Huliaipole

Huliaipole (Ukrainian: Гуляйполе [ɦʊlʲɐjˈpɔle] ; lit. 'walk-about field') is a small city in Polohy Raion, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine. It is known as the birthplace of Ukrainian anarchist revolutionary Nestor Makhno. In January 2022, it had an estimated population of 12,786, making it the 9th most populous city in Zaporizhzhia at the time. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Huliaipole was attacked, placing it on one of the lines of contact separating Ukrainian and Russian forces. In late 2025, it was contested after a Russian offensive towards the city. In November 2025, it was estimated that there were less than 500 people remaining in the city. By 28 December 2025, the Russian Ministry of Defense and other sources reported that their forces had gained complete control over Huliaipole. At the time, the Ukrainian General Staff denied the claims of Russian control. Later, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), in its 6 February 2026 offensive report, confirmed that Russian forces had captured the city.