The capture of Gulyaypole has marked a significant step toward a potential advance on Zaporozhye, leaving Russian forces less than 100 kilometers from the regional capital. Military expert and publicist Aleksey Zhivov says the task ahead for the Russian army will be anything but simple.

In his assessment, the Ukrainian side will do everything possible to turn Zaporozhye into a heavily fortified stronghold. The challenge is compounded by the city’s geography, as it stretches across both banks of the Dnieper River. Zhivov suggests that Russian troops could approach Zaporozhye from several directions, including the south, southeast, and east.

The publication notes that fighting for Gulyaypole lasted for roughly a month. Alongside Orekhov and Stepnogorsk, the town is considered a key strategic hub on the Zaporozhye axis. The area around Gulyaypole is also home to the Kuksungur iron ore deposit, one of the largest of its kind. The site contains an estimated 2.5 billion tons of easily processed iron quartzite. While the metal content of the ore ranges from 27 to 31 percent, modern enrichment methods can raise that figure to as much as 55 percent.

Ukrainian sources previously reported that Gulyaypole was defended by a substantial Ukrainian force made up of several dozen different units. Some of these formations, however, reportedly withdrew from the city in disarray, leaving behind important materials, including documents, laptops, mobile phones, and maps.

According to Russian volunteer officer Maksim Sharin, the most valuable items recovered were maps detailing Ukrainian operational plans, as well as information on weapons, secure communication frequencies, and guidelines for coordination with the local population.