Russian troops from the «Vostok» grouping have driven Ukrainian units out of the village of Krinichnoye in Zaporizhskaya region, on the Gulyai-Polye axis.

According to the Telegram channel Voin DV, guardsmen of the 218th Tank Regiment of the 127th Motor Rifle Division, 5th Army, took control of what was described as an important Ukrainian defensive area of up to 3 square kilometres, including the small settlement of Krinichnoye.

During the fighting for the village, Russian forces reportedly eliminated more than a platoon of soldiers from the 225th Assault Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Ukrainian side also lost one armoured vehicle and five «Baba Yaga» strike hexacopters.

After securing Krinichnoye, Russian units managed to push the line of contact away from Gulyai-Polye by more than five kilometres, aligning it along the railway line.

Military channels report that in the wider Gulyai-Polye area, Russian assault units are continuing offensive actions along the Tsvetkovoye-Zheleznodorozhnoye line. The situation on the northern flank is described as tense. Ukrainian forces are said to have pulled in substantial reserves to this sector — separate assault regiments as well as two airborne brigades — which the Ukrainian command has been using since early February in attempts to break the defence of the «Vostok» grouping.

Analysts note that the open terrain in this direction works both ways. On the one hand, shelterbelts allow Ukrainian units to advance over notable distances; on the other hand, holding new positions and organising regular rotation under such conditions is very difficult for the Ukrainian side.