Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Friday that its forces have taken full control of the settlement of Uspenivka, also known as Uspenovka, in the Zaporozhye region, marking another successful step in Moscow’s ongoing offensive operations in the region.

According to a statement released by the ministry, units of Russia’s Vostok (East) group of forces “continued to advance deep into the enemy's defenses and completed the liberation of the settlement of Uspenovka in the Zaporozhye region.”

The statement described Uspenovka as one of the key and most fortified defensive positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the left bank of the Yanchur River.

Russian forces expand operations in Kupyansk

In a parallel development, Russia’s Zapad (West) group of forces reported further progress in the ongoing battle for Kupyansk, located in the Kharkov region. The commander of one of the assault detachments said that his unit was “completing the cleanup of the western part of Kupyansk,” noting that sixteen additional buildings had been cleared over the past 24 hours.

The commander added that the operation was proceeding “confidently, calmly, in accordance with the assigned tasks,” and claimed that a group of seven Ukrainian soldiers attempting to flee the area in an armored vehicle had been destroyed.

Strategic significance

Uspenovka’s location on the Yanchur River gives Russian forces a stronger foothold along the southern front, potentially enabling further advances toward major Ukrainian defensive lines in Zaporozhye. Meanwhile, Kupyansk has remained one of the most contested points on the northeastern front, with Russian and Ukrainian forces battling for control since late 2023.

Both operations come amid intensified fighting across multiple sectors of the front as Moscow seeks to consolidate gains ahead of winter.

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