Russian occupation authorities declared Melitopol as the temporary "capital" of Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia Oblast, replacing the unoccupied city of Zaporizhzhia.

On 3 March 2023, authorities in the Russian-controlled part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast published a decree that declared occupied Melitopol as the oblast capital.

The Russian-installed head of the oblast, Yevhen Balytskyi, said that this was a temporary measure until the city of Zaporizhzhia was controlled by Russia.

The quiet declaration of an alternative capital is likely tacit acknowledgement within the Russian system that its forces are highly unlikely to seize previously planned major objectives in the near future.

A Zaporizhzhia court sentenced Oleksandr Saulenko, head of Russia’s illegal occupation administration in Berdiansk, to 15 years in jail in absentia on March 19.

The quiet declaration of an alternative capital is likely tacit acknowledgement within the Russian system that its forces are highly unlikely to seize previously planned major objectives in the near future.

A house in Berdiansk belonging to Hyrenko was blown up.

The destruction of the house was based on Hyrenko's denunciations that led to the arrest of city hall employees.