- Will Russia capture all of Stepnohirsk by December 31, 2026?7¢7%
Russian forces continue limited assaults and small-group infiltrations around Stepnohirsk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast amid heavy fighting on the Orikhiv axis, but independent assessments show no confirmed full capture of the settlement. Ukrainian units recently advanced in southern Stepnohirsk, supported by geolocated footage of Russian strikes on those positions, while repelling repeated probes near Pavlivka, Plavni, and adjacent areas. Russian claims of broader progress in the sector remain disputed by Ukrainian General Staff reports and ISW mapping, which note minimal net Russian territorial gains across the front this year alongside localized Ukrainian counter-successes. The settlement’s position near key logistics routes sustains its tactical value, though sustained Ukrainian defensive operations and drone/artillery attrition have constrained Russian momentum. No major scheduled escalations or diplomatic pauses are tied directly to this sector in the immediate term.
Rules
This market will resolve to “Yes” if, according to the ISW map, Russia captures the entirety of Stepnohirsk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, (47.586997° N, 35.362200° E) between market creation and the specified date, 11:59 PM ET. Stepnohirsk will be considered captured if the entirety of the municipality is shaded under a below specified layer on the ISW map (https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/36a7f6a6f5a9448496de641cf64bd375) by the resolution date. Otherwise, the market will resolve to “No”. The boundaries of the municipality are those shown under the “Ukrainian Settlements” layer on the ISW map. If all area within the municipality is shaded under a qualifying layer, however, the shading does not precisely match up with the border such that there is a tiny amount of unshaded area along the border of the municipality, this will still qualify for a "Yes" resolution. For any change on the ISW map to qualify for this market’s resolution, the relevant shading must persist through the next full ISW daily update cycle. If ISW skips a day, shading must persist until the next finalized ISW update is published, regardless of the date. Any continuous shading under the following layers will qualify: - Assessed Russian-Controlled Terrain - Assessed Russian Advances Shading under the following layers will not qualify: - Assessed Russian Infiltration Areas - Claimed Russian Territory Once a qualifying condition is met, any subsequent loss of control will not be considered towards the resolution of this market. If Russia comes into control of the specified territory as a result of a negotiated settlement, this will qualify for a 'Yes' resolution, regardless of whether it is shaded under a qualifying layer on the ISW map. However, an announcement of a negotiated settlement that gives Russia de jure control will not qualify. Actual control must be established. The primary resolution source for this market will be the ISW Ukraine map. If the ISW map is rendered unavailable, information from DeepStateMap (https://deepstatemap.live/) may be used. If information from both the ISW and DeepStateMap are rendered permanently unavailable, a consensus of credible reporting may be used. Note: Any temporary glitches or errors in the map will not be considered.