[2] The population of the village took part in the Russian Revolution of 1905, demonstrating for workers' rights and going on strike.

Continued fighting took place over Polohy throughout the war, involving Makhnovites, the Army of Wrangel, and South Russia, until an eventual Bolshevik victory in August 1920.

Locals have accused Russian forces of deliberately destroying the city's critical infrastructure.

[8] Water and electricity infrastructure has stopped working, as well as internet access and cellular communication.

[8] Russian forces heavily fortified areas near the city in anticipation of the 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive.

[9] In May 2023, reports from ordinary residents of Polohy as well as the exiled mayor Yuriy Konovalenko said that Russia was forcibly removing civilians from the city to be transferred to Berdiansk, deeper within Russia-controlled territory.

[11] On 8–10 September 2023, the 2023 Russian elections took place in the occupied Ukrainian territories,[12] which Melitopol mayor Ivan Fedorov described as "hellish pseudo-elections".

During this period, on 9 September, Fedorov reported that the headquarters of United Russia - the Russian ruling party - in Polohy had been blown up.

[13] Fedorov alluded to casualties among the occupation authorities, stating on Telegram that "Some went to the hospital, and some went straight to the morgue".