On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, units of the 80th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 14th Army Corps fought for Bobylivka, which is part of an information warfare effort involving the seizure of small border villages in previously dormant frontline areas in northern Ukraine to convince Ukraine’s supporting countries of the fragility of Ukraine’s front line.
Russian forces attacked near Yunakivka.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces clear the western outskirts of Vilcha, control the forest area near Chuhunivka.
Russian forces attempted to advance southwest of Kruhle, attacked near Zybine, Vovchanski Khutory, Starytske, Izbytske, Vovchansk, Nesterne, Dekhtyarnе.
On the Kupyansk Direction, enemy infiltration groups operate west of Pishchane. Russian forces attacked near and inside Kupyansk, near Petropavlivka, in the direction of Kurylivka, near Serednie, Oleksandrivka.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces advanced in the center of Drobysheve, infiltrated south of Fedorivka Druha, attempted to advance northeast of Lyman, south of Riznykivka, west of Nykyforivka, attacked near Svyatohirsk, Stavky, Drobysheve, Ozerne, Zakitne, Platonivka, Riznykivka, Kalenyky, Kryva Luka, in the direction of Mykolaivka, near Nykyforivka. The enemy holds positions in most of Novoselivka but does not fully control the village due to Ukrainian counterattacks in the area. The enemy does not control Drobysheve.
Ukrainian Defense Forces control Fedorivka Druha and Riznykivka.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, Russian forces attacked near Kostyantynivka, Pryvillya, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillya, Illinivka, Berestok, Stepanivka, Sofiivka, Novopavlivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces attacked near Novyi Donbas, Pokrovsk, Hryshyne, in the direction of Shevchenkove, near Bilytske, Rodynske, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Novopidhorodnie, in the direction of Serhiivka, Novooleksandrivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Hryshyne, struck infiltration groups in the western part of Rodynske.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced southwest of Novomykolayivka, struck enemy infiltration group positions west of Pryvillya.
Russian forces attacked near Novopavlivka, Ivanivka, Ternove, Kalynivske, in the direction of Vyshneve.
On the Huliaypole Direction, enemy groups infiltrated the northeastern and southern outskirts of Rizdvyanka. Russian forces attacked near Huliaypole, Zelene, Svyatopetrivka, Svyatkove, Varvarivka, in the direction of Vozdvyzhivka, Verkhnya Tersa, near Staroukrainka, Zaliznychne.
On the Orikhiv Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces struck south of Richne.
Russian forces fought for Veselyanka, attacked in the direction of Huliaypilske, near Plavni, Stepnohirsk, Prymorske.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the 500 kV Taman electrical substation in the Temryuk district of Krasnodar Krai, which is a key node in the energy bridge across the Kerch Strait and transmits power to occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed a Sopka-2 radar and a 39N6 Kasta-2E2 radar in Crimea, struck the deployment area of an enemy repair unit in Zachativka, Donetsk oblast.
General conclusion:
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces have withdrawn armored vehicles from the frontline north of Kharkiv due to the high effectiveness of Defense Forces UAV strikes but are increasing airstrikes and the use of Shahed strike UAVs and fiber-optic FPV drones.
In the fighting for Neskuchne, a significant number of personnel of the 9th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 18th Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps were reported missing in action. Russian forces do not fully control Zelene, do not conduct major offensive operations in the north of Kharkiv oblast, but carry out local attacks along the front line, forcing Ukrainian Defense Forces to disperse their reserves.
On the Sloviansk Direction, varied terrain, including rivers and marshes, combined with changing weather conditions, complicates Russian advances. Russian military command sends combat-capable troops to assault well-fortified urban areas, while units staffed with former prisoners carry out attacks across open terrain. The enemy attacks simultaneously along five to seven routes, attempting to disperse the attention of Defense Forces UAV operators. On the Kramatorsk Direction, Russian forces exploit rain and fog, which complicate UAV employment.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces are increasingly using unmanned ground vehicles for logistics purposes.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 144 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, the enemy twice attempted to breach defensive lines in the direction of Zybine and Kruhle.
On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy attacked 5 times toward Petropavlivka, Novoplatonivka, and Kurylivka.
On the Sloviansk Direction, 20 enemy attempts to advance toward Shyikivka, Stavky, Drobysheve, Lyman, in the areas of Zakitne and Platonivka, and in the direction of Riznykivka and Rai-Oleksandrivka were stopped.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the enemy carried out 17 attacks in the areas of Kostyantynivka, Pleshchiivka, Sofiivka, Rusyn Yar and toward Illinivka and Novopavlivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, 25 enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Chervonyi Lyman, Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Udachne, Molodetske and toward Kucheriv Yar, Novooleksandrivka, and Novopidhorodnie.
On the Oleksandrivka direction, the enemy attacked 11 times toward Ternove, Vyshneve, Vorone, Verbove, and Zlahoda.
On the Huliaypole Direction, 25 enemy attacks took place in the areas of Huliaypole and toward Zaliznychne, Varvarivka, Huliaypilske, Staroukrainka, Svyatopetrivka, Zelene, Tsvytkove.
On the Orikhiv direction, two combat engagements took place in the area of Stepnohirsk and Prymorske.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
Units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies and the MLRS of the 31st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 67th Motorized Rifle Division of the 25th Combined Arms Army strike on the Lyman Direction.
The 242nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army operates near Poltavka and Rusyn Yar.
Units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies strike in the east of Shylivka; the 56th Separate SOF Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates near Svitle and Rodynske.
The 90th Tank Division of the 41st Combined Arms Army operates on the Dnipropetrovsk Direction; the 14th Separate SOF Brigade strikes in the direction of Vremivka.
Possible operation situation developments:
The enemy has begun preparations for this year’s summer campaign. Two offensive operations should be expected starting from the end of April 2026 — the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk and the Orikhiv-Zaporizhzhia operations. The disruption of the enemy’s summer offensive will lead to a prolonged loss of offensive capabilities, depletion of resources, and will provide a real chance to end the war. The Lyman, Sloviansk, and Kostyantynivka directions are acquiring strategic significance, as the enemy’s military-political leadership is urgently requiring several convincing operational victories that can be presented as victory in the entire war.
The enemy “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping will continue to operate simultaneously along the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, and the Velykyi Burluk Direction and will attempt to seize as large an area as possible in Sumy Oblast and Kharkiv Oblast with the aim of subsequent political bargaining for their exchange for territories in Donetsk Oblast that the enemy will be unable to seize.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, in the Vovchansk area, the enemy “Belgorod–Kharkov” Tactical Group will continue attempts to break through along the eastern bank of the Siverskyi Donets in the southern direction and advance as far as possible in the Vovchansk–Bilyi Kolodyaz direction. Attempting to advance in the general Vovchansk–Staryi Saltiv direction, the Tactical Group command will try to secure the right flank of its main forces, which will advance toward Bilyi Kolodyaz.
In the Kupyansk area, Russian forces will intensify operations along the Pishchane–Kurylivka line and further toward Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi, as well as along the Kolisnykivka–Hlushkivka line and further toward Kivsharivka and Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi. The 6th Combined Arms Army of the enemy “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping will advance simultaneously on three directions: toward Staryi Saltiv, Velykyi Burluk, and in the Kupyansk area. The army’s troops will attempt to advance from the Dvorichanske bridgehead in the Krasne Pershe–Novovasylivka and Dvorichna–Ridkodub directions, attack in the Milove–Ambarne direction with the aim of capturing the latter and will try to outflank from the north and south the defensive strongpoint of the 16th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces in the Kolodyazne area. To restore the situation in the Kupyansk area, the enemy intensifies operations in the offensive zone of the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army, which conducts a frontal offensive on Kupyansk from the east. Attempts by the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army to eliminate the bridgehead of the 16th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces on the Oskil east of Kupyansk will continue.
On the Sloviansk Direction, the command of the enemy’s 3rd Combined Arms Army has an immediate task to reach the Mykolaivka – Nykanorivka line with its main forces, that is, to reach the near approaches to Sloviansk from the east, and reach the Vasylivska Pustosh – Vasyutynske line with part of its forces, that is, the near approaches to Kramatorsk from the east.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, the command of Russian forces will attempt to seize the Druzhkivka–Kostyantynivka agglomeration by enveloping the flanks of Kostyantynivka, while simultaneously breaking through to the near approaches to Druzhkivka, after which it will seize Kostyantynivka by assault and push Ukrainian Defense Forces out of the Druzhkivka area under the threat of encirclement. Enemy forces will advance toward the Malotaranivka–Semenivka–Bilokuzmynivka–Komyshuvakha area north of Druzhkivka. Ukrainian Defense Forces will be forced to withdraw from the area between Kostyantynivka and the Kleban-Byk Reservoir under the threat of encirclement to the area north of road T0504, that is, to the central and western parts of Kostyantynivka, which will slow the assault actions of the enemy 3rd Army Corps in the city itself.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, the enemy’s “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping will continue its offensive, delivering its main strike within the 2nd Combined Arms Army’s advance corridor in the general direction of Pokrovsk – Hryshyne – Novooleksandrivka, and will attempt to envelop the Dobropillya defensive area of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. To execute this plan, the 51st Combined Arms Army will drive from the east, southeast, and south toward the near approaches to Dobropillya, attempt to reach the Stepy – Novyi Donbas line, and break through to the Krasnopillya – Chernihivka – Svitle – Vodyanske area. A further task for the army is to cut the Dobropillya – Kramatorsk road northeast of Dobropillya. The 2nd Combined Arms Army and a portion of the 41st Combined Arms Army’s forces will advance from the south, breaking through toward the Novohryshyne – Matyasheve line, while simultaneously covering the western flank of the 51st Combined Arms Army, advancing along the road to Pavlohrad and the Hrishynka river to the northwest in the direction of Hryshyne – Novooleksandrivka – Myrne. A further task is to reach the Serhiivka – Shylivka line.
The 51st Combined Arms Army’s attempts to advance north of Biletske, envelop Dobropillya from the east, and simultaneously break through to the Dobropillya – Kramatorsk road will become increasingly difficult to pursue in combination. The army’s main strike direction will shift to the south of Biletske, but the overall tempo of the offensive in the other sectors of its bridgehead will decrease.
The enemy “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping will be breaking through to the Omelnyk – Yehorivka – Chervona Krynytsia area for the envelopment of Orikhiv
On the Prydniprovske direction, the command of the enemy’s “Dnepr” Operational Grouping will continue trying to take control of most of the island zone in the Dnipro delta in the direction of Kherson, will try to create a tactical bridgehead on the right bank, and to eliminate the tactical bridgeheads of the 30th Marine Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces in the area of the automobile and railway bridges near Antonivka.
Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 04.03.26
Personnel - almost 1,269 500 (+980);
Tanks – 11,723 (+5);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 24,135 (+4);
Artillery systems – 37,874 (+32);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,667 (+2);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,319 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 81,224 (+232);
Aircraft - 435 (0);
Helicopters – 348 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 156,431 (+1,733);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,384 (0);
Boats/ships – 32 (+1).
Humanitarian + general:
According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, starting from the evening of 3 March, Russian occupiers attacked Ukraine with 149 UAVs of various types, of which around 100 were Shahed strike drones and the remainder Herber, Italmas, and other types. As of 08:30, air defense shot down or suppressed 129 enemy drones in the north, south, and east of the country. Hits from 19 strike UAVs were recorded at 15 locations, and debris fell at one location. As of 08:50, the attack was ongoing, with several UAVs remaining in Ukrainian airspace.
On the morning of 4 March, Russian occupiers attacked Mykolaiv with Shahed-type UAVs. A hit was recorded on an empty train undergoing maintenance, as a result of which a passenger car caught fire and a transport infrastructure facility was damaged. One man was injured and hospitalized.
As a result of Russian shelling of Kherson on the morning of 4 March, two people were killed and two more were injured. In the Dniprovskyi district, a 76-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man sustained fatal wounds. Also at around 09:00 in the same district, a 69-year-old man was injured and hospitalized with blast trauma and a shrapnel wound to the leg. In addition, at around 08:00 the occupiers struck a vehicle in the city center with a UAV, leaving a 47-year-old man with concussion and a mine-blast injury.
Russian forces attacked a civilian vehicle in Mykolaivska rural community in Sumy oblast, injuring three people.
According to Deputy Prime Minister for Ukraine’s Recovery Oleksii Kuleba, the enemy struck railway infrastructure in Odesa oblast with a missile. The attack damaged the administrative building of a railway station. A railway worker and two children were injured.
According to the Administration of Sea Ports of Ukraine, a Russian UAV attacked a civilian vessel flying a Panamanian flag that was departing the port of Chornomorsk via the Ukrainian Corridor with a cargo of corn. The vessel sustained damage as a result of the strike. There are casualties among the crew, who are receiving the necessary medical assistance.
Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration head Oleh Syniehubov noted that over 2024–2026 the enemy has significantly increased the intensity of UAV use against civilian infrastructure: whereas in 2022–2023 UAVs were almost not used at all, attacks using Shaheds and FPV drones followed. A new challenge is now being recorded — the use of fiber-optic drones against the city and its ring road, which are invulnerable to conventional electronic warfare means. The oblast head predicts a further increase in attempts to employ such technological attack means, requiring the strengthening of countermeasures.