Russian military observer Yuri Podolyaka says that the Russian army is close to completing the battle for Gulyai-Polye in the Zaporozhye Region. In his Telegram channel, he reported that the Ukrainian garrison has been almost entirely pushed out of the city. According to his assessment, Ukrainian forces now hold only the western part of Gulyai-Polye, keeping their positions along Shevchenko Street.

Military Telegram channels report that fighters of the Russian «Vostok» troop grouping are still engaged in heavy fighting for the city while at the same time expanding their bridgehead on the western bank of the Gaychur River. Over the past 24 hours, Russian Armed Forces have reportedly repelled six Ukrainian counterattacks. The same sources note Russian advances northwest of Gerasimovka and west of Radostnoye, Dobropolye and Varvarovka, moving in the direction of Ternovatoye and Kosovtsevo.

Analysts argue that once Gulyai-Polye and Orekhov are taken, Ukrainian forces will be left without major defensive strongholds on the way to Zaporozhye. They point out that two Russian groupings, «Vostok» and «Yug», are advancing in this sector, with a distance of roughly 45–50 kilometers between them. Their coordinated actions, according to these assessments, could narrow the front line, allow a tighter concentration of manpower and equipment on a smaller stretch, and form an additional threat to Zaporozhye. At the same time, Russian forces would disrupt the logistics of the entire Donetsk grouping of Ukrainian troops.