Russian military forces have advanced near Tsvitkove and Horke within the Polohai Raion of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, according to mapping data published by the DeepState monitoring project on Thursday, October 8.
On October 2, DeepState reported that Russian troops occupied the village of Sviatopetrovka within the Huliaipole hromada, which had a population of 78 residents according to the 2001 census, while making gains near neighboring Staroukrainka.
Tactical Shifts in Polohai Raion
Concurrently, operations continue to the north and east. According to reporting compiled by Inform.zp.ua, citing the Group of Forces (Forces) “South” and the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade, Russian forces are concentrating significant combat power on the Huliaipole axis. That sector currently hosts one of the largest Russian troop concentrations in the region, featuring elements from multiple combined-arms armies.
Infiltration Tactics Across the Kakhovka Reservoir
The Institute for Study of War indicated that Russian forces are utilizing the dry bed of the Kakhovka Reservoir to reinforce infantry units along the eastern bank. Following the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam in June 2023, the former reservoir bed transformed into dense young willows, poplars, and marshes where troops can attempt infiltration.
Dmytro Filatov, commander of the 1st Separate Assault Regiment operating on the Zaporizhzhia front, told NV that heavy vegetation, high humidity, and autumn fogs significantly hinder reconnaissance and surveillance efforts by the Defense Forces. Filatov noted that Russian forces attempted similar infiltration tactics last year toward Prymorske south of Zaporizhzhia, though Ukrainian defenders successfully reclaimed that settlement.
On the ground near Orikhiv and Mala Tokmačka, Russian infantry relies on unorthodox transport methods. Dmytro Pelykh, spokesperson for the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade, told Inform.zp.ua that enemy troops use motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, buggies, and anti-drone capes to slip between Ukrainian fortified points in small groups.
Assessment of Threat Levels to Zaporizhzhia City
Despite localized advances, military officials emphasize that Russian forces lack the necessary strength for a direct assault on the regional capital. Anastasia Shevchenko, spokesperson for the Group of Forces “South”, stated that while Moscow retains ambitions to capture Orikhiv and Zaporizhzhia, current force levels in the operational area remain insufficient for a major push against the city itself, as reported by Inform.zp.ua.
Military-political observer Oleksandr Kovalenko, cited by UNIAN, assessed that Russian infantry lacks sufficient resources for a successful winter penetration toward Zaporizhzhia. Kovalenko identified Stepnohirsk as the closest active combat zone to the regional capital, noting that Russian forces are actually losing control over that contested bridgehead rather than expanding it.
Russian Forces Advance in Zaporizhzhia Oblast
What specific settlements were recently captured or approached in Zaporizhzhia Oblast?
DeepState monitoring data recorded Russian advances near the settlements of Tsvitkove and Horke in the Polohai Raion on October 8. Earlier in the month, on October 2, the same monitoring project reported the capture of Sviatopetrovka and movement near Staroukrainka.
How are Russian forces attempting to bypass Ukrainian defenses near the former reservoir?
Military analysts and commanders report that Russian troops use the overgrown, dry bed of the Kakhovka Reservoir—which turned into dense willow thickets and marshes after the 2023 dam destruction—to move small infantry infiltration groups under the cover of autumn fogs and high humidity.
Do Russian forces currently possess enough troops to capture Zaporizhzhia city?
Ukrainian military spokespersons and observers, including representatives from the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade and the “South” Group of Forces, state that Russian forces do not currently have sufficient troops or heavy equipment concentrated for a direct offensive against the regional capital.
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