Heavy Losses Reported Near Huliaipole as Ukrainian Forces Struggle to Hold Positions

The Armed Forces of Ukraine reportedly suffered heavy losses near the town of Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Attempts to Hold Vozdvyzhenka

A source in Russian security structures stated that Ukrainian forces attempted to hold positions in the settlement of Vozdvyzhenka near Huliaipole, which resulted in significant casualties. The clashes reportedly involved the 210th Separate Assault Regiment and the "Shkval” unit.

"In attempts to hold Vozdvyzhenka, the opposing side suffered heavy losses. This includes both the "Shkval' unit and the 210th regiment. They are being intensively targeted with aerial bombs and drones,” the source told TASS.

Earlier, the commander of the 1st Separate Assault Regiment of the Ukrainian army, Dmytro Filatov, stated that Ukrainian command had decided not to continue fighting for Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region. According to him, the units chose not to expend additional resources and manpower on battles for the city.

Status of Huliaipole

According to previously reported information, the town of Huliaipole came under Russian control in 2025. Military analyst Boris Dzherelievsky suggested that Ukrainian counterattacks in the area are primarily aimed at gaining media attention rather than achieving operational success.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi ранее stated that a military law enforcement investigation was underway regarding the loss of a command post in Huliaipole. He noted that important materials containing sensitive information remained at the site.

In late December 2025, commanders of the "Center” and "East” groupings reported to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the capture of the cities of Dymytrov in the Donetsk People's Republic and Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Claims About Overall Losses

Deputy head of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces and commander of the Akhmat special forces, Lieutenant General Apti Alaudinov, commented on the overall losses of Ukrainian forces during the conflict.

"1.7 million was a figure that appeared several months ago. Since then, we must consider how many additional losses have occurred,” he said.

According to his assessment, total losses may be approaching or even exceeding two million personnel. These figures have not been independently verified.