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Russia “significantly” intensifies activity in Zaporizhzhia sector – Syrskyi
Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on 31 May that Russian forces have “significantly” increased their activity in the Zaporizhzhia direction and are conducting “active offensive actions” there.
Russia has concentrated its main efforts on the Pokrovsk, Toretsk, Lyman, and Novopavlivsk directions, as well as border areas of Sumy Oblast with Russia, Syrskyi said in his summary of Armed Forces activities for May 2025.
The Zaporizhzhia sector in Ukraine refers to the area of active military operations within Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a strategically significant oblast in southeastern Ukraine where Russian and Ukrainian forces are engaged in intense fighting. This sector is crucial due to its industrial importance, proximity to the Sea of Azov, and the presence of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, with control of the area seen as vital for both Ukrainian defense and Russian military objectives.
According to Syrskyi, Ukrainian forces struck 58 targets on Russian territory in May, including drone production facilities. Syrskyi said that Russian occupiying forces lost over 34,000 personnel during the month.
The targets included facilities for producing explosives and strike drones, according to the commander.
Operations continue on the Kursk direction, where Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces are causing significant losses to the Russian forces and protecting northern borders.
Russian forces maintain an advantage in using fiber-optic drones, which significantly complicates the fight against them, Syrskyi said.
The Kursk sector refers to the area along the Russia-Ukraine border in Kursk Oblast where Ukrainian forces launched an offensive in August 2024 to create a buffer zone and prevent Russian attacks on Ukrainian territory, engaging Russian troops and capturing numerous settlements including Sudzha. This operation aimed to protect Ukraine by forcing Russia to deploy significant forces there, thereby reducing pressure on other fronts. Ukraine’s officials said the operation is not intended to annex Russian territory.
