Russian occupation of Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava oblasts

The Russian occupation of Dnipropetrovsk and Poltava oblasts relate to how in the early phases of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there were reported skirmishes between Russian and Ukrainian forces in southern Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and northern Poltava Oblast. This resulted in the military occupation of several small villages and towns, spilling over from much larger targets in Donetsk, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast
By April 2022, Russian troops began to secure towns north of Mariupol, most notably the Battle of Volnovakha, and completed the encirclement of Mariupol. They then began to attack towns to the north, including starting the Battle of Velyka Novosilka. As the Russians advanced, there were reports of clashes near Ternove, Novomykolaivka, Kalynivske, Berezove, Stepove and Maliivka, all in Synelnykove Raion, bordering Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk Oblasts, partially occupied by Russian forces. Ukrainian forces reported small battles near the Ternove area on 1 March. Ukrainian forces claimed to have cleared out Russian troops from the area on 14 March. These areas alongside Nikopol and Apostolove are still regularly shelled. On 16 March, Russian forces spilled over from Kherson Oblast into Hannivka, reportedly occupying it. It was later liberated on 11 May.

Poltava Oblast
During battles near Trostianets, Lebedyn and Okhtyrka, in Sumy Oblast, skirmishes were reported near the border with Poltava Oblast. Notably, on 27 February 2022, then later on 1 March a Russian tank was reportedly spotted in the Psel River, in Hadiach. On 3 March, Russian troops were reportedly advancing towards Zinkiv and occupied Pirky, but were repelled. On 4 March, a Russian convoy was captured travelling to Hadiach and through Vepryk. Subsequently, after clashes near Hadiach where hunters used rifles and machine guns, Russian troops were repelled. This was labelled as the "Hadiach Safari". Some villages were occupied during this time, such as Bobryk, and central parts of Vepryk.

Status
As of 2023, Russian forces have no plans to advance in either of these oblasts, and cannot geographically invade Poltava Oblast without attacking Sumy, Chernihiv or Kharkiv Oblast first. Russian forces positioned in Enerhodar, near Velyka Novosilka and formerly near Arkhanhelske continue to shell unoccupied areas and conduct missile strikes on large cities, notably in Nikopol Raion, including Nikopol, Marhanets and Tomakivka. On 27 June 2022, Russia struck Kremenchuk, Poltava Oblast with two anti-ship missiles and destroyed a busy shopping mall causing 80 casualties, an attack subject to multiple contradictory Russian disinformation stories that have been debunked. Later on the Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure, missiles struck all across the country, including in Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts. Missiles hit Kremenchuk once again, as well as Poltava and Kryvyi Rih and Dnipro in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. On 14 January 2023, a missile hit Dnipro once again, in the Sobornyi District, destroying 236 apartments and damaging a building. Up to 46 people were killed.