Huliaipole Sector: Ukraine Loses Initiative In Zaporizhzhia To Russian Army Again 

In the Zaporizhzhia area, units from the 127th Division of the “East” military grouping have taken control of Krynichne. They repelled attacks by Ukrainian forces from the 95th Air Assault Brigade and the 225th Separate Assault Regiment in Sosnivka, Hai, and Otradne. In the Sumy region, Russian troops expanded their presence in the Shostka district by capturing Kharkivka and advancing up to 800 meters in several sectors. Meanwhile, Russian aviation struck the barracks of the 35th Separate Rifle Battalion in Krasnopillia. In the Kharkiv area, heavy fighting continues near Vovchansk. Russian troops advanced toward Vovchanski Khutory and Starytsia. They destroyed an RAK-12 multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) in Okhrimivka and repelled counterattacks by the 113th Territorial Defense Brigade. In the Slaviansk area, active fighting continues in Yarova, Drobysheve, and Dibrova. Russian units are advancing, bypassing Krasnyi Lyman and forming “pincers” to initiate battles on the approaches to Staryi Karavan. In the direction of Dobropillia, Russian forces are operating to bypass Hryshyne and advance west of Rodynske towards the “Vodyana” Mine No. 2. Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó announced the suspension of diesel fuel exports to Ukraine until oil supplies resume via the Druzhba pipeline.

Zaporizhzhia Direction

Amid large-scale attacks by Ukrainian units on the northern and central sectors of the eastern Zaporizhzhia region near Huliaipole, the “East” troop grouping remains in the lead. The 127th Motor Rifle Division has taken control of the Krynichne village territory.

In the northern sector, Ukrainian units scattered across tree lines in the Sosnivka area are being eliminated. Ukrainian forces are sustaining casualties from unmanned aerial vehicle strikes. Attempts to advance across open terrain have expanded the “grey zone” south of the Vovcha River but have also created serious problems for Ukrainian units regarding the evacuation of personnel and equipment.

In the Hai settlement area, Ukrainian 95th Separate Air Assault Brigade units launched an armored vehicle attack but did not succeed. Russian units have captured part of the tree lines near Otradne. According to some reports, Russia has restored full control over the village.

In the Staroukrainka area, Ukrainian units of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment launched attacks and lost control of Krynychne. The village is now under the control of the 218th Tank Regiment of the 127th Division of Russian troops.

Ukrainian units continue to attack on foot and with armored vehicles, employing reinforcements concentrated in the Huliaipole sector. Reliance on heavy hexacopters for supply has not paid off due to the effective work of Russian unmanned aerial vehicle operators. Small groups of Ukrainian units that managed to infiltrate between Russian troop positions subsequently ended up either destroyed or blocked in tree lines almost everywhere. Currently, the remaining groups are being eliminated with the help of “Upyr” loitering munitions after being detected by supply drones.

Sumy Direction

In the Sumy direction, Russian troops are continuing to expand their control over the Shostka district. After capturing Komarivka and Bila Bereza, they took control of the Kharkivka settlement, which they had begun advancing on earlier. Although these settlements are small villages near the state border, they possess a certain tactical value. For Ukraine, losing them creates additional tension on the border and requires either transferring reserves from other areas or withdrawing units being reconstituted in the Sumy, Chernihiv, or Kyiv regions.

Under these conditions, the “North” grouping can expand the number of border crossing sectors and increase the intensity of operations in existing sectors.

Fierce fighting continues in all sectors of the Sumy front. Russian aviation has increased the number of strikes on Ukrainian unit positions, and artillery has worked intensively to support the advance of assault groups. The Ukrainian side has not undertaken offensive actions, instead focusing on strengthening defensive lines and launching missile attacks on civilian targets in Russian border regions.

Assault units of the “North” grouping advanced in seven sectors in the Sumy district, three sectors in the Krasnopillia district, and three sectors in the Hlukhiv district. The total advance over the day was up to 800 meters.

In order to reinforce defensive positions in the Krasnopillia district, the Ukrainian command transferred the 35th Separate Rifle Battalion (with a permanent deployment point in Ternopil) from the Donetsk region to the Sumy area. Russian aviation struck the battalion’s barracks in Krasnopillia, resulting in significant Ukrainian personnel losses.

Russian Aerospace Forces crews worked intensively in the Tetkino and Hlushkivka sectors, striking the 78th Separate Air Assault Brigade’s positions in the Yastrebyne area and the 103rd Separate Territorial Defense Brigade’s positions in the Volfyne area.

Slaviansk Direction

Active combat operations continue in the Krasnyi Lyman sector of the Slavyansk area. Meeting engagements are ongoing in the Yarova area and on the northern outskirts of Drobysheve. Ukrainian units are constantly attempting to infiltrate the Novoselivka settlement in small groups. In turn, Russian assault groups are trying to break through to the Svyatohirsk railway platform, a major transport hub. Active clashes are recorded on the southeastern outskirts of Drobysheve; however, consolidating on the achieved lines has not yet been possible, and the line of combat contact remains unstable.

Russian units are continuing to clear “pockets” and straighten the front line to the north and northeast of Krasnyi Lyman. This increases the overall flank pressure on Ukrainian units in this sector. West of Dibrova, Russian troops have improved their positions in the forested area.

Meanwhile, the offensive from Dibrova to the northwest, beyond the city limits and bypassing Krasnyi Lyman, is intensifying, forming operational “pincers.” To contain the Russian advance, the Ukrainian command is transferring infantry from Brusivka and Staryi Karavan and conducting intensive artillery shelling from Raihorodok, Mykolaivka, and Mayaki. There is a massive exchange of artillery strikes ongoing along the Siverskyi Donets River. With artillery support, Russian units are advancing toward the outskirts of Staryi Karavan, where a new contact line is forming.

Kharkiv Direction

In the Vesele and Zavodske settlements, Russian aircraft dropped high-explosive aerial bombs on concentrations of Ukrainian military equipment and personnel. In the Kolodekne area, Russian troops are advancing toward the settlement, and Russian aircraft are supporting the offensive by striking Ukrainian positions. Russian troops advanced in adjacent tree plantations on two fronts and cleared a section of the forested area. There have been no significant changes in the Symynivka area; Russian units are consolidating their positions. In the Vovchanski Khutory area, assault groups advanced 100 meters and captured two households.

Russian aviation and “Solntsepyok” heavy flamethrower systems targeted the 159th Separate Mechanized Brigade and the 15th Border Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. Ukrainian units made another unsuccessful attempt to counterattack Russian troops’ positions in the Vovchanski Khutory area with the 113th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade. The attack was repelled with heavy fire; the Ukrainian forces withdrew with losses to their original positions.

In the Kharkiv sector, assault groups of the “North” grouping continue to expand control zones near previously captured settlements. The total advance was up to 200 meters. Russian Aerospace Forces aviation struck Ukrainian unit positions in the Kolodezne area.

Dobropillia Direction

In the direction of Dobropillia, Russian units are operating to bypass Hryshyne from the southern flank, thereby creating additional pressure on the Ukrainian troops’ defensive formations. They are not focusing on frontal assaults, but rather on gradually pushing out Ukrainian troops through flank maneuvers and threatening to break the contact line.

Russian troops are mainly active west of Rodynske. Separate assault groups have advanced toward “Vodyana” Mine No. 2 from the east, using tree lines and plantations to conceal their movements. These actions are characterized by cautious infiltration, with attempts to consolidate intermediate positions and expand the “grey zone.”

In the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad sector, there have been no significant changes. The situation remains tense, with intensive combat operations continuing and both sides holding their current lines while periodically undertaking local attacks and counterattacks, though no stable operational breakthrough has been achieved.

Conclusion

In the direction of Zaporizhzhia, Russian units of the “East” grouping successfully repel massive attacks by Ukrainian troops using armored vehicles and assault regiments. They also develop the offensive themselves, capturing settlements such as Krynychne and clearing tree lines of infiltrated groups. The effective use of unmanned systems has neutralized Ukrainian units’ attempts to use heavy hexacopters for supply. In the Sumy region, the “North” grouping is methodically expanding its bridgeheads in the border areas. This creates additional points of tension for the Ukrainian command, forcing it to transfer reserves, including those from the Donetsk region. The Ukrainian command is also suffering losses from Russian airstrikes. In the Kharkiv area, Russian troops are making slow but steady progress in forested areas and settlements. They are repelling counterattacks and destroying Ukrainian artillery systems. In the Slaviansk sector, Russian troops are conducting offensive operations to envelop Krasnyi Lyman, cut its communications, and reach new lines in the Staryi Karavan area. They are doing so despite Ukrainian artillery’s intensive fire counteraction. In the Dobropillia area, Russian units are operating with tactical flexibility, bypassing strong points and expanding “grey zones” in anticipation of a possible operational breakthrough.

In the context of the international economy, an important event was the statement by Péter Szijjártó, the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, regarding the suspension of diesel fuel exports to Ukraine. At a press conference, Szijjártó explained that the suspension is in effect until Kyiv restores oil transit via the Druzhba pipeline. Slovakia has made a similar decision; its prime minister, Robert Fico, had previously threatened to halt electricity supplies completely. According to the Hungarian portal Mandiner, transit via Druzhba stopped at the end of January. Budapest regards this as a politically motivated decision because there were no technical grounds for stopping transit.

The Druzhba pipeline, which originates in Almetyevsk and passes through Bryansk, is a key route for Russian oil supplies to Europe. Within Ukraine, the pipeline branches to provide crude oil to Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. The halt in transit poses serious risks to the energy security of these countries. In response, Budapest and Bratislava have taken reciprocal measures by suspending diesel fuel supplies, which could exacerbate the fuel shortage in Ukraine. This escalation of the energy confrontation against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities demonstrates that economic instruments are becoming an integral part of the conflict and are directly impacting the ability of the parties involved to wage a protracted war.

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