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Ukraine's military makes gains in southeast region of zaporizhzhia, kyiv says
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 2, 2026
3 min readLast updated: March 2, 2026
Quick Summary
Ukrainian forces have reclaimed nine settlements in Zaporizhzhia since late January and are advancing amid disruptions to Russian frontline communications due to SpaceX’s deactivation of Starlink access, coinciding with a significant dip in Russian territorial gains.
Ukraine Makes Fresh Gains in Zaporizhzhia, Pushing Back Russian Forces
Ukrainian Counteroffensive and Battlefield Developments
KYIV, March 2 (Reuters) - Ukrainian troops have retaken nine settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region since the end of January and are pressing ahead with a counterattack along the southeastern frontline, the Ukrainian general staff said on Monday.
Recent Territorial Gains
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that over the last month, for the first time since summer 2024, Ukrainian troops have regained control over more territory than Russian forces had been able to capture.
Impact of Starlink Outages
Reports of Ukrainian advances in the Zaporizhzhia region started after Russian forces experienced sweeping outages of their Starlink communications terminals on the battlefield, following a decision by SpaceX owner Elon Musk to shut them down in response to a plea from Kyiv in late January.
DeepState Mapping Project Findings
A Ukrainian battlefield mapping project DeepState said that the Russian troops occupied 126 square kilometres (49 square miles) of Ukrainian territory in February, a 20-month low.
"We have survived this difficult battle for winter," Syrskyi said on the Telegram app.
Winter Campaign and Ukrainian Resilience
Over the winter Russian forces intensified their campaign of strikes on Ukraine's energy system, leaving millions in the cold and dark. They also increased pressure on Ukraine's exhausted and thinly stretched troops along the 1,200-km frontline.
But Ukraine held out, Syrskyi said.
Key Areas of Operation
The Ukrainian troops conducted effective operations in the Zaporizhzhia region near Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole, strengthened their control over the town of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region of the northeast, and maintained their defences near the city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region in the east, he said.
Starlink Outages and Russian Troop Setbacks
Communication Disruptions
SWEEPING STARLINK OUTAGES FOR RUSSIAN TROOPS
The command of Ukraine's airborne assault forces said that limits imposed on Russian access to Starlink had impacted the situational awareness of Moscow's troops and disrupted their frontline communications.
In the Zaporizhzhia region, work was underway to retake more ground, it said.
Ongoing Operations and Outcomes
"During the operation, the enemy is being systematically and decisively pushed out of fortified positions," the command said on the Telegram app. The operation started on January 29, the military said.
DeepState said in its Monday report that the Ukrainian troops pushed back Russian forces near five villages in the Zaporizhzhia region. It said Russian troops occupied 371 square km in January-February this year compared with 517 square km in the same period a year ago.
Reuters was unable to verify the data.
Diplomatic Efforts and Peace Talks
The fighting rages on amid attempts to find a diplomatic solution to end the war, now in its fifth year.
Upcoming Negotiations
A new round of U.S.-brokered peace talks between Ukraine and Russia was still expected this week despite weekend strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday.
(Additional reporting by Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Ros Russell)
Key Takeaways
- •Since late January, Ukraine has recaptured nine settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region, marking a tactical shift in momentum on this southeastern front. Kyiv’s General Staff reports that in the past month Ukrainian forces have regained more territory than Russia has captured — a first since summer 2024.
- •A campaign by SpaceX and Ukraine’s Defense Ministry to disable unauthorized Starlink access for Russian troops severely disrupted Moscow’s battlefield communications, hindering artillery, drone, and infantry coordination and enabling Ukrainian advances. Russian losses of situational awareness contributed to rapid Ukrainian gains. (businessinsider.com)
- •Open-source monitoring shows Russia’s territorial expansions have shrunk to 126 sq km in February—a 20‑month low—while January losses stood at 245 sq km. This downward trend in Russian gains coincides with Ukraine’s counteroffensive in Zaporizhzhia, especially along the Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole axes. (unn.ua)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Ukraine's military makes gains in southeast region of Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv says
1How many settlements did Ukrainian troops retake in Zaporizhzhia since January?
Ukrainian troops have retaken nine settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region since the end of January.
2What impact did Starlink outages have on Russian forces?
The outages disrupted Russian troops' frontline communications and situational awareness, affecting their operations.
3Which areas saw renewed Ukrainian control or strengthened defenses recently?
Ukraine strengthened control near Oleksandrivka, Huliaipole, Kupiansk in Kharkiv, and maintained defenses near Pokrovsk in Donetsk.
4When did the latest Ukrainian counteroffensive in Zaporizhzhia start?
The counteroffensive operation in Zaporizhzhia began on January 29.
5How much territory did Russian troops occupy in early 2024 compared to last year?
Russian troops occupied 371 square km in January-February 2024, down from 517 square km in the same period a year ago.
