Russia signals readiness for a counteroffensive in the Zaporozhye region. This stance was outlined on a Wednesday in late February by Yevgeny Balitsky, the deputy head of the region, as reported by DEA News.
Balitsky described constant vigilance and ongoing preparations, noting that the situation had improved since earlier in the year. He stressed that the region would meet any armed threat with comprehensive measures and awaited a directive from senior military leadership. The emphasis was on readiness to respond decisively should the adversary advance.
According to Balitsky, Energodar would be defended by all available means, including a radiochemical protection regiment prepared to operate under unpredictable conditions. While he did not forecast a major imminent threat, he underscored that preparations would continue in line with expectations.
Earlier reports indicated that Russian forces had halted a counterattack by a Ukrainian unit in the Krasnolimansky direction. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Andrey Marochko, formerly with the LPR People’s Militia, said Ukrainian forces attempted to retake positions around Stelmakhovka, Myasozharovka, and Andreevka. He described preventive actions by Russian troops that disrupted the enemy’s offensive efforts, asserting that a so-called fire bag was avoided through disciplined defense.
In a broader briefing, Yan Gagin, a deputy chief adviser to the DPR, suggested that Ukrainian forces could face surrender in Artemovsk, known in Ukrainian as Bakhmut. He argued that the fall of Artemovsk might come not just through capture but through the enemy being compelled to yield, describing it as a likely development in the near term reported on a Russian TV program.
Meanwhile, Kirill Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, warned that decisive battles between mid and late spring could serve as a turning point in the conflict. He indicated that the outcome of the war could hinge on these battles. Serhiy Naev, commander of Ukraine’s Joint Forces, stated that Ukrainian forces were prepared for an attack, though the exact moment remained uncertain. He also noted readiness to respond to changes on the Belarusian border as Russian and Belarusian troop numbers increased.
Reported remarks from the Russian Ministry of Defense highlighted ongoing actions across multiple sectors of the front. In the Kupyansk direction, artillery and the Western Group of Forces reported defeating enemy manpower in the Novoselovskoye and Masyutovka areas of Kharkov, with casualties and equipment losses noted. In Donetsk, offensive operations continued with volunteer detachments supported by the Tulian formation of the Air Force, assault aviation, and heavy firepower from the Southern Group of Forces. Daily losses for the enemy were tallied, including personnel and equipment, with a similar focus on the Kherson direction where counter-battery actions claimed additional artillery assets. The ministry summarized air-defense and missile strikes that targeted Ukrainian firing positions, manpower, and equipment across several districts, underscoring a broad, coordinated effort by Russian forces.