Moscow Orders Brigades to Plant Flags in Zaporizhzhia Villages: Inside the Mission.

What the Russian Command Has Ordered

According to UATV: On July 1, 2023, Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, revealed that Russian commanders have instructed specific motorized rifle brigades to infiltrate settlements along the Zaporizhzhia front. Their mission: raise Russian flags and document the act through photos and videos.

• The 38th Separate Russian Motorized Rifle Brigade was tasked with operating in Novoselovka, located on the Huliaipole axis.
• The 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade received a similar assignment in the settlement of Pysanka.
• Another target for flag placement is Kopany, situated on the Alexandrovsk direction.

Ukraine’s Defense Forces Respond

Voloshyn further stated that Ukrainian defense forces have already eliminated several of these sabotage and infiltration groups, while capturing others. He emphasized that Ukrainian troops are positioned behind the front line at tactical depth. This information highlights ongoing Russian military activity in the region and Ukraine’s countermeasures against the threat.

These developments underscore the protracted conflict in eastern Ukraine and the intensification of combat operations along the Zaporizhzhia axis. Planting flags in populated areas may be part of an information campaign aimed at projecting territorial control. At the same time, the actions of Ukrainian forces demonstrate their readiness to counter enemy threats, reflecting the tense situation in the region.