Ukraine Withdraws from Five Settlements in Zaporizhzhia Amid Intensified Russian Assaults

Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from positions near five settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, according to Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces. He told Suspilne on November 11 that Ukrainian troops had fully pulled back from Uspenivka and Novomykolaivka, while intense combat continues near Yablukove and several other locations. Voloshyn described the defensive situation as dynamic, emphasizing that the contact line is shifting under heavy Russian pressure.

This update follows statements on November 9 by Valentyn Manko, commander of Ukraine's Assault Forces, who reported halting a Russian advance in eastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast and securing the villages of Solodke and Rivnopillia. Manko noted ongoing clashes near Poltavka and Uspenivka, where Russian units are pressing toward Huliaipole, a key regional city. Voloshyn confirmed these movements, adding that Russian forces are attempting to advance northeast of Huliaipole to cut supply lines from Pokrovske in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Recent days have seen an escalation of Russian operations in the Orikhiv and Huliaipole sectors, with up to 50 daily skirmishes and repeated assaults and infiltration attempts. Voloshyn said enemy artillery and munitions have destroyed nearly all Ukrainian fortifications and shelters, forcing withdrawals to flanks or deeper defensive lines in Novouspenivske, Nove, Okhotnyche, Uspenivka, and Novomykolaivka. Despite these setbacks, Ukrainian forces continue to resist Russian consolidation attempts in these areas.

Weather conditions have complicated the defense, allowing Russian units to move in small groups on foot or motorcycles, while limiting Ukrainian drone operations. Moscow currently controls roughly 70% of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, although the regional capital remains under Ukrainian administration. Fighting continues not only in Zaporizhzhia but also in neighboring Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk oblasts, where Russian forces have concentrated near Pokrovsk. Ukrainian units stress that all efforts are focused on slowing Russian advances and preserving personnel, with fierce battles ongoing for key villages across both oblasts.