Under relentless artillery fire and worsening weather, Ukrainian troops pull back from key villages in the southeast as Russian forces press forward on multiple fronts
Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from five frontline villages in the southeastern Zaporizhia region, amid intense Russian assaults and what Kyiv describes as a “significantly worsening” battlefield situation. The retreat marks a serious setback in Ukraine’s defensive efforts as Russian troops intensify their multi-front offensive, pushing further into strategic locations across the southeast.
General Oleksandr Syrskii, Ukraine’s top military commander, confirmed on Tuesday that Russian troops had capitalized on their numerical superiority and poor weather conditions to capture three settlements in Zaporizhia, exploiting dense fog to infiltrate Ukrainian lines. “The situation has significantly worsened in the Oleksandrivka and Huliapole directions,” Syrskii said in a statement.
The Ukrainian army attributed the withdrawal to the “de facto destruction of all shelters and fortifications” following a barrage of Russian artillery—estimated at over 2,000 shells—targeting defensive positions. Control of three more villages northeast of Huliapole remains fiercely contested.
Despite conceding ground, Syrskii insisted that Russian forces had paid a steep price. “Every metre of our land costs Russia hundreds of military lives,” he said, underscoring the high casualties suffered by the invading forces.
Elsewhere, the battle for Pokrovsk—a city dubbed by Russian media as “the gateway to Donetsk”—has intensified. Video footage shared by pro-Russian war bloggers showed troops advancing on motorcycles and armored vehicles into the embattled urban area. Russia has long sought to encircle the city via a pincer maneuver, hoping to cut off key Ukrainian supply routes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visiting the unoccupied parts of Kherson region on Tuesday, acknowledged that the situation in Zaporizhia and Pokrovsk was “difficult,” citing weather conditions that favour Russian offensive tactics. However, he noted that the military situation in Kupiansk, in the northeast, was “somewhat easier,” with Ukrainian forces “achieving results.”
Russia, for its part, claims to have made substantial gains. Moscow announced that its forces now control the eastern part of Kupiansk, including a major oil depot and several rail junctions—critical infrastructure in the contested Kharkiv region. A Russian commander, identified by the call sign “Hunter,” appeared in a video released by the Ministry of Defence, declaring full control over the eastern perimeter of the city.
Ukrainian officials have pushed back on reports of Pokrovsk being surrounded, asserting that supply lines to nearby Myrnohrad remain open. Still, concerns are growing as Russia reportedly concentrates over 150,000 troops in its bid to break through defensive lines and secure a broader strategic foothold.
Military analysts point to two growing challenges for Ukraine: a shortage of personnel and Russia’s overwhelming advantage in drone technology. After more than three and a half years of full-scale war, these factors are contributing to Russian advances along several key sectors of the frontline.
As the battle intensifies, both sides continue to issue conflicting claims, but the reality on the ground in Zaporizhia and Donbas suggests Ukraine is facing one of its most serious military challenges since the start of the war.
(Associated Medias) – all rights reserved