Zaporizhzhia and Kherson under threat? Military experts insights
Photo: Russian army intensified its activities in the south (Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
The Russian army has intensified its activities in the Zaporizhzhia region, but the intensity of the fighting suggests that this is not a primary offensive direction. Meanwhile, in the Kherson region, the situation remains even less dynamic.
According to the article, the enemy has advanced in the Pyatykhatky area toward the villages of Stepove and Mali Shcherbaky. The likely target of the Russian offensive in this area could be the city of Orikhiv, especially since Russian forces have also intensified operations south of the city in the Robotyne area. Additionally, the Russian army may aim to expand its penetration along the entire stretch from Kamianske to Shcherbaky to approach Zaporizhzhia more closely.
However, over the past week, Russian forces have failed to achieve significant breakthroughs in this area. So far, the offensive remains limited, and it is unclear whether Moscow intends to escalate its intensity and expand the scale of its actions here.
"You can check the General Staff reports to see where most of the combat clashes are happening. During the day, there are 120-150 clashes, with more than 50 of them in Pokrovsk and Toretsk. Meanwhile, Zaporizhzhia sees up to 10 clashes, which is similar to the level of activity in the Kharkiv direction. This is definitely not a major offensive or an attempt at a breakthrough," said military expert Pavlo Narozhnyi.
In the Kherson direction, the situation is even less dynamic. The Russian army is mostly focused on seizing islands on the Dnipro River, but Ukrainian forces, positioned on higher ground, repeatedly repel them. As a result, the invaders have been unable to establish a bridgehead for a larger offensive in the Kherson region.
"In the Kherson direction, the situation is even less dynamic. The Russian army is mainly focused on seizing islands in the Dnipro River, but Ukrainian forces, positioned on higher ground, repel them. As a result, the occupiers have been unable to establish a foothold for further offensive operations in the Kherson region," said former Deputy Chief of the Ukrainian General Staff Ihor Romanenko in a comment to RBC-Ukraine.
In January, the head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov, told RBC-Ukraine that Vladimir Putin had been preparing for an offensive on Zaporizhzhia but was forced to abandon those plans.
The official also noted that a multi-layered defense system is being built in the Zaporizhzhia region, covering not only frontline defense positions but also circular defenses around Orikhiv, Hulyaipole, Komyshuvakha, Vilniansk, and Zaporizhzhia itself, with three defensive lines.
