Auf Z-Kanälen herrscht Panik, auf ukrainischen Kanälen herrscht Stille. Die Streitkräfte der Ukraine haben an der Kreuzung der Regionen Dnipropetrowsk und Saporischschja eine Offensive gestartet

**Translation:**

On February 9, Russian military channels reported the start of a Ukrainian counteroffensive near the administrative border between the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions. According to Z-authors, Ukrainian units took advantage of fog and a communications disruption caused by Russian Starlink terminals being shut down. Russian sources claim that Ukrainians captured the settlement of Ternovate and are advancing toward the city of Huliaipole. Ivan Lysyiuk, military observer for “Vot Tak,” explains what is known about the alleged offensive by the Ukrainian army.

**DISCLAIMER. In wartime conditions, “Vot Tak” is unable to independently confirm or refute all statements made by the warring parties.**

**Fighting for the settlement of Ternovate**

The offensive of the Russian Armed Forces on a section of the front in the immediate vicinity of the administrative border between the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions has been developing since the summer of 2025. During this time, in the Dnipropetrovsk region alone, Russians have captured about 15 rural-type settlements.

In parallel, they also advanced in the Zaporizhzhia region, where on January 30, 2026, as stated by the Russian Ministry of Defense, they took full control of the settlement of Ternovate. Before the full-scale invasion by the Russian Armed Forces, about 1,500 people lived there. Ternovate has strategic significance for the further advance of the Russian army toward Zaporizhzhia from the east. At the end of January, the Russian military published a video showing Russian soldiers posing with a flag in various parts of the settlement.

However, the Ukrainian military command immediately denied the capture of Ternovate. The spokesperson for the Southern Grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Vladyslav Voloshyn, stated at the time that a Russian sabotage group had entered the settlement, managed to take several photos with a flag, and was then eliminated.

On the map of the Ukrainian analytical project DeepState, Ternovate is still listed as almost completely controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The zone of active hostilities is marked only on the southern outskirts of the settlement. Nevertheless, on Sunday, February 8, the head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation, Andrii Kovalenko, reported that Ternovate had been fully cleared of Russians.

Active actions by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of this settlement almost coincided in time with the appearance of reports in Z-channels about the start of a Ukrainian counteroffensive near the administrative border between the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, including in the area of Ternovate.

**What Russian channels write about the alleged Ukrainian offensive**

On the morning of February 9, the large Russian Telegram channel “General Staff” wrote about the start of the Ukrainian “counteroffensive named after [AFU Commander-in-Chief] Syrskyi”:

„Yesterday they launched a very powerful attack with several columns at once in the Ternovate area. As a result, they did get into Ternovate. And although all their boxes were burned, it must be acknowledged that we no longer have full control over these settlements [this also refers to the nearby village of Prydorozhne]… The AFU also do not have control there. The settlements are in the gray zone.“

The activation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the city of Huliaipole, most of which is occupied by Russians, was reported by the Telegram channel “NgP raZVedka,” which is connected to Russian military intelligence. According to its authors, the AFU intend to bypass Huliaipole from the north and take the Russian servicemen stationed there into a fire pocket. In addition, they believe that the main strike by the Ukrainian army has not yet been delivered and will follow after a diversionary strike in another direction.

Russian military expert Oleg Marzoev noted that the intensification of offensive actions by the AFU was expected in connection with the recent shutdown of most of the Starlink satellite internet terminals available to the Russian army.

According to Russian military-political blogger Yurii Podoliaka, the Ukrainian command transferred seven assault regiments and three assault brigades to the Huliaipole area. He expressed the opinion that the counteroffensive launched by the AFU on this section of the front would become the main battle of the winter campaign, and its outcome could affect the course of the entire war.

The Telegram channel Alex Parker Returns, run by a former Wagner PMC fighter, confirmed that Ukrainians are already in Ternovate. The map published by him shows at least three sections of the front where the AFU advanced over the past day. All of them are in the area of responsibility of the Russian Armed Forces grouping “Vostok.” According to the author of the channel, the AFU offensive is facilitated not only by the Starlink shutdown, but also by fog, which complicates the use of drones.

„There is a powerful offensive by the kh*kh*l. Ours are being pushed out of villages and fortifications. But everyone has been ordered to keep silent,“ another Z-channel, “Svodki opolchennia Novorossii Z.O.V,” commented pessimistically on the situation.

**What Syrskyi announced**

In addition to Ternovate, over the past day the Ukrainian command reported clearing the village of Prydorozhne, located two kilometers southwest of it, of Russian servicemen. Ukrainians said that shortly before this, a Russian sabotage and reconnaissance group had entered the settlement. Earlier, on February 2, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported its full capture.

Officially, Ukraine’s military and political leadership has not announced the start of a large counteroffensive in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions in recent days. However, on February 6, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, during communication with journalists, stated that the situation on the Huliaipole direction could change radically in the near future.

Most major Ukrainian Telegram channels that report on the situation at the front have so far not commented in detail on the possible AFU counteroffensive at the junction of the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.

The channel of an AFU fighter with the call sign “Muchnoi” became one of the few to talk about the fighting in this section of the front:

„There are significant successes on the Huliaipole direction. Two settlements have been completely cleared of the enemy. I will tell you that this required a lot of resources, and it was difficult!“

Hell yeah, fuck up the kurwas!

Fingers crossed for success…

Slava Ukraini!