Russia is heading towards two towns in the Zaporizhia region of Ukraine

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Russian state media reported on Sunday that Russian forces are heading towards two towns in Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region, where fighting intensified this week after several months of stagnation on the front.

The Russian official in the region, Vladimir Rogov, said offensive operations were centered around two towns: Orekiev, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) south of the Ukrainian-held regional capital Zaporizhia, and Holypol, to the east.

The RIA Novosti news agency quoted Rogov as saying, “The front is moving, especially in two directions: Orekhev and Huliaipole.”

He added that battles took place in those areas, according to the agency.

“The initiative is in our hands.”

The Ukrainian military said in its daily report on Sunday that “more than 15 settlements were damaged by artillery fire” in Zaporizhia.

Earlier this week, Rogov announced a “local offensive” around Orekiev and said the Russian army had captured the village of Lubkov near the Dnipro River.

He also said this week that fighting had “escalated sharply” in the southern region.

On Saturday, the Russian army said that its forces had carried out “offensive operations” in the Zaporozhye region, and claimed that they had “taken more advantageous lines and positions.”

The front in southern Ukraine has been quieter of late than in the east, with Moscow withdrawing from the key city of Kherson in November.

Russia claims to have annexed Zaporizhia along with three other Ukrainian regions, but it does not fully control it.

While Moscow controls large swathes of the southern part of the region, its main city Zaporizhia and the northern part of the Russian forces did not fall.

Russia pledged to remove Ukrainian forces from it.

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