Tripled Assaults: Russian Forces Switch to Single Infiltrations in Huliaipole Direction

In October 2026, a sharp increase in the activity of Russian troops was recorded in the Huliaipole direction. According to a statement by the 7th Air Assault Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the enemy stormed the positions of Ukrainian defenders three times more often than in September. The military attributes this surge to Moscow's attempt to accelerate tasks in southern Ukraine, in particular advancing towards the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia, and using Huliaipole as a zone for accumulating personnel and equipment.

From Small Groups to Single Infiltrations

A key consequence of effective fire damage inflicted on enemy concentrations by the Defense Forces was a change in the tactics of the Russian troops. According to the 7th Air Assault Corps, the Russians abandoned the habitual pattern of movements in small groups of 2–3 people. Now, according to the military statement, the enemy tries to infiltrate the rear one by one, using civilian transport to deliver manpower. According to the Ukrainian military, this decision is dictated by the enemy's inability to maintain group formations under dense fire.

Fire Damage and Isolation of Invaders

The Ukrainian military notes that due to the new tactic, the rare infiltrated single invaders often lose contact with command and remain without supplies and provisions. In such cases, according to the statement of the 7th Air Assault Corps, Ukrainian fighters promptly destroy the enemy or take them prisoner. The Corps also published a video capturing the moment Russian occupiers who tried to break into the defensive formations of Ukrainian paratroopers were eliminated.

Critical Defense Points

The most difficult situation in the Huliaipole direction, according to the military, is observed in the area of the settlements of Horke, Zaliznychne, Tsvitkove, and Huliaipilske. These points are located close to Huliaipole, which, according to the 7th Air Assault Corps, the enemy is trying to use as a zone for accumulating personnel and equipment, as well as a springboard for a further offensive towards Zaporizhzhia.

Context: Dynamics in Other Directions

The intensification in the Huliaipole direction is taking place against the background of the general frontline dynamics: over the past few days, the Defense Forces of Ukraine, according to available data, have achieved successes in the Sumy and Donetsk directions and disrupted a number of offensive operations by the Russian army. Separately, the military points out that in the assaults in the Huliaipole direction, Russian occupiers are using recruited mercenaries from African and Asian countries.