Russia preparing to launch new offensive on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia — The Economist

The Russian military is preparing to launch a new offensive on the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, The Economist reported on Monday, citing Ukrainian intelligence.

Zaporizhzhia is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the current front line. While the timing of a potential Russian assault is unclear, the operation could reportedly involve as many as 130,000 troops.

However, some Ukrainian military sources who spoke to The Economist were skeptical that Moscow will target the southern city in the near future. Colonel Oleksiy Khilchenko, who commands a brigade currently deployed in Zaporizhzhia, told the outlet that Russia doesn’t have the necessary forces available because of Ukraine’s cross-border offensive in the Kursk region. Another Ukrainian commander told journalists that Russian forces “aren’t ready to hit yet, but when they are, the first blow will be hardest.”

To the prepare for a possible Russian offensive, Ukraine’s military is reportedly building new fortifications around Zaporizhzhia, including minefields and anti-tank obstacles.

Vladimir Putin declared the annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions on September 30, 2022, though Russia did not have full control over any of them. As of mid-November 2024, Russian forces controlled about 78 percent of the four regions combined.