Russia claims capture of Rybne village in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region

Russia said its forces have captured the village of Rybne in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, though Kyiv has not confirmed the claim. Ukraine’s military says it repelled multiple Russian assaults nearby amid ongoing heavy fighting.

Russia claimed on Sunday (November 9) that its forces had taken control of the village of Rybne in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, as fighting continues along the southeastern front.

In a statement posted on Telegram, the Russian Defence Ministry said its troops had captured Rybne, located about 17 kilometres (10.5 miles) north of Huliaipole, one of the key flashpoints in the region. The village is also around 36 kilometres (22.3 miles) west of Velyka Novosilka, a strategic town near the junction of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

Earlier this year, in January, Russia claimed to have seized Velyka Novosilka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region — a claim that Kyiv has not confirmed. The area remains one of the most contested parts of the front line, with both sides frequently reporting attacks and counteroffensives.

Rybne lies near the administrative border between the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions, where Moscow’s forces have been attempting to push deeper into Ukrainian-held territory.

Ukraine’s General Staff, in its daily operational update, said its troops had repelled 18 Russian assaults near seven settlements in the Oleksandrivka front over the past 24 hours. The Ukrainian military said fighting took place near the village of Krasnohirske, which is located less than a kilometre (0.6 miles) from Rybne.

However, Ukrainian authorities have not immediately commented on Russia’s claim, and independent verification of battlefield reports remains difficult due to the ongoing war, now in its fourth year.

The Zaporizhzhia region — home to Europe’s largest nuclear power plant — has been a critical front in the conflict, with both Russia and Ukraine seeking to control key supply routes and defensive positions. The area has witnessed heavy shelling and drone strikes in recent weeks as Russian forces aim to consolidate their territorial gains ahead of winter.

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