As of yesterday, July 13, 2026, Dnipropetrovsk oblast is completely cleared for Russian forces. The 425th Skelia Assault Regiment liberated the final six settlements in Dnipropetrovsk, advancing 25 kilometers into previously occupied territory. The operation inflicted critical losses on Russia’s 120th Naval Infantry Division and 68th Army Corps, the main Russian formations in Dnipropetrovsk. It marks the completion of a counteroffensive that began in late January 2026 and reclaimed over 400 square kilometers, reversing Russian gains made since August 2025. It also puts paid to Russia’s intent to occupy all of Donbas and parts of Southern Ukraine, including Dnipropetrovsk, to establish a “buffer zone”.Surprisingly this did not make a big splash in the news today. But as of today, July 13, 2026, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is reported to be completely cleared of Russian forces. Nevertheless, the importance of this news cannot be overstated in terms of what it means to Russia’s increasingly tenuous hold on the so-called TOTs(The Occupied Territories) in light of Ukraine’s lethal “mid-range” access and logistics denial campaign. Crimea is almost inhospitable for the Russian occupanty. Now Dnipropetrovsk is cleared of Russians.
In mid-September of last year, 2025 this is how the situation looked according to the analysts at the Ukrainian news outlet Global Espreso. Russia’s juggernaut seemed unstoppable(see caption map):
Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions – crisis deepens
The worst sections of the front remain at the junction of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Here, Russian forces continue steady daily advances westward, while Ukraine’s defenders struggle to stabilize the line. Ukrainian troops have almost fully withdrawn from Donetsk region, while Russian units have penetrated up to 10 km into neighboring oblasts. In Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian forces broke through north of Berezove, creating a threat of encircling Ukrainian defenders in Ternove. They also captured Novomykolaivka and entered Kalynivske after heavy fighting. Further north, Ukrainian troops have been holding the line in Sosnivka and Novoselivka, which Russia captured hastily while awaiting reinforcements. However, it seems Moscow is now sending most of its reserves to Dobropillia and Pokrovsk.
At present, Russia controls seven villages in Dnipropetrovsk region — Sichneve, Maliivka, Vorone, Novoheorhiivka, Zaporizke, Khoroshe, and Novomykolaivka — while fighting continues for another seven.
How quickly things change. Special kudos to Ukraine’s Skelia Regiment for their accomplishment in making this final push to clear out the Russians. They did it without their regimental commander whose pre-war nick name, Skala(or “rock” for his imposing physique) the regiment still carries. The 425th Skelia Assault Regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces has reportedly liberated the final six settlements in Dnipropetrovsk oblast —Ternove, Zaporizke, Novoheorhiivka, Vorone, Sichneve, and Maliivka—advancing 25 kilometers into previously occupied territory. Lt. Col. Yurii “Skala” Harkavyi is currently suspended and under investigation for potential abuse and mistreatment of some of the regiment’s soldiers(reportedly 26 non-combat deaths among recruits):
AFU liberate six villages in Dnipropetrovsk region
Soldiers of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelia” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Ground Forces (AFU) broke through Russian defenses, advancing 25 kilometers into the temporarily occupied territories and liberating six villages in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4143885-afu-liberate-six-villages-in-dnipropetrovsk-region.html
Regiment «Rock» broke through the defenses 25 kilometers deep into the occupied territories: a stream
The 425th Assault Regiment liberated six villages in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Ternove, Zaporizhia, Novogeorgiivka, Vorone, Sichneve and Maliivka were returned to the control of Ukraine.
Pilots of the 155th brigade bombed the hideout of the Russians. Aerial reconnaissance found a hidden position of the occupiers, where heavy bombers immediately sent, which destroyed it. After that, FPV drones of the 155th OMBr began hunting Russians who survived the bombing.
The operation, which inflicted critical losses on Russia’s 120th Naval Infantry Division and 68th Army Corps, the main Russian formations in Dnipropetrovsk, marks the completion of a counteroffensive that began in late January 2026 and reclaimed over 400 square kilometers of land, reversing nearly all Russian gains made in the region since August 2025.It also puts paid to Russia’s earlier stated intent to occupy all of Donbas and parts of Southern Ukraine, including Dnipropetrovsk, in order to establish a “buffer zone”. That the Dnipropetrovsk region is the native home(Kryvyi Rih city) of President Zelenskyy is completely incidental(?):
Maj. Gen. Oleksandr Komarenko, head of the Main Operational Directorate of Ukraine’s General Staff, said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine that Ukrainian troops have nearly finished clearing the region of Russian forces.
“Almost the entire territory of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast has been liberated. Three small settlements remain to be secured and two more to be cleared,” Komarenko said. “Thanks to these active operations in February, we now see a positive trend — more territory has been liberated than lost.”
Komarenko said Ukrainian counteroffensive operations have reclaimed more than 400 square kilometers (about 155 square miles) of territory. In addition, Ukrainian forces conducted clearing operations in rear areas where Russian troops had infiltrated.
According to the general, Russian forces had attempted to push toward Dnipropetrovsk Oblast as part of broader operational objectives.
“Their leadership constantly says they want the entire Donbas and a buffer zone,” Komarenko said. “Their goal was to create such a buffer zone in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast — that was their plan.”
If Ukraine succeeds in pushing farther into the area known as the “intersection” where Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts meet, it could seriously disrupt Russian logistics and force Russian redeployments in the Southeast. Ukraine could gain a foothold near the Haichur River from which to threaten and potentially dislodge Russian positions in Huliaipole and Orikhiv, thereby also undoing Russia’s threats against Zaporizhzhia City and as an added bonus allaying the fears of Pokrovsk’s major Western GLOCs being cut.
The Russians expended so much personnel and materiél in their push to get into the “intersection” and into Dnipropetrovsk. In May, 2025 Russia was making gains day after day into the “intersection”. And there was Krasnov, seemingly in the Russian corner, tag teamed with Putin to constantly hector Ukraine and President Zelenskyy about “making a deal” by ceding territories to Russia. Putin was riding high. He felt confident enough to make a joke out of the supposed “peace talks” in Turkey by sending a delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky, often described as a historian, to make Russia’s maximalist demands for Ukrainian capitulation and ostensibly to lecture Ukraine about Russia’s capacity for carrying on long wars and wearing down their opponents:
Russia tells Ukraine: We could fight another 21 years
Vladimir Medinsky, a Kremlin aide who led the Russian delegation, said Moscow wanted peace but would fight “however long it takes”.
“We don’t want war, but we’re ready to fight for a year, two, three, however long it takes. We fought Sweden for 21 years. How long are you ready to fight?” he told the Ukrainian delegation.
The Great Northern War, fought between Russia and Sweden, lasted for 21 years, from 1700 to 1721 during the rule of Peter the Great. Putin has previously compared himself to the former Russian emperor.
During the same peace talks in Turkey, the Russian delegation reportedly demanded a full Ukrainian withdrawal from four regions and warned that if refused, their next demand “would include five regions.” The statement was made after Ukraine rejected the initial ultimatum to cede Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Although the fifth oblast was not mentioned, analyst presumed it was either Kharkiv or Dnipropetrovsk. As subsequent events showed, the Russians had their eyes on Dnipropetrovsk. Crimea was deemed by Russia as a fait accompli and not an issue to be discussed.
That meeting in Turkey and Russia’s boastful self-assured demands look risible now when placed within the context of what Ukraine is currently doing to Russia. What the soldiers of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment “Skelia” of ADAPTIVE INDOMITABLE UKRAINE’s Ground Forces did to the Russians in Dnipropetrovsk portends what will soon happen to the Russian occupation of Ukrainian territories … the liberation of one oblast after another.
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