Ukrainian Armed Forces officer: Russian "flagmen" have become more active in the south

In the south of Ukraine, Russian occupation forces have begun to use the tactic of "flagships" more actively, infiltrating separate groups into the Ukrainian rear. This was discussed in a commentary by LIGA.net vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces, said.

"They infiltrate as deep as possible into our rear, unfurling their flag to make a photo or video record, as if Russian troops had gone far and taken new territories under their control. This is happening not only in the area of Huliaypol, but basically throughout the entire area of responsibility of the Southern Defense Forces," he said.

According to the spokesman, this is done to simulate the success of Russian troops on the battlefield for foreign analysts and OSINT observers.

"Although these Russian assault groups do not live long – they enter our rear, are photographed from a drone, and then are destroyed almost immediately. But the publication of the images gives the impression that Russian troops are having much greater success than they actually are," Voloshyn said.

According to him, it was thanks to this tactic that Gerasimov reported to the Russian dictator that Gulyaypol, Stepnohirsk and Myrnohrad had been "captured," although this was not true.

"Huliaipole is actually partially under the control of the Defense Forces. There are fierce firefights on the streets of the town. The situation in Stepnohirsk is approximately the same, where Russians are trying to infiltrate along the road leading from Zaporizhzhia. We are not letting them in, the fighting continues, the village is by no means under enemy control," emphasized the Southern Defense Forces spokesman.

• Earlier, on December 28, Voloshyn reported that part of Gulyaypol remain under the control of the Defense Forces. According to him, many Ukrainian positions are in the western part of the city. Fierce fighting continues on the streets.
• Earlier in the General Staff denied statements of the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin about the "capture" of Glyaipol.