The commander of the first separate assault regiment, Dmytro “Perun” Filatov, reported that the city of Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region is in a state of “nearly occupied.” According to him, this situation is part of a broader strategic plan that will soon become clear to the public.
This is reported by Finway
Dynamics of Combat Operations in the South
The unit led by Filatov is participating in the counteroffensive actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the southern section of the front, which have been ongoing since late January 2026. The commander noted that the situation in this direction is very dynamic and can be compared to what occurred earlier in the Dobropillia direction, where Ukrainian forces managed to stabilize the situation. Although tensions remain, the enemy has not been able to implement its plan, and a similar situation is observed in the Zaporizhzhia direction.
“It can be compared to the situation in the Dobropillia direction, which has already been more or less stabilized. The tension is not completely alleviated, but the plan the enemy had set for itself has been completely disrupted. It’s roughly the same here. The enemy views the Zaporizhzhia direction as the next area of influence on the Armed Forces,” said Filatov.
Strategic Importance of the Region and Defense Successes
Filatov explained that the Russian Federation aims to advance to areas from which artillery can be effectively used to shell Zaporizhzhia—a major industrial center. He stated that this is why control over this city is critical for Ukraine, as its loss could have serious consequences for the country’s industry and defense capabilities.
When asked about the number of enemy forces, the commander replied that Russian troops have sufficient potential to carry out their plans. At the same time, thanks to experienced Ukrainian generals and commanders, it is possible to hold back the enemy and maintain balance in this section of the front, preventing the enemy from realizing all of its strategic plans.
Ukrainian defenders are gradually regaining control over territories at the junction of the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. In official reports from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, this area is referred to as the Oleksandrivsk direction. The start of Ukrainian counteroffensive actions remained unknown to the general public due to information silence; however, closer to mid-February, the situation began to be covered by Ukrainian and international experts.
On February 17, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported successful counteroffensive and assault actions around Huliaipole. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a March interview with Corriere Della Sera, noted that since the beginning of 2026, Ukraine has liberated 460 square kilometers of its territory, including at the junction of three regions. During a press conference on March 8, he specified that control has been restored over approximately 400-435 square kilometers of territory in the southern part of the country.