Russia pushes forward in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region: Moscow plans for 2026

The Defense Forces say fighting in Huliaipole is still ongoing, even though the city has effectively become a large gray zone. At the same time, Russian forces are conducting offensive operations north of the city as well — starting from the "junction" with the administrative border of the Donetsk region — moving westward. This concerns the settlements of Priluky, Varvarivka, and Dobropillia in the Zaporizhzhia region.

At the same time, in the Zaporizhzhia region, the enemy has become active in two more areas, where it is trying to advance from south to north — Verbove and Orikhiv, as well as Stepnohirsk and Prymorsk (near what was once the Kakhovka Reservoir).

As sources cited by RBC-Ukraine explain, the overall Russian plan for the Zaporizhzhia region looks as follows. From Prymorsk, Russian forces plan to advance along the Konka River toward Komyshuvakha, thereby attempting to cut the logistics road leading to Orikhiv.

At the same time, the enemy will move toward the Orikhiv defense area from the northeast — that is, from the Huliaipole area. The next stage of the plan is an attempt to assault Orikhiv itself from several directions.

After that, as the publication's interlocutors predict, Russian forces want to get as close as possible to the city of Zaporizhzhia from the southeast.

According to the publication's interlocutors, such an operation would require significant forces and resources from Moscow. Given the priority of Russian tasks on the front and the desire to seize the entire Donetsk region, it is unlikely they will be able to implement everything at once.

At present, expanding occupied territories in the Zaporizhzhia region is the enemy's second priority. This operation should rather be viewed as an attempt to disperse Ukrainian forces and an additional lever in the negotiation process.

"Putin demands the entire Donetsk region from us. At the same time, he is launching active fighting in Zaporizhzhia. Their plan is as follows: while you are resisting and do not want to give up Donbas, I will advance in the Zaporizhzhia region, so choose what to defend," one of RBC-Ukraine's interlocutors reflects.

Situation in the Zaporizhzhia region

One of the most difficult situations on the Ukrainian front remains the fighting near Huliaipole. Fighting continues in the city.

According to the military, Russians are entering the city from the northwestern to the southwestern parts. Ukrainian forces are operating across the city, trying to cut enemy logistics and prevent the Russian army from bringing in consolidation groups. The enemy loses up to 300 personnel daily.

Yesterday, the spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine, Vladyslav Voloshyn, said that Russia is unable to bring consolidation groups into Huliaipole,