Ukrainian forces lost control of Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast during Russia's January 2026 offensive, with independent assessments confirming full Russian capture of the town by early February. As of late September 2026, the settlement remains under Russian occupation and serves as a staging area for Moscow's operations toward Orikhiv and Zaporizhzhia city. Recent Ukrainian activity centers on long-range strikes rather than ground advances: on September 23, forces destroyed a Russian ammunition depot inside Huliaipole, while September 21 airstrikes severed bridges near Polohy to disrupt enemy logistics. Drone units have also intercepted Russian Grad systems along the Huliaipole-Pology highway. Russian assault frequency in the sector has fallen from 20-30 daily attempts earlier in the year to roughly ten per day, with Ukrainian units repelling probes near Hirke, Kosivtsove, and Charivne. These attritional strikes and defensive actions shape trader views on any near-term Ukrainian re-entry into the town itself.