Ukraine retakes southern areas: Details revealed
Ukrainian Armed Forces reclaim 300 square kilometers near Huliaipole (photo: Armed Forces of Ukraine)
Ukraine restored control over more than 300 square kilometers of territory in the Huliaipole and neighboring directions in the Zaporizhzhia region following its counterattacks and assault operations, according to Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine.
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"Our units are conducting counteroffensive and assault operations, reducing parts of the so-called 'gray zone' and holding back enemy attempts to attack our positions," Voloshyn said.
He stressed that since the start of the operation in late January 2026, Ukrainian forces have regained control of 300 square kilometers of territory, including "several settlements along the administrative border of the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions."
"While the operation is in its active phase, it is somewhat premature to speak about its final outcomes," the spokesperson added.
He also noted that up to 50 combat clashes occur daily in the Huliaipole and Oleksandrivka directions.
On February 20, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian defenders had liberated 300 square kilometers of territory from Russian forces on the southern section of the front.
According to reports as of February 13, Ukrainian forces were conducting localized counterattacks at the junction of the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggested Ukrainian troops may have taken advantage of Russian communication problems, including the blocking of Starlink terminals and Telegram.
On February 16, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi visited Ukrainian troops engaged in fighting in the Oleksandrivka direction and near Huliaipole settlement, where active battles are currently underway.
