 Russian troops mine previously cleared front-line areas in Zaporizhia Oblast. Russian forces have intensified the laying of mines in the area of the settlements of Robertine Vubov and are trying to hold Ukrainian forces back in areas of the front line away from the west of Zaporizhia Oblast. Institute for the study of war reported this. Russian military bloggers claimed that Russian troops have begun to lay mines in previously cleared areas on the Robertine Vubov line to achieve tactical surprise. A well-known Kremlin-aligned blogger claimed that Russian forces had intensified tactical offensives in several front-line areas outside Zaporizhia Oblast to stretch Ukrainian defences and distract the Ukrainians. Colonel Oleksandr Štupun, spokesman for the Tavria Group of Ukrainian Forces, said the Russians were trying to freeze the Ukrainian army in the areas of the settlements of Abdiivka and Marinka and prevent them from moving their reserves to the Zaporizhia front. In addition, Ukrainian forces pursued counter-offensive operations near the city of Bakhmut and made minor advances in western Zaporizhia Oblast. Geolocation footage posted on the 8th of October indicated that Ukrainian troops had made limited gains north of the settlement of Novoproko-Pivka, while a Russian mill blogger claimed that Ukrainian forces had also advanced near the village of Kopani. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces had achieved partial success northeast of the settlement of Andriyivka. In contrast, Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian troops further pursued their attacks near the settlements of Andriyivka and Kyrdiumivka. Russian and Ukrainian sources also reported that the deteriorating weather conditions were affecting both Russian and Ukrainian operations. Colonel Oleksandr Štupun, spokesman for the Tavria Group of Ukrainian Forces, said the activity of Russian drones and aircraft has decreased in recent days due to the bad weather. Russian mill bloggers have claimed that the deteriorating weather conditions on the Bakhmut and Zaporizhia front were affecting Ukraine's offensive operations as well as Russian aerial reconnaissance efforts. Captain Ilya Yevlash, spokesman for the Eastern Group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, echoed the view that bad weather might affect the activities of drones and aircraft which would not stop Ukraine's counter-offensive.