Political analyst Alexander Perendzhiyev said Gulyaypole is of key importance for the further advance of Russian forces and the liberation of Zaporozhye.

According to him, the city could serve as a major foothold for movement toward Zaporozhye, making it possible to push forward more quickly in that direction.

Perendzhiyev also pointed to the symbolic weight of Gulyaypole. He recalled that the city is linked to Nestor Makhno and is regarded as the capital of the anarchist republic. For this reason, he said, the city coming under the control of the Russian Armed Forces would carry serious moral significance.

In the political analyst’s view, the situation on this section of the front may indicate an acceleration in the liberation of new territories, particularly in Zaporozhye Region.

Earlier, a source in Russian security structures reported heavy Ukrainian losses on the Gulyaypole front. According to the source, Ukrainian units suffered those losses while trying to hold Vozdvizhevka. The source said the units involved were the 210th Assault Regiment and the Shkval formation.