forces were most active in assault operations on the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole directions. As of January 16, total enemy losses amounted to 1,370 personnel.
Vladyslav Voloshyn previously said that fighting continues in Huliaipole, although the city has effectively become a large gray zone. At the same time, in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian army has intensified activity in two additional areas and is expected to attempt an advance toward the Orikhiv district from the northeast. Among other objectives, the enemy aims to take control of Stepnohirsk settlement to shell the city of Zaporizhzhia from there.
