Russian Armed Forces units have taken control of the settlements of Petrovka in Zaporozhye Region and Toretskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the Ministry of Defense reported on January 31.

Military analyst Vasily Dandykin, a reserve Navy captain of the first rank, explained what these advances could mean for the next stage of operations.

According to him, on the Zaporozhye axis the Russian «East» force grouping is continuing its offensive along the right flank. Holding each newly secured settlement, he noted, gradually brings Russian troops closer to Orekhov — one of the key objectives in this sector.

Dandykin described Orekhov as the last major fortified area before Zaporozhye, stressing that fighting for even the smallest villages remains extremely intense. In this context, the capture of Petrovka, he said, carries particular weight for further movement of the grouping.

Turning to the situation in the DPR, Dandykin pointed out that Toretskoye, located close to Konstantinovka, has come under the control of the Russian «Center» force grouping. He assessed the broader development of the situation as suggesting that Konstantinovka could be taken in the coming weeks or months.

He added that heavy fighting is currently underway along the entire line of contact, expressing cautious optimism about the possibility of significant gains by spring.

Overall, advances on two fronts are shaping the conditions for a push toward Orekhov and Konstantinovka — cities viewed as strategically important in the region.