Russian army plans new assaults in Stepnohirsk, Zaporizhzhia region, Voloshyn claims
Russian troops are regrouping assault units and preparing to resume active combat operations in the area of the village of Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia region.
This was reported by Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces, in a comment to Ukrinform.
“Right now, Russian assault units are regrouping there [in the Stepnohirsk area],” Voloshyn said.
According to him, these are units that were previously transferred from the Kherson sector and are now concentrating near the front lines.
“They [the occupiers] are now trying to bring the personnel of the assault groups closer to the front lines to resume active assault operations,” the spokesman said.
Voloshyn added that the enemy has intensified its kamikaze drone strikes and is conducting fierce assault operations in the Prydniprovske, Huliaipole, and Oleksandrivka sectors.
“Over the past day, the enemy has again increased the number of kamikaze drone strikes to two thousand. Almost two thousand strikes were recorded during the day, including more than 500 hits in the Prydniprovske sector,” the spokesman said.
According to him, the enemy continues active assault operations in the Huliaipole and Oleksandrivka sectors, where combat clashes are ongoing.
“Fourteen combat clashes were reported in the Huliaipole sector, most of them near the village of Zaliznychne, where the enemy is trying to break through to this settlement, but the Ukrainian Defense Forces are stopping and exterminating them when the enemies approach,” Voloshyn noted.
The spokesman added that Ukrainian units are conducting search-and-strike and assault operations to eliminate the enemy attempting to penetrate deep into the defenses.
"As for the Oleksandrivka sector, 11 combat clashes were reported here during the day, nine of them near the village of Vyshneve, where we are killing the enemy. [Ongoing] fierce gun battles are taking place near Ternove," Voloshyn emphasized.
He also reported significant enemy air activity and unguided missile strikes.
"The enemy continues to carry out air strikes, and there are quite a large number of such strikes. Over the past day, 21 air strikes using 82 guided aerial bombs have been recorded, as well as massive attacks with unguided air missiles on the village of Charivne, with several dozens of free-fall bombs being used against it every day, 53 over the past day," the spokesman said.
Voloshyn also emphasized the Defense Forces' role in destroying enemy drones.
“The Defense Forces are actively exterminating enemy drone operators. Over the past day, we destroyed 55 such operators in the south. The enemy's drones are one of their main strike forces, and their destruction is a very important task for the Ukrainian Defense Forces,” he concluded.
As reported by Ukrinform, over the past day, February 23, there were 116 combat clashes between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian troops, with the enemy exerting the most pressure in the Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka sectors.