Russian forces have encircled a Ukrainian military grouping near Volchansk in northeastern Kharkiv region, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Putin stated on September 1 that the encirclement traps Ukrainian units across 27 settlements covering an area of 460 square kilometers, with 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers blocked in the pocket. He added that liquidating the pocket will push the line of contact 20 kilometers away from the Russian border.
Reports of a potential encirclement in the Volchansk area first emerged in late July and early August. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, forces fully closed the cauldron in early September after capturing the settlements of Vasilevka, Blagodatnoye, and Dolzhanka. The ministry reported that 700 Ukrainian fighters have died inside the pocket.
Volchansk is a strategic border town located in northeastern Ukraine's Kharkiv region, roughly five miles from the Russian border. Control over the surrounding settlements affects artillery coverage and troop movements across the northern border zone.
Encirclement around Volchansk
Ukrainian military command has not directly commented on the encirclement. In its official daily updates, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine effectively denied the existence of a cauldron, asserting that Ukrainian forces maintain control over settlements along its perimeter. The Ukrainian analytical project DeepState reflected a similar representation of the front line.
However, fighting in Dolzhanka and nearby Olkhovatka was reported in mid-August by a Ukrainian soldier using the call sign Muchnoy. He explained that Russian units were employing tactics of infiltrating with small assault teams, operating in small infantry groups to locate weak points in defenses and expand their presence.
Russian military analysts have also offered cautious assessments regarding the complete closure of the pocket. Military blogger Anatoly Radov stated that while Russia's North grouping of forces is close to sealing the cauldron, Ukrainian troops still hold the neck of the pocket.
Battle for Orekhov in Zaporizhzhia
Heavy fighting is simultaneously underway in Zaporizhzhia region for the town of Orekhov, which remains the primary obstacle blocking Russian forces from advancing toward the regional capital of Zaporizhzhia. Battles for the city commenced in August following the Russian capture of Malaya Tokmachka, quickly giving rise to reports of a potential encirclement.
In early September, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported taking Novopavlovka, located behind Orekhov, along with Chervonaya Krinitsa to the northeast. These advances created two salients enveloping Orekhov from opposite sides.
Several Russian war correspondents and bloggers have claimed the town is already under Russian control. Military correspondent Yury Kotenok stated that Orekhov is largely under the control of the Russian Armed Forces, with mop-up operations and position consolidation currently underway.
Ukrainian authorities dispute the extent of the Russian advance. Nevertheless, Ukrainian military observer Konstantin Mashovets confirmed that Russian troops are present inside Orekhov and adjacent settlements. Mashovets noted that Russian commanders are attempting to encompass the town by replicating tactics used against previous Ukrainian defensive nodes, with the ultimate objective of opening a route toward Zaporizhzhia.
Zaporizhzhia region, situated in southern Ukraine, is a key agricultural and industrial area anchored by the Dnipro River. Orekhov serves as a vital road and rail junction defending access to the regional center.
Tactical operations near Krasny Liman
In the Donetsk People's Republic, active combat continues around Krasny Liman, where several experts report tactical progress by Ukrainian forces. War correspondent Yury Kotenok described Ukraine as conducting an offensive near Krasny Liman under strict informational silence, noting that advance by one side naturally forces a retreat by the other. Kotenok highlighted the involvement of experienced Azov unit fighters, including personnel previously captured at the Azovstal steel plant during the 2022 battle for Mariupol.
Ukrainian military officials refrained from discussing the offensive for several weeks. On September 15, Andriy Biletsky, commander of the Third Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and founder of Azov, publicly announced the execution of Operation Vivaldi, structured into four distinct phases or seasons.
Biletsky claimed that Ukrainian troops had secured control over Novoselovka, Aleksandrovka, Yarovoye, and Srednee, alongside the surroundings of Aleksandrovka and Korovy Yar. However, Ukrainian news outlet Strana.ua pointed out that Biletsky's statement contradicted broader claims made by Western analysts and Russian Telegram channels, noting that these captured settlements represent only the outer edge of a Russian salient north of Liman and that Biletsky did not confirm severing the salient itself.
The Russian Ministry of Defense denied any Ukrainian military breakthrough. Russian military officials stated that while Ukrainian command deployed its most highly trained Azov units, Russian forces continue to repel their attacks, asserting that small enemy assault groups attempting to penetrate Russian lines have suffered heavy losses without achieving success.
Krasny Liman, also known as Lyman, is a major railway hub in northern Donetsk region. The Azov unit was originally formed in 2014 and played a prominent role in the defense of Mariupol before being incorporated into Ukraine's military structure.
Intensified drone attacks on Kyiv
Russian forces have significantly escalated missile and drone strikes against Kyiv and other major urban centers, including the southern port city of Odesa. The Ukrainian Air Force reports near-daily incoming waves involving hundreds of uncrewed aerial vehicles.
Serhiy Beskrestnov, an advisor to the Ukrainian presidency and military radio technology expert known by the call sign Flash, reported a sharp rise in the deployment of jet-powered drones. Beskrestnov stated that 2,500 jet drones launched attacks across Ukraine during August, representing an increase of 1,000 units compared to the 1,500 jet drones recorded in July.
Journalists at Strana.ua reported that Russian drone raids on Kyiv have become practically continuous. They noted that drones operate individually or in small formations from multiple directions against several targets simultaneously, creating a continuous carousel of attacks that stretches for hours.
Air raid alarms in Kyiv now last between 11 and 13 hours per day, consuming nearly half of every 24-hour period. Analysts observe that unrelenting aerial alerts exhaust capital air defenses and inflict severe economic losses on businesses, potentially worsening public frustration with Ukrainian authorities and increasing pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to seek an end to hostilities on Russian terms.
Kyiv relies on integrated air defense networks combining Western-supplied surface-to-air missile batteries and mobile anti-drone teams to protect government infrastructure and civilian populations.
Military analysis and historical parallels
In an interview with Lenta.ru, retired General Staff colonel and military analyst Andrey Demurenko compared the situation surrounding Volchansk to the Demyansk offensive operation during World War II. In 1942, the Red Army surrounded a large Wehrmacht grouping, but German forces maintained supply lines through an aerial bridge for months before staging a successful breakout.
Demurenko stated that Russian forces are holding the encircled troops using conservative tactics, closing flanks to split the sector, while declining to force events. He emphasized that Russian command is prioritizing personnel preservation by relying on heavy artillery, aviation, and drone bombardments instead of direct infantry assaults.
Demurenko predicted that Ukrainian commanders will attempt to launch counterattacks to unblock the encircled units, while Russian intelligence actively monitors for signs of preparation.
Regarding Orekhov, Demurenko advised against premature declarations of success, emphasizing that active combat is ongoing and full control over the city has not been established. He described Orekhov as a key defensive hub and logistics node for Ukrainian forces, into which Russian units are steadily carving positions from the flanks.
Addressing the fighting near Krasny Liman, Demurenko suggested that Ukrainian offensive pushes aim primarily to divert Russian forces from primary offensive axes and force a redistribution of troops. Recalling his own military service in 2022 when the brigade he commanded withdrew from Krasny Liman, Demurenko noted that the city represents a massive defensive complex that would remain strategically important throughout the conflict.
Demurenko observed that Ukrainian commanders demonstrate flexibility in defensive planning, noting that many received training at Russian military academies, including former Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who graduated from the Moscow Higher Military Command School. He noted that when Ukrainian officers recognize that defending a given position is impractical due to unfavorable terrain or lack of fortifications, they shift resistance to alternative lines, a practice that prolongs the conflict and elevates casualties on both sides.
