"Russian servicemen of the 127th Motorised Rifle Division of the Western Group of Forces reported on the takeover of the Zhovtnevoye settlement in the Zaporozhye region "We began clearing the area, walking through the snow. [...] First, forests, then through the forests we enter settlements, and work," a Western Group of Forces serviceman with the call sign 'Grizli' said. According to the soldier, Ukrainian UAVs and FPV drones were constantly in the air, dropping ammunition during the mission. He also recounted failed attempts by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to bring in reserve groups in combat vehicles. Another serviceman with the call sign 'Tikhiy' noted that the weather played a key role in taking the settlement under control. "During the frosts, we were able to cross this section, secure our position there, and begin gathering personnel for further advancement through the settlement. We worked in pairs and trios in several directions at once," he added. On Friday, the Russian Defence Ministry reported that troops had taken control of the Zhovtnevoye settlement. "The liberation of the settlement allowed us to gain a foothold on the western bank of the Gaichur River, expand our bridgehead, and create conditions for further advancement in the Zaporozhye region," the report said. At the time of publication, Kiev had not commented on the capture of the settlement by Russian forces. Moscow launched a military offensive in Ukraine in late February 2022 after recognising the independence of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR), claiming that Kiev had failed to guarantee their special status under the 2014 Minsk Agreements, and urging Ukraine to declare itself officially neutral and give assurances that it would never join NATO. Kiev denounced the Russian action as an invasion. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky imposed martial law throughout the country, announcing a general mobilisation, while the EU and the US imposed several rounds of sanctions on Moscow. The exact date and location of the footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry cannot be independently verified."