Russian troops ordered to capture Stepnohirsk by end of June – military spokesperson
Russian forces continue attempts to break through southwest of Huliaipole and capture the settlements of Verkhnia Tersa and Huliaipilske in the Zaporizhzhia region by the end of the month. Russian command has also tasked the 7th Air Assault Division with taking control of Stepnohirsk by the end of June.
Colonel Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces, said this in comments to Ukrinform.
"Over the past day, 37 combat engagements were recorded, including 32 on the Huliaipole axis. The enemy continues attempts to break through southwest of Huliaipole in the area of Charivne, Zaliznychne, and Huliaipilske. Interestingly, the command first set a deadline to capture Huliaipilske by the 15th, then by the 20th, and now has moved it to the 30th. Yesterday, the enemy even attempted an assault there using armored vehicles and quad bikes. However, all of these attempts failed – our forces destroyed the enemy before they could approach Huliaipilske. Overall, the enemy aims to reach Verkhnia Tersa and capture it by May 31," Voloshyn said.
According to the spokesperson, the situation in this section of the front remains difficult, as Russian forces are heavily using aviation and guided aerial bombs.
"In general, the number of kamikaze drone attacks is increasing by 50 to 100 per day. About one-third of them are aircraft-type drones such as Molniya, Molniya-2, and Lancet loitering munitions. Over the past day, we recorded 2,000 strikes by such drones in the south, nearly 600 of them involving Molniya and Lancet systems," Voloshyn said, adding that the use of reconnaissance drones is also growing.
He noted that Russian forces currently show no signs of shortages in ammunition or manpower.
Commenting on the Dnipro River axis, Voloshyn said one combat engagement had been recorded over the past day on Bilohrudyi Island.
"According to intelligence data, the enemy has been tasked with intensifying activity on the islands of Bilohrudyi, Kruhlyk, Nestryha, Milkyi, Velykyi Vilkhovyi, and Oleksiivskyi, where our positions are located near the left bank of the Antonivka bridges. The enemy will intensify operations there," he said.
According to intelligence reports, Russian forces are also reinforcing the Orikhiv sector by redeploying the 137th Airborne Regiment from the Dnipro River sector. In addition, the 74th Separate Motorized Rifle Regiment, which previously participated in assaults on Stepnohirsk, is being transferred there, where Ukrainian forces are currently trying to seize the tactical initiative.
Voloshyn said Russian command has tasked the 7th Air Assault Division with capturing Stepnohirsk by the end of June.
"In addition, a special forces detachment from the 19th Division of the 58th Army is being transferred here to counter our successful counterattacks, while airborne troops are also being redeployed from Kherson. As a result, the number of enemy assault operations on the Orikhiv axis is slightly increasing. Moreover, several TOS-1A Solntsepyok heavy flamethrower systems are being transferred to the 5th Army here. In other words, the enemy is increasing fire support in this area," the spokesperson said.
According to Voloshyn, Russian forces are intensifying operations specifically in the sector where Ukrainian forces have seized the tactical initiative, namely near Stepnohirsk, Plavni, and Prymorske.
As many as 267 combat clashes between Ukrainian forces and Russian invaders were recorded over the past day, with the heaviest fighting taking place on the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole sectors.