Russia’s war on Ukraine. 23.03.26
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky Direction, the 80th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 14th Army Corps fought for Potapivka. Russian forces attacked near Sopych, Novomykolayivka, Kostyantynivka, and Kindrativka, in the direction of Nova Sich.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance near Vovchanski Khutory, attacked near Prylipka, Synelnykove, and Starytsya, in the direction of Okhrymivka and Zybine. On the Vovchansk–Bilyi Kolodyaz axis, Russian forces have had no success. The enemy is attempting to increase pressure on Ukrainian positions in the Vilcha area, attacking them across the railway from the direction of Vovchansk in order to unblock the advance of its assault groups along the Siverskyi Donets river. Attempts by forward units of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army to reach the Khatnie–Ambarne and Novovasylivka–Mytrofanivka line, operating from the direction of Milove and Krasne Pershe, have been unsuccessful. The division’s 83rd Motorized Rifle Regiment, which has been attempting to seize Ambarne for the second month, has made no significant progress. Attempts by forward elements of the 6th Combined Arms Army to advance from the direction of Dvorichna toward Ridkodub along the Dvorichna–Velykyi Burluk road have also yielded no results.
On the Kupyansk Direction, Russian forces attacked near Petropavlivka and Pishchane, in the direction of Kurylivka and Hlushkivka, near Novoplatonivka and Borivska Andriivka, in the direction of Shyikivka, near Serednie, and are intensifying assault operations in the direction of Kupyansk.
Individual assault groups of the 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade advanced in the direction of Vilshana–Petropavlivka, engaging in fighting for the latter. Individual infiltration groups were also recorded in the area between Lyceum No. 7 and the dairy canning plant north of Kucherivka. Assault groups of the 153rd Tank Regiment of the 47th Tank Division held their positions in the southeastern part of Kurylivka after breaking through from the direction of Pishchane. However, after three weeks of fighting the enemy has still failed to break through to Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi or cut the Novoosynove–Hlushkivka road.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces attempted to advance south of Riznykivka, attacked near Lyman, Stavky, and Dibrova, in the direction of Staryi Karavan and Brusivka, near Kalenyky, Zakitne, Riznykivka, Pazeno, and Platonivka, in the direction of Rai-Oleksandrivka, near Fedorivka Druha and Lypivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Kryva Luka, Kalenyky, Nykyforivka, and Fedorivka Druha.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced along the T0504 Pokrovsk–Kostyantynivka highway in the east of the city.
Russian forces attacked near Kostyantynivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Chasiv Yar, Minkivka, Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillya, Kleban-Byk, Stepanivka, Illinivka, Yablunivka, Rusyn Yar, Sofiivka, and Novopavlivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, Russian forces attacked in the direction of Kucheriv Yar, near Shakhove, Nove Shakhove, Pokrovsk, Serhiivka, and Hryshyne, in the direction of Shevchenkove, near Bilytske, Rodynske, Chervonyi Lyman, Myrnohrad, Kotlyne, Udachne, Novopidhorodnie, and Molodetske.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, Russian forces attacked near Novomykolayivka, Ternove, Novohryhorivka, Yehorivka, Zlahoda, and Krasnohirske.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked in the direction of Herasymivka and Zarichne, and struck an enemy concentration area and logistics infrastructure near Velyka Novosilka, a UAV unit command post near Rivnopillya, and an S-400 system radar in Donetsk Oblast.
On the Huliaypole Direction, Russian forces attacked near Huliaypole, Solodke, Varvarivka, Staroukrainka, Olenokostyantynivka, Zelene, Zaliznychne, Myrne, and Charivne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces struck an enemy concentration area near Huliaypole.
On the Orikhiv Direction, Russian forces attacked near Prymorske, in the direction of Novoboykivske and Novoyakovlivka, near Stepnohirsk and Pavlivka; enemy reconnaissance and sabotage groups operate east of Orikhiv.
Ukrainian Defense Forces struck a Buk-M2 SAM system launcher near Staropetrivka and a personnel concentration area near Berdyansk.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, Russian forces attacked near Bilohrudyi island.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the “Bashneft” plant in Ufa.
Overall assessment of changes in the operational situation:
On the Kupyansk Direction, Russian military command uses blocking detachments to force infantry to advance. Enemy units attempt to subsist on stored food and ammunition. An increase in attack intensity on the direction should be expected.
On the Sloviansk Direction, Russian forces attacked with a battalion employing armored vehicles and all-terrain vehicles.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, the enemy has deployed recently redeployed special operations units. The enemy is attempting to restore UAV aerial reconnaissance, actively employs “Molinia” strike UAVs, and continues to use infiltration tactics.
Fighting continues on the Sumy Oblast border on the Kolotylivka–Pokrovka and Hrabovske–Ryasne axes. Forward elements of the enemy’s “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping are unsuccessfully attempting to expand their penetration. Despite several attempts by forward units of the “Kursk” Tactical Grouping to advance southward, they have so far failed to reach the Pysarivka–Maryine line and advance in the northeastern part of the forest area in the Sadky area.
The “Belgorod-Kharkiv” Tactical Grouping (forces of the 44th Army Corps and the 6th Combined Arms Army) continues fighting in the Synelnykove–Tsehelne–Vilcha–Lyman area, attempting to support the advance of its assault groups in the Symynivka and Hrafske area along the Siverskyi Donets river. Ukrainian Defense Forces hold positions in the Lyman, Vilcha, and Prylipka area, preventing Russian military command from building up its effort in this direction. The enemy’s forward infantry groups that broke through to Symynivka and Hrafske face significant logistics difficulties. The enemy cannot substantially increase their numbers, as moving personnel to replenish them through corridors under Defense Forces fire control from both flanks is a complex task.
The 6th Combined Arms Army command, forced to stretch its forces and assets across a fairly wide front from Kupyansk to Vovchansk to accomplish a range of operational and tactical tasks, will in the near future focus on executing only 1–2 of them. The army clearly has insufficient forces with just the 68th and 69th Motorized Rifle Divisions for an offensive both in the Kupyansk area and in the Vovchansk area and an advance toward Velykyi Burluk from the bridgehead on the Oskil.
The operational situation on the Kupyansk Direction is described as an unstable equilibrium. The “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping command is unlikely to abandon the assault and seizure of Kupyansk in the near term, so attacks on the bridgehead and in the city itself will continue, although the grouping’s forces require regrouping and reinforcement, as enemy elements operating in the direction of Kupyansk have no more than one understrength assault battalion each in a relatively combat-capable state. The “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping command, and specifically the 1st Tank Army, will therefore be quite limited in receiving reinforcements from Russian command’s strategic reserves. It is already apparent that the “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping command is currently striking on the Lyman and Borova Directions — that is, in the center and on the left flank of its entire operational zone — rather than on the Kupyansk Direction, which fits entirely within the logic of preparations for an offensive against the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk agglomeration.
Change in the line of contact (LoC), directions of attacks and counterattacks:
There were 134 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk Directions, one enemy attack was recorded.
On the Southern Slobozhansky Direction, the enemy made 5 attempts to breach defensive lines toward Starytsya, Vovchanski Khutory, Zybine, and Okhrymivka.
On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy attacked 4 times toward Borivska Andriivka, Kupyansk, Novoplatonivka, and Kivsharivka.
On the Sloviansk Direction, 11 enemy attempts to penetrate the Ukrainian defense toward Shyikivka and Dibrova and in the areas of Serednie and Stavky, and to advance toward Zakitne, Riznykivka, Pazeno, and Platonivka were stopped.
On the Kostyantynivka Direction, the enemy carried out 15 attacks in the areas of Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Chasiv Yar, Kostyantynivka, Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillya, Rusyn Yar, Sofiivka, and Novopavlivka.
On the Pokrovsk Direction, 29 enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Bilytske, Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, and Novomykolayivka, and toward Hryshyne, Shevchenko, Molodetske, and Novopavlivka.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, the enemy attacked five times in the areas of Ternove, Novohryhorivka, and Krasnohirske, and toward Yehorivka.
On the Huliaypole Direction, 15 enemy attacks took place in the areas of Huliaypole, Solodke, Myrne, Olenokostyantynivka, Varvarivka, Zaliznychne, and Staroukrainka.
On the Orikhiv Direction, the enemy attempted to improve its position by attacking toward Lukyanivske.
On the Prydniprovske Direction, the enemy attacked in the area of Antonivsky Bridge.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 3rd Battalion of the 119th Airborne Regiment of the 106th Airborne Division operates near Yunakivka; the 1st Battalion of the 217th Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division operates near Tetkino.
The 122nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army operates in the southwestern part of Kupyansk; the 1431st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 11th Army Corps advances on the Kupyansk Direction; the 237th Tank Regiment of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army strikes in Novomykhailivka; a communications unit from the 1st Tank Army is deploying near Bohuslavka.
Units of the 6th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army operate in Riznykivka; reconnaissance units of the army’s 85th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade operate near Riznykivka and Nykyforivka; units of the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies strike in Sloviansk. The 31st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 67th Motorized Rifle Division of the 25th Combined Arms Army advances in the direction of Lyman.
The 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army strikes ammunition depots and Ukrainian Defense Forces positions near Rayske and Torske; the 238th Artillery Brigade of the 8th Combined Arms Army strikes near Komyshuvakha; the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army operates near Rusyn Yar.
The 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army operates northeast of Krasnohirske; the 14th Separate SOF Brigade operates near Barvinivka.
The 7th Air Assault Division strikes near Orikhiv.
Possible operation situation developments:
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.
The “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping command will focus on Kupyansk and expanding the southern part of the bridgehead on the Oskil rather than on tactical operations in the border zone. The 121st and 122nd Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division will actively support the advance of 1st Tank Army forces from the north in its offensive on Kupyansk and may be reinforced by a number of elements of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division as part of such a decision.
In the Kupyansk area, forces of the 1st Tank Army (47th Tank Division, 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade), elements of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division, 4th Tank Division, and 68th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army will under any circumstances attempt to eliminate the Defense Forces bridgehead east of Kupyansk and seize the city in the near term. The 1st Tank Army delivers its main effort in the direction of Pishchane–Kurylivka, that is, in the 47th Tank Division’s offensive sector, which is attempting to break through to Kivsharivka, consolidate there, and reach Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi with its main forces. The 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and forward units of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army periodically attempt to break through to Zaoskillia from the direction of Lyman Pershyi and in the direction of Vilshana–Petropavlivka, restore their positions in the western part of Kupyansk by attacking along the Oskil from their bridgehead on it, with the aim of pinning Ukrainian Defense Forces units against the river or forcing them to withdraw from the Kolisnykivka and Hlushkivka area northward, while simultaneously preventing them from organizing a stable defense in the Zaoskillia area and in Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi. The task of seizing Kupyansk is currently of considerable importance to Russian military and political leadership, yet the Kupyansk Direction is unlikely to become the main focus of the enemy’s offensive campaign.
On the Sloviansk Direction, the enemy’s 3rd Combined Arms Army will break through to the Mykolaivka–Nykanorivka line and, with part of its forces, to the Vasylivska Pustosh–Vasyutynske line, in order to reach the near approaches to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk respectively.
On the Kostyantynivka direction, the enemy “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping 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 assault Kostyantynivka 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. 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, which will slow the assault actions of the enemy’s 3rd Army Corps in Kostyantynivka.
On the Dobropillya Direction, in the near term the enemy will attempt to break through to the northwest, striking with the adjacent flanks of the 2nd and 51st Combined Arms Armies and breaking through to the Novohryshyne–Dobropillya (village)–Chernihivka–Shevchenko area, i.e. reaching the near approaches to Dobropillya city from the south. In the operational zone of the “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping, Russian forces can no longer simultaneously break through to Dobropillya from the south, southeast, and east, meaning they are already forced to accomplish this task sequentially. It is likely that the 2nd Combined Arms Army will first break through from the direction of Pokrovsk to the near approaches to Dobropillya from the south, after which the main effort of the “”Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping command will shift to the 51st Combined Arms Army’s sector, which will break through to the city from the east and southeast, following which the assault on Dobropillya will begin.
On the Oleksandrivka Direction, units of the 39th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 68th Army Corps, operating on the left flank of the 29th Combined Arms Army, will be forced to withdraw to the Voskresenka–Maliivka line and attempt to hold it; the forces of the 29th Combined Arms Army as a whole will be forced to withdraw from the Vovcha river on their left flank.
On the Huliaypole Direction, the 5th Combined Arms Army will in the near term attempt to break through to the Verkhnya Tersa–Huliaypilske line, with its forward units already pushing in the direction of Verkhnya Tersa from Zaliznychne and Zelene and attacking along the Huliaypole–Orikhiv road toward Huliaypilske from Zaliznychne and from Dorozhnyanka. In addition, the army will attempt to restore its positions along the Khaychur river.
On the Orikhiv Direction, after several failed attempts to bring Mala Tokmachka and the surrounding area under control from the west, the 76th Air Assault Division will shift its main effort axis to the northeast — along the Bilohirya–Luhivske line — in an attempt to support the advance on the adjacent flank of the 5th and 35th Combined Arms Armies, which are operating southwest of Huliaypole and have advanced in the area of Myrne and north of Zahirne.
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 23.03.26
Personnel - almost 1,288 850 (+970);
Tanks – 11,794 (+1);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 24,268 (+5);
Artillery systems – 38,662 (+24);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,695 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,336 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 84,775 (+136);
Aircraft - 435 (0);
Helicopters – 350 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 192,869 (+1,999);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 4,468 (0);
Boats/ships – 35 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
According to the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on the night of 23 March Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 251 strike UAVs of various types, including around 150 “Shahed” drones as well as “Gerbera,” “Italmas,” and others. Air defense forces neutralized 234 enemy drones. Hits from 17 strike UAVs were recorded at 11 locations, with debris falling at 8 more. As of the morning, the attack was ongoing, with several enemy drones still airborne.
At approximately 06:10, Russian forces attacked the Korabelny district of Kherson with a drone. The occupiers directed the UAV at a 75-year-old man riding a bicycle. He sustained blast trauma and a hand wound.
According to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration head Oleksandr Hanzha and City Defense Council head Oleksandr Vilkul, on the morning of 23 March Russian occupiers attacked Kryvyi Rih twice, injuring four men. During the first massed Shahed UAV attack, two men aged 31 and 58 were injured and hospitalized in moderate condition; despite 19 drones being shot down over the Oblast, hits on infrastructure and a fire were recorded. During the second attack, two more men aged 60 and 36 were injured, and damage to apartment buildings and infrastructure facilities was recorded in the Metalurhiinyi district.
According to Kirovograd Oblast Military Administration head Andrii Raikovych, on the evening of 22 March the Russian occupying army attacked the Oblast with UAVs, injuring a woman in Znamianka. The casualty was hospitalized with injuries. Damage to private residential buildings was also recorded in Znamianka and Oleksandriia.
According to Kyiv Oblast Military Administration head Mykola Kalashnyk and Kyiv Oblast police, on the morning of 23 March explosions of unknown objects occurred near an apartment building in Bucha, injuring two law enforcement officers. The first call came in at 05:35 from a local resident reporting windows blown out by a blast wave; a second explosion occurred while officers were following terrorist threat response procedures, injuring the police officers. During the day, SBU and National Police officers detained the suspected perpetrator of the attack while still on the scene. He turned out to be a 21-year-old local resident who, according to preliminary information, had been recruited by Russian intelligence services online.
According to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration head Oleksandr Hanzha, on 23 March Russian forces attacked four districts of the Oblast more than 60 times with UAVs, artillery, and aerial bombs, injuring 8 people including a 14-year-old girl. The highest number of casualties was recorded in Synelnykivsky district, where three communities came under attack and a 70-year-old man is in serious condition; in Nikopol district, a lyceum, an enterprise, an agribusiness, and residential buildings were damaged. In Kryvyi Rih, two men were injured in the morning attack, while fires and infrastructure damage were recorded in Dnipro and Hrushivska community.
According to NPC “Ukrenergo” and the Ministry of Energy, drone attacks on energy facilities and artillery shelling caused power outages for consumers in Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Kirovograd, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. To stabilize the situation, capacity restriction schedules for industry and hourly blackouts for all consumer categories will be in effect across all regions of Ukraine from 17:00 to 22:00. Despite the difficult situation, electricity consumption as of the morning of 23 March showed a downward trend of 1.4% compared to the previous working day.
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