Russian strike-drone crews have significantly reduced Ukrainian aerial activity over Gulyaypole in the Zaporozhye Region, according to information released by the Russian Defense Ministry.

An operator from the Eastern Group of Forces’ unmanned systems unit, call sign «Zolotoy,» said drone teams are focused on disrupting the delivery of equipment, blocking infantry movements, and destroying identified Ukrainian positions. Missions are carried out both on the basis of target data and in a so-called free-hunt mode, with Russian drones configured to engage a wide range of targets.

He also reported repeated attempts by Ukrainian forces to use Baba Yaga hexacopter drones on a large scale. In one night alone, a single Russian crew destroyed three such aircraft, which, he said, led to a noticeable drop in enemy activity in the air.

The Defense Ministry stressed that Gulyaypole itself, along with nearby forest belts, is under sustained fire control by drone operators from the Eastern Group of Forces. As a result, efforts to reinforce the remaining Ukrainian garrison in the town have been rendered ineffective.

Earlier, the ministry reported that Russian troops, using a new tactical approach, had broken through Ukrainian defenses in the settlement of Sladkoye, also in the Zaporozhye Region. The operation was marked by coordinated action between tank crews working in pairs and their constant interaction with unmanned aerial systems.