Currently, the city of Zaporizhzhia is safe, and there is no direct threat of a Russian offensive. This was reported by the commander of the 1st Separate Assault Regiment, Dmytro “Perun” Filatov, in his interview.
This is reported by Finway
Military Situation and Strategic Plans of the Command
The regiment commander emphasized that the situation may change depending on the developments in the near future. According to him, the security of the region directly depends on how effectively Ukraine can provide the necessary resources to implement the command’s plans.
“Depending on how they conclude, we will see the result. The question is, what is it? I know the commander-in-chief’s plan in detail. There is only one question – can the country provide sufficient resources to implement this plan? The plan is very good. It has both operational and strategic vision.”
According to Filatov, military operations rarely go according to a prepared scenario. Usually, the command prepares several options for the development of events, but even with ten plans, it is impossible to predict the exact course of events. He also noted that the strategic vision of the commander-in-chief could positively influence both the Zaporizhzhia direction and the situation in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Filatov added that despite the numerical superiority of the enemy, the Ukrainian army demonstrates effectiveness due to competent planning, but resource provision remains a critical factor.
Defense of Zaporizhzhia and Successes in the South
The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine stated that together with the Defense Forces, they managed to halt the advance of Russian troops in Zaporizhzhia within their area of responsibility. Over the past three months, the “Timur” unit of the GUR MO of Ukraine has been conducting a comprehensive defensive operation in the Zaporizhzhia direction, the main goal of which was to disrupt the enemy’s plans and prevent their advance to the regional center.
The Defense Forces are gradually regaining control over territories at the junction of the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, which are marked in the reports of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as the Oleksandrivsk direction. Details of the beginning of counteroffensive actions remain unknown, as the Ukrainian military adheres to information silence. Only in mid-February did observers and analysts, including Kostiantyn Mashovets and the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), begin reporting on activity in the south of the country.
On February 17, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported on successful counterattacks and assault actions around Huliaipole. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted in a March interview that since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian forces have managed to reclaim about 460 square kilometers of territory, primarily at the junction of three regions. During a press conference, the president clarified that approximately 400–435 square kilometers in southern Ukraine have been returned under state control.