The Ukrainian Armed Forces have stabilized the front line in the Zaporizhzhia region and recaptured lost territory

In 2026, the Ukrainian Defense Forces stabilized the front line in the south and regained control of more territory than they had lost. According to the analyst’s assessment, the Ukrainian military’s actions in the Zaporizhzhia sector nullified the Russian troops’ previous gains and thwarted their plans to advance on the Dnipro River.

He notes that the Russian army continues its offensive near Huliaipole along a 30-kilometer-wide front, but the pace of advancement remains slow. Russia has deployed three armies in this sector—the 35th, 36th, and 5th—as well as the 68th Army Corps.

Meanwhile, in the east, Russian troops have shifted to a defensive posture (the 29th Army is operating there), and in the west, toward Orikhiv, they are conducting limited offensive operations with forces from the 58th Army.

“Thus, Russia’s main efforts remain focused on the sector between Ternovate and Huliaipole. Advancement here is slow and relies on deep penetration tactics aimed at reaching the Orikhiv–Novomykolaivka road. The frontal offensive against Orikhiv, which began in the summer with attempts to penetrate Ukrainian lines, now appears to be losing momentum due to the successful actions of Ukrainian forces in strengthening their positions,” the analyst notes.

He notes that this year, Ukrainian troops managed to halt the Russian offensive south of Zaporizhzhia and push the enemy back from the area north of Stepnogorsk. At the same time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are putting pressure on the northern flank of the Russian group in the Huliaipole area and are advancing toward Velyka Novosilka.

“Ukrainian forces have nullified the gains Russia made in this direction in 2025, regaining control of the banks of the Mokri Yaly River, as well as the second line of defense running toward Zaporizhzhia,” Molen notes.

He notes that the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ successes in these areas “have eliminated the threat of a Russian offensive toward Pokrovsk, Novomykolaivka, and the eastern part of the Zaporizhzhia region, as well as toward Pavlohrad and Dnipro.”

French OSINT analyst Clément Molen writes about this, noting that the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ successes have thwarted Russian plans to advance into the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Biletsky announced that the Ukrainian Armed Forces would achieve further successes on the front lines in the near future.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully counterattacked on several sections of the front—ISW.