General Staff reports 260 clashes; ISW says Russian advance slowed since March
Ukraine's General Staff reported 260 combat clashes over the past day, with the heaviest fighting concentrated on the Pokrovsk direction and renewed Russian activity on the Kupiansk direction. Russian forces struck one missile, 85 airstrikes with 278 guided bombs, 8,224 kamikaze drones and 2,625 shellings. Separately, the Institute for the Study of War assessed that the pace of Russian advance dropped significantly in March 2026 and that Ukraine has retaken ground, including in the Lyman area.
Key points
- General Staff reported 260 combat clashes over the past day.
- Pokrovsk direction saw the most attacks — 35.
- Kupiansk direction saw 18 Russian attempts to advance, after a day with none.
- Enemy launched 1 missile strike, 85 airstrikes dropping 278 guided bombs, 8,224 kamikaze drones and 2,625 shellings.
- ISW assessed the pace of Russian advance declined significantly in March 2026 and has remained "low" since.
- ISW analysts calculated Ukraine recovered almost 300 sq km between March and September.
- ISW said Russian MoD continues to spread false claims of advances around Dobropillia as part of cognitive warfare.
Why it matters
The General Staff's daily tally offers the most comprehensive frontline-wide snapshot of combat intensity, including the volume and types of Russian strikes and where attacks are concentrated. The Pokrovsk direction remains the focal point of Russian offensive effort, while the resumed activity on Kupiansk after a quiet day points to a possible shift in focus. The ISW assessment directly contradicts official Russian claims of breakthroughs, framing those claims as a cognitive warfare effort rather than battlefield reality.
What happened
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported 260 combat clashes over the past day. Russian forces carried out one missile strike, 85 airstrikes dropping 278 guided aerial bombs, used 8,224 kamikaze drones, and shelled Ukrainian positions 2,625 times including 15 strikes with multiple launch rocket systems. The Pokrovsk direction saw the most attacks — 35 — with Russian forces attempting to advance toward Bilytske, Dorozhnie, Novyi Donbas, Chernihivka, Svitlе, Dobropillia, Novohryshyne, Hulive, Serhiivka, Myrne, Molodetske, Muravka and Novopavlivka. The Kostiantynivka direction saw 22 attacks near Kostiantynivka and toward Novoselivka, Mykolaipillia, Novopavlivka, Toretske, Hruzke, Imerovka, Vovkove and Molodetske. The Kupiansk direction registered 18 Russian attempts to advance toward Radkivka, after a day with no recorded attacks. The Huliapol direction saw 16 attacks. Ukrainian aviation, missile forces and artillery struck an enemy manpower concentration area and a UAV launch site. Settlements in Sumy Oblast including Bezsalivka, Korenok, Tovstodubove, Sopych, Ulanove, Malushyne, Rohizne, Kucherivka, Yastrubshchyna, Neskuchné, Bachivsk, Khrynivka, Volfyne, Kozache and Shalyhyne were shelled; Liskivshchyna in Chernihiv Oblast came under fire; Partyzanske and Sukhodil were hit by airstrikes. No Russian attacks were recorded on the Kramatorsk or Prydniprovske directions.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
The Ukrainian source leads with the operational picture, emphasizing the volume of clashes and Russian strike activity — missile, air, drone and artillery — as evidence of sustained pressure across multiple directions. It lists attempted advances toward specific settlements on Pokrovsk, Kostiantynivka, Kupiansk and Huliapol, giving a granular on-the-ground view of where the fighting is happening. It also incorporates the ISW assessment of a slowed Russian advance and Ukrainian territorial recovery to reinforce a narrative that Russian momentum is fading despite high daily clash counts.
Where reporting differs
The Russian Ministry of Defense claims advances around Dobropillia and depicts Ukrainian defense as collapsing. ISW assesses those claims as false and part of an ongoing cognitive warfare effort, while the Ukrainian General Staff records continued combat engagements on the Pokrovsk direction rather than a collapse.
Background
ISW analysts reported that since March Russia has sometimes been losing more territory than it captures, and calculated that between March and September Ukraine recovered almost 300 square kilometres from Russian control. The Ukrainian "Vivaldi" operation is associated with Ukrainian advances in the Lyman area, contributing to those territorial changes.