Taking advantage of a ceasefire, the enemy has transferred equipment and personnel from Crimea to Zaporizhzhia region. Ukraine’s Defense Forces expect intensified assault operations by Russian troops along the entire southern frontline.
This was reported in a comment to Ukrinform by Vladyslav Voloshyn, Spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces.
“In Zaporizhzhia region — specifically Huliaipole, Novopavlivka, and Orikhiv sectors — the enemy continues active assault operations, especially in the Novopavlivka sector, where they are advancing toward Pryvilne and Vilne Pole. There were 17 assault attempts in that area over the past day. The enemy is also quite active in the Orikhiv sector, carrying out assaults toward Mali Shcherbaky, Stepove, and Lepkove. So indeed, taking advantage of the so-called ‘Easter ceasefire’ and halt in shelling, the enemy regrouped their forces, moved personnel from assault units, their weapons, and military equipment to frontline positions, and continues to conduct assaults in small infantry groups,” Voloshyn said.
When asked whether the enemy is concentrating fresh forces only in Zaporizhzhia direction, the Spokesperson said it concerns all southern directions.
“According to our intelligence, the enemy is regrouping and redeploying a certain amount of forces and resources from both Crimea and Russia to continue assault operations. We are recording an increase in the amount of weaponry, military equipment, and assault units across all southern sectors of the front — especially in the areas of Huliaipole, Novopavlivka, and Orikhiv. We also observe a buildup of these assault units in the Prydniprovske sector, near the settlement of Oleshky. Therefore, we do not rule out intensified assault operations in Zaporizhzhia region itself, as well as increased enemy activity in Kherson direction. The enemy is currently accumulating forces and resources, conducting logistical preparations, and constantly carrying out reconnaissance,” Voloshyn said.
At the same time, Voloshyn noted that while the Russian invaders do not yet have sufficient forces for a full-scale offensive, they do have enough to conduct assault operations in small infantry groups with the support of combat vehicles.
A particular role in supplying the enemy’s assault groups is now played by light motorized vehicles.
“According to our intelligence, light motorized vehicles — such as motorcycles, buggies, and quad bikes — are now playing a key role. The enemy has recently started actively using them in assault operations. These vehicles can move quickly through fields, are highly maneuverable, and are difficult to target or destroy using both conventional fire and FPV drones. That’s why the enemy has increasingly turned to using them,” the Spokesperson explained.
He noted that Ukrainian defenders destroy around 20 motorcycles and 5–7 buggies and quad bikes every day.
As reported by Ukrinform, over the past 24 hours, the occupiers carried out 359 strikes on 13 settlements in Zaporizhzhia region. One person was killed and 40 others were injured in an attack on Zaporizhzhia.
Source: Russians preparing to intensify assault operations along entire southern frontline – military spox
