Russian occupation forces are likely abandoning attempts to advance on Stepnohirsk in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Oblast, says Ihor Burdeinyi, commander of the 128th Separate Zakarpattia Mountain Assault Brigade, per UNIAN. This small settlement became one of the last major obstacles on the road to Zaporizhzhia, a city of over 500,000 people.
The retreat has happened after the Russians suffered heavy losses during assaults on Ukrainian positions. Fighting for the settlement involved elite Russian units, but according to Ukrainian military assessments, the average survival time of a newly mobilized Russian soldier there was around 12 minutes.
Russian forces suffered devastating losses near Stepnohirsk
“Regarding the settlement of Stepnohirsk, I want to assure everyone that it remains fully under the control of Ukraine’s Defense Forces,” Burdeinyi says during a national television broadcast.
He added that Russian forces continue artillery and FPV drone strikes in an attempt to create the appearance of activity, but there are effectively no Russian troops inside the settlement itself.
Russia withdraws troops after failed assaults
According to Burdeinyi, after repeated failed assaults, the Russian command likely began pulling units away from the Stepnohirsk direction for replenishment.
“The enemy suffered serious losses on this axis and is most likely abandoning this direction,” the commander stated.
He suggested Russian forces may now try to shift attacks elsewhere in search of weaker points in Ukrainian defenses.
In particular, Russia could intensify activity near Lukianivka and Pavlivka, although Burdeinyi stressed that the situation there remains fully under Ukrainian control.
Ukraine holds key villages as Russia uses vehicles mainly for evacuations
Burdeinyi emphasized that Ukrainian troops continue to hold Mali Shcherbaky, Stepove, and other settlements along this sector of the front.
According to him, Russian forces are now using armored vehicles primarily to evacuate wounded personnel, while assault operations are being carried out mostly by small infantry groups.
Even those attempts, he said, continue to fail.
“Ukrainian troops remain in the other settlements, including Mali Shcherbaky and Stepove, so we fully control the situation on this front,” the commander of the 128th Brigade said.
