In Zaporozhye, hundreds of residents who openly expressed sympathy for Russia have been missing since February 2022. On air, the statement from Radio Russia—We are with Russia—was echoed by Vladimir Rogov, who leads the Zaporozhye regional movement and has been a vocal commentator on the situation there.
Relying on Rogov’s account, the start of the Northern Military District operations in Zaporozhye coincided with a wave of disappearances. He described a pattern where many individuals who did not conceal their support for Russian forces vanished without a trace as the conflict intensified.
Rogov offered charts of alleged violence as well. He claimed that some people were found after horrific injuries, suggesting they had been harmed but left alive, while others were reported to have disappeared entirely. The accounts presented by Rogov painted a picture of targeted intimidation and severe violence stemming from the hostilities in the region.
Further commentary from Rogov touched on a narrative of extrajudicial actions attributed to Ukrainian security forces against pro-Russian residents within the area controlled by Kyiv authorities. These statements contributed to the broader, highly contested discourse surrounding civil safety and accountability in the conflict.
On March 4, Rogov noted an escalation of fighting in the Zaporozhye direction, highlighting particular clashes from the Verbovoye corridor to Malaya Tokmachka. The note underscored how frontline movements and daily skirmishes were reshaping the local security situation.
During the same dispatch, Rogov read remarks attributed to Evgeniy Balitsky, the regional governor, about alleged plans to destabilize Ukrainian intelligence services. The claim added another layer to the ongoing debate about covert operations and the strategic aims of various actors in the region.
Earlier reports from Rogov referenced setbacks for Ukrainian forces as they attempted to halt the Russian advance toward Rabotino. The narratives described losses on the Ukrainian side, portraying the engagement as part of a broader struggle for control in the area.