Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that the Defense Forces in the Oleksandrivka direction have regained control over 400 square kilometers of territory and eight settlements since the end of January. He held a meeting with commanders regarding the execution of combat missions and strengthening of defense.
"I am working directly in the areas of combat missions in the Southern operational zone. During another working trip, I visited units that are advancing and units that are holding the defense in one of the key sectors of the front," the Commander-in-Chief stated.
In the Zaporizhzhia direction, the Defense Forces of Ukraine are not conducting a counteroffensive, but are carrying out counterattacks to equalize the front line, close vulnerable areas, and prepare for a stable defense. At the same time, the Russian army is conducting a large-scale rotation and preparing for the spring offensive campaign of 2026 with an emphasis on other sectors of the front. Andriy Kramarov, a reserve officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and military expert, told UNN about this in a comment.
Starlink as an unexpected factor for the enemy
One of the factors that significantly affected the situation was the degradation of the enemy's communication system. According to the expert, he expected that problems with Starlink would be a challenge for the Russians, but did not assume that the consequences would be so significant.
"I thought it would be a problem, and they would try to solve it. But for them, it resulted in a rollback in the communication system. They actually rolled back. To be honest, I didn't expect it to create such a big problem for them," Kramarov noted.
At the same time, he emphasizes that the situation cannot be explained solely by communication problems.
Zaporizhzhia direction: what is happening there
According to the expert, the key factor was the structure and use of Russian reserves. Russia held significant forces in this direction for a long time, unable to use them in other sectors of the front.
"The Russians had a lot of reserves left in the Zaporizhzhia direction. They understood that they did not have enough front width to effectively use these troops elsewhere. There were less than 150,000 personnel, and they decided to throw these reserves into action in the Zaporizhzhia direction," he explained.
Kramarov admits that at that time, the Ukrainian defense in certain areas was also insufficiently prepared, which the enemy took advantage of.
"It turned out that we also did not have a sufficiently built defense there. The Russians brought in reserves and were able to occupy certain positions," the expert added.
Enemy rotation and preparation for spring 2026
Currently, according to Kramarov, there are no active large-scale hostilities in the Zaporizhzhia direction, as the Russian army has withdrawn some reserves and is conducting rotation.
"Now there is a large rotation of troops there. They are preparing for an offensive operation in the spring of 2026. The main focus is not Zaporizhzhia, but Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk direction, Myrnohrad," he noted.
The transfer of reserves from the Zaporizhzhia direction, according to the expert, gave Ukrainian units the opportunity to act more actively in certain areas.
Why this is not a counteroffensive
Kramarov emphasizes: what is happening now is incorrect to call a counteroffensive. It is about a defensive counterattack and stabilization actions.
"This is not a counteroffensive. This is a counterattack. We are taking control of certain territories where we see that the enemy has no opportunity to enter. This is equalizing the front line and stabilizing the situation," he explained.
The expert is critical of statements about the liberation of "400 square kilometers." Andriy Kramarov does not deny that territories have indeed been liberated, but draws attention to the nuances.
"To talk about 400 square kilometers is incorrect. The territory exists, but it sounds populist. In fact, it is about strengthening the defense and equalizing the front line. There is no major offensive here," Kramarov emphasized.
For comparison, he recalled real counteroffensive operations of past years.
"A counteroffensive is what happened in Kharkiv or Kherson, when we broke through the front line and entered the enemy's rear. I participated in the Kherson operation and I know what it is. What is happening now is not it," the expert stressed.
Key goal - stabilization and defense preparation
The main task of Ukrainian units in the Zaporizhzhia direction now is not to advance deep, but to close vulnerable points and prepare for defense to avoid a repeat of the breakthroughs that occurred in the fall.
"We are stabilizing the front line, taking back individual heights, particularly in the Huliaipole direction. These are key positions for artillery placement and drone operations. Also, with these actions, we are disrupting the enemy's offensive," he summarized.