MOSCOW, December 19. /TASS/. The Kiev administration in control of the Zaporozhye Region’s territories has expanded the evacuation zone for the local population in the wake of the Russian army's progressing offensive in the region, a source in Russian defense circles told TASS.

"The enemy has decided to expand the scale of the evacuation zone in the Zaporozhye Region," the source said. "The local population of the Zaporozhye and Pologov districts are forced to evacuate."

"The order was delivered by Ivan Fedorov, the head of the military administration of the Zaporozhye area," he continued. "The reason behind this decision is an increase in the operational range of Russian drones."

"But the enemy lies a little bit in this regard as we are not speaking here about the development of our unmanned technologies, but rather that the front is moving further and further away," the source continued.

He pointed out that Russian assault teams were on a rapid advance in the Zaporozhye Region.

"It's funny that the enemy's cartographers continue stubbornly painting out grey areas, but such decisions by regional administrations nevertheless indicate that something is suspected on the other side," the source pointed out.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier in the day during the combined Direct Line Q&A session and year-end press conference headlined "Results of the Year" that Russia’s Battlegroup East is advancing at a rapid pace in the Zaporozhye Region, liberating one populated locality after another."

Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said at a briefing for foreign military attaches on December 18 that the Battlegroup East had been conducting continuous offensive operations in the Zaporozhye Region and had liberated around 2,000 square kilometers and 89 settlements in 2025.