Will Russia capture Orikhiv by December 31, 2026?

Russian forces continue limited offensive operations in the Orikhiv sector of western Zaporizhzhia Oblast, advancing from the south and attempting infiltration and glide-bomb strikes from the east near Hulyaipole to shape conditions for future assaults on the town and nearby heights. Ukrainian units have conducted counterattacks that recaptured positions west and southwest of Orikhiv in prior months, disrupting earlier Russian momentum and forcing elements of the 58th Combined Arms Army into active defense. Recent reporting highlights Russian drone and artillery pressure on logistics routes into Orikhiv alongside Ukrainian brigade statements warning of potential intensified Russian efforts toward Zaporizhzhia City in August and September 2026. These battlefield dynamics, combined with broader southern axis objectives, underpin trader assessments of incremental Russian progress versus Ukrainian defensive resilience in the sector.

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