Ukrainian forces have regained control of territory in the Zaporizhzhia region, reversing recent Russian advances, according to reports emerging Wednesday. The gains follow a disruption in Russian access to Starlink satellite internet services earlier this month, a move requested by Ukraine to prevent Moscow’s forces from utilizing the system for battlefield coordination.
A senior NATO official confirmed the Ukrainian advances, stating that the loss of Starlink connectivity had created a “command and control predicament” for Russian units. Elon Musk’s SpaceX disconnected Starlink terminals near the front lines after Ukraine expressed concerns that Russian forces were using the service to direct units, coordinate offensives, and pilot drones. While Starlink does not officially operate within Russia, frontline Russian troops had reportedly managed to access the system.
The recent Ukrainian activity centers on the southern Zaporizhzhia region, an area where both sides have claimed gains in recent days. Ukraine’s armed forces reported regaining the village of Kosivtseve on Wednesday. However, a spokesman for Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces cautioned against interpreting these actions as the start of a broader counteroffensive, characterizing them instead as targeted operations against Russian infiltration attempts.
Russia has too reported territorial claims in the Zaporizhzhia region. On February 15th, Russia’s Defence Ministry announced the capture of the village of Tsvitkove, a claim that has not been independently verified. Earlier, on January 30th, Russian military sources claimed the capture of Ternuvate, a claim Kyiv refuted, maintaining that Ukrainian forces remained in control. According to Ukrainian officials, Russian forces initially infiltrated Ternuvate utilizing difficult weather conditions, briefly raising a Russian flag before being dislodged by Ukrainian troops.
The pressure on the Zaporizhzhia front has been increasing. Reports from late January indicated that Russia was transferring airborne units from areas near Dnipro and Kherson to staging grounds around Orikhiv and Hulyaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region, signaling an intensification of Russian assault operations. Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that the Russian army is continuing to exert pressure near the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, which is nearing artillery range from recently captured territory.
Moscow is currently developing a domestic alternative to Starlink, a network of low-orbit satellites. However, plans to launch the initial 16 of a planned 300 satellites have been delayed from the end of 2025 to sometime in 2026, suggesting a continued reliance on less effective communication methods in the interim.
Simultaneous with the fighting in Zaporizhzhia, both Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of conducting overnight cross-border air raids resulting in civilian injuries. On February 15th, Russia’s Black Sea port of Taman was reportedly damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack, causing damage to oil storage tanks, warehouses, and terminals. Ukraine has not officially commented on the Taman attack.
