According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have shown interest in regaining lost territory in the Zaporizhia region, but American analysts have not yet seen signs of an immediate resumption of the offensive.
The occupying Russian army has concentrated a group in the Orikhiv direction, equivalent in strength to those in the Avdiivka area. According to the previously announced speaker of the Tavria Regional State Administration, Dmitry Lykhoviy, this may indicate the possibility of a new attempt to attack Orikhiv. However, according to analysts, there are currently no active actions in this direction.
“ISW has not recorded any recent signs of the intention of Russian troops to resume offensive operations in the western part of the Zaporizhia region. However, the Russian command is likely interested in efforts to regain territories lost during the counteroffensive in the summer of 2023,” the analysts reported.
At the same time, ISW experts noted that the Russian command may consider Western Zaporizhia and Kherson regions as a single operational axis.
Ukrainian expert Konstantin Mashovets reported that the Russian command also transferred units of the 5th, 35th, and 36th SAAs (Eastern Military District), which were generally responsible for Russian operations in the Zaporizhia region and the border zone of the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhya region, alongside units of the so-called “Donetsk People's Republic.”.
