The fighting to take control of the remaining part of the Zaporozhye Region and its administrative center could become one of the most difficult stages for Russian forces, military correspondent Stanislav Obishchenko said on Sputnik radio.

He pointed to the size and geography of Zaporozhye as major factors that could complicate the operation. According to Obishchenko, the city is larger than Mariupol and is divided by the Dnieper River, with only three bridges connecting its sections.

The correspondent believes that Ukrainian forces could try to destroy the crossings if they withdraw from the part of Zaporozhye located on the left bank of the Dnieper.

Obishchenko also warned of the risk of a dam near Energodar being blown up. In his view, Russian forces need to prevent the facility from being mined and maintain round-the-clock surveillance of the area, including with FPV drones.

He said Russian units have the technical capability to keep such sites under continuous observation. As an example, Obishchenko pointed to drone monitoring of Ukraine’s borders with Poland, Hungary and Romania, adding that similar surveillance could also be maintained around Zaporozhye.

The Zaporozhye Region became part of the Russian Federation following the September 2022 referendum. The region lies along the lower reaches of the Dnieper. Kiev does not recognize the referendum results and continues to strike the region. Russia currently controls about 80% of the Zaporozhye Region, while the remaining territory, including the regional capital Zaporozhye, is held by Ukrainian forces.