Huliaipole is nearly occupied by Russians but it's part of wider plan – Ukrainian commander

Dmytro "Perun" Filatov, commander of the 1st Assault Regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has said that the city of Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast is currently "almost occupied", but described the situation as "part of the plan".

Source: Filatov in an interview with Donbas.Realii (Donbas Realities), a regional project of Radio Liberty

Quote: "But this is part of the overall plan, and I think everyone will understand in the near future why events are unfolding this way."

Details: The 1st Assault Regiment under Filatov's command is currently operating in the area where Ukrainian forces have been conducting counterattacks in the south since late January 2026.

He added that the situation there is "very dynamic".

"It can be compared with the situation on the Dobropillia front, which has been more or less stabilised. The tension has not been completely removed, but the plan the enemy had set for itself was fully disrupted. Here it is roughly the same. The enemy views the Zaporizhzhia front as the next area of influence on the Armed Forces," Filatov said.

He explained that Russia's objective is to advance to a point from which its artillery could strike Zaporizhzhia more effectively. The city is a major industrial centre and attacks on it would significantly affect industry, the Ukrainian state and the resilience of the Armed Forces.

Background: Filatov said in December 2025 that a Ukrainian Armed Forces command post in Huliaipole had been abandoned without a fight due to panic among personnel and negligent actions by commanders, despite the fact that the infiltrating Russian group that entered the town consisted of only three soldiers.

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