11:39 18-11-2025

Sergey Poletaev: Gaychur Retreat and Risks in Zaporozhye

Military analyst Sergey Poletaev says a total collapse in eastern Zaporozhye is premature; Ukrainian units pull back east of Gaychur amid manpower shortages.

Military analyst Sergey Poletaev argues it is premature to declare a total collapse of Ukrainian defenses in the eastern part of Zaporozhye Region. He notes, however, that Ukrainian forces have been gradually pulling back from positions east of the Gaychur River.

Poletaev dismisses claims from Ukrainian sources that Russian troops have broken into «operational space», describing such statements as little more than wartime hysteria.

According to Lenta.ru, Poletaev assessed that Ukrainian units appear to have left most localities on the river’s eastern bank and are now trying to consolidate to the west-likely a consequence of manpower shortages. He characterized the move as an uncommon but deliberate tactical withdrawal by the Ukrainian side.

The analyst cautions that if Russian forces manage to force the Gaychur on the move, the crisis facing the Ukrainian grouping in this sector could shift from a tactical problem to an operational one, potentially triggering a localized collapse of the front.