All articles tagged with #donetsk front
Ukraine’s Third Army Corps has reclaimed 275 square kilometers in Donetsk through Operation Vivaldi, neutralizing Russian gains this year. However, US restrictions on Starlink navigation and intelligence sharing have severely hampered Kyiv’s ability to intercept fast Russian drones, even as Moscow violates the US-brokered energy ceasefire.
Ukrainian forces have successfully contested Russian initiative across multiple fronts since late 2025, eliminating a key Russian salient north of Lyman and disrupting plans to encircle the Donetsk Fortress Belt. While Russian troops made limited gains near Kostyantynivka, they failed to advance elsewhere. Facing high casualty rates that outpace recruitment, Russian generals reportedly requested 800,000 additional troops from President Putin. Meanwhile, Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries and long-range attacks on Russian cities continue to strain Moscow’s economy and logistics.
Russian forces advanced only 2.91 square kilometers per day in August 2026, failing to capture Kostyantynivka despite months of fighting. Ukraine reclaimed 129.81 square kilometers through counteroffensives in the Lyman and Oleksandrivka directions. Russia shifted to jet-powered drones, which have a lower interception rate, while German officials blamed Moscow for a drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport. Putin expanded his security service and reshuffled law enforcement, potentially preparing for mobilization.