Russia bolsters forces in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine braces for clash

A significant increase in the number of Russian troops has been observed in the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region. The number of soldiers is said to have increased by tens of thousands. Additionally, new artillery units and heavy military equipment have appeared, indicating potential preparations for an offensive, reports the Ukrainian agency Unian.

- Putin wants to conclude several major battles, sealing territorial gains before the expected negotiations, before the administration of Donald Trump takes power. This is a typical Russian action, and they can engage all available forces - comments Gen. Roman Polko, former commander of the GROM unit, in an interview with WP.

- Can they afford actions on the scale of an offensive? The Russian army continues recruiting men from the provinces as it involves their social and financial advancement. In terms of armament, they use resources from North Korea and Iran - adds Gen. Polko.

Referring to unofficial information about Russian preparations, a group of Ukrainian experts warned of an attack that could target the cities of Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro. Analyses in 2023 indicated that Russian forces would aim to occupy the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine: Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Dnipropetrovsk, with the Dnipro River serving as the dividing line of the country. It should be noted that the occupied territories of Ukraine have already been annexed as Russian by a decision of the Kremlin.

Between September 1 and November 30, Russians captured over 620 square miles in eastern Ukraine. Further gradual withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the battle in Donbas is inevitable, as Russians have at least a sixfold numerical advantage there.

- Even if Russia achieves military successes at the end of the war, it will use nuclear blackmail in the expected negotiations to grab as much land as possible. Signing any agreement on terms of Ukraine's capitulation will be a failure for NATO member states. The leaders of China, North Korea, and Iran dream of this - the anti-American coalition – summarizes Gen. Polko.

The Unian agency cited the opinion of an anonymous military expert, who on November 27 stated that despite the increase in Russian troops in the region, Ukraine has already implemented countermeasures. These include strengthening defensive positions and preemptive strikes behind the front lines. He assessed that the Russian offensive, even if undertaken, would be limited in scope and would not produce the spectacular results expected by Moscow.

On December 1, Mykola Malomuzh, former head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, emphasized that capturing Zaporizhzhia by the Russians is unlikely. – The city has an extensive defense, including concrete structures that effectively protect against artillery and missile fire. Russian actions may be limited to tactical attempts to capture smaller towns around Zaporizhzhia, but a lack of resources prevents a full offensive on the city, he noted in an interview with journalists.

Ivan Tymochko, chairman of the Reserve Council of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, pointed out a few days ago that the announcements of a Russian offensive might aim to cause panic and destabilization in the region.

- Russia, although increasing the concentration of forces in the Zaporizhzhia area, does not have sufficient resources to carry out a full-scale attack. Ukrainian defense is ready for possible tactical attempts by the enemy – stated the leader of veterans.

Ukrainian experts highlight that the city of Zaporizhzhia, being an important infrastructure and industrial hub, is strongly defended by Ukrainian forces, which have reinforced their positions in the region by building fortifications and organizing a multi-layered defense.

Analysts assess that Russia, although intensifying actions on the Zaporizhzhia front, is probably unable to conduct a full-scale offensive. Its actions may be limited to tactical operations aimed at capturing small areas and causing informational chaos. However, the Ukrainian command remains prepared for various scenarios, strengthening local defense and focusing on maintaining strategic positions.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in a post on Telegram that Ukrainian forces are already defending themselves in Zaporizhzhia, "achieving good results." Recently, the politician didn't have much good news to share. Ukrainian armed forces, thanks to tough defense, managed to thwart plans by Russia to capture and occupy the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy. - The support provided to us was enormous but still insufficient. (...) In the east, the enemy is advancing. We don’t have enough infantry brigades. That's a fact. We are working on arming new brigades with our partners. Our reserves are insufficient - added Zelensky.