MELITOPOL, September 25. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces’ layered defense built in the Orekhov area has been overwhelmed, member of the Legislative Assembly of the Zaporozhye Region Maxim Zubarev told TASS.

"The fate of Orekhov has been decided, it is returning to its native harbor. Thanks to coordinated actions of all branches of the armed forces, <...> the layered defense built by the enemy has been overwhelmed," he said.

According to Zubarev’s estimates, maintaining the pace of current advance operations, the Russian Armed Forces will begin encircling Zaporozhye from the east and north by the end of the year.