On December 29, President Vladimir Putin asked the Russian army to continue the campaign to seize control of the entire Zaporizhzhia province in southern Ukraine after a Russian commander said that Moscow forces are only about 15km away from the largest city of this province.
Lieutenant General Mikhail Teplinsky - commander of the Russian Dnieper Operations Group - told Mr. Putin that Russian forces are approaching Zaporizhzhia city, which had a pre-conflict population of more than 700,000 people.
Russian frontline units are currently about 15km south of Zaporizhzhia city," Mr. Teplinsky announced.
In response, Mr. Putin said: "I understand that the enemy ahead has been preparing for defense for many years and know how difficult the situation there is. But even so, the units are still completing the assigned tasks.
The Kremlin leader said he wanted to maintain this offensive momentum. "In the coming time, it is necessary to continue the offensive, coordinate with the Eastern Operations Group to liberate Zaporizhzhia," Putin said.
The entire Zaporizhzhia province - currently controlled by Russia at about 75% - is one of the 4 provinces of Ukraine that President Putin declared to join Russia in 2022.
The statement was made at a televised meeting at the Kremlin with senior military commanders and Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. This move took place just one day after Mr. Putin spoke by phone with US President Donald Trump about the prospect of reaching a peace agreement for Ukraine.
Previously, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces - General Valery Gerasimov said that the Russian army is advancing almost the entire front line, while Ukrainian forces are focusing on defense and trying to counter-attack.
Mr. Gerasimov added that in 2025, Russian forces controlled an additional 6,640km of territory in Ukraine, including 334 residential areas, and the advance speed in December was the fastest since the beginning of the year.
