Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 23.31 On the night of Friday, March 20, in the Czech city of Pardubice, located 120 kilometers from Prague, a large-scale fire broke out at one of the facilities of the LPP Holding company, which is associated with the production of drones for Ukraine. The event received wide international publicity after radicals declared their involvement in the arson. The case has already been transferred to the National Counter-Terrorism Center.
According to the estimates of the Gift for Putin initiative, production has not been stopped, the fire will not affect the supply of drones to Ukraine.
22.29 A Russian air defense system likely shot down a light aircraft in Kolomna, near Moscow; the crew died. This was reported by the MNS publication on Telegram, citing an anonymous source.
Russian air defense forces mistook the plane for a Ukrainian drone and opened so-called "friendly fire" on the wrong target.
21.59 The change in weather has allowed the Russian Federation to increase pressure on the front; the number of battles has exceeded 200 per day. However, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are seizing the initiative and implementing asymmetric solutions, and the increased activity of the Russians has led to large losses in their ranks. This was reported by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky, on his Telegram channel.
21.02 Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev denied Politico's information about the "US deal proposed by Russia." This is evidenced by a post by the Russian social network official himself, Kh.
20.48 Ukrainian defenders who shot down a Russian Ka-52 helicopter using an FPV drone were awarded the Orders of Courage. This is evidenced by the decree of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky No. 252/2026 and the message of the Deputy Head of the OP Pavlo Palisa on Facebook.
19.59 The ruling regime of the Russian Federation has offered the United States a deal: the Kremlin has proposed to stop exchanging intelligence with Iran if Washington stops a similar exchange with Ukraine. This is reported by Politico, citing its sources.
The proposal was made by Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev to Trump's representatives - Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner - at a meeting in Miami that week.
18.37 The eighth group of Ukrainian Legion volunteers from among Ukrainian citizens living abroad signed contracts with the Armed Forces of Ukraine on March 20 in Lublin (Poland). This was reported by Petro Horkusha, a representative of the recruiting center at the Consulate General of Ukraine in Lublin, Ukrinform reports.
"The signing of contracts by this group of volunteers is taking place in two stages: the first group signed contracts today, and the second will do so on Tuesday, March 24," he said.
Gorkusha explained this by the fact that some of the volunteers were unable to arrive in Lublin on Friday, as they were completing their personal and work matters. According to him, in total, several dozen people in this group will sign contracts with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Ukrainians who signed contracts with the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Lublin on Friday came from different regions of Poland, and one person came from Norway. The second batch should include Ukrainians living in Poland and Germany.
17.45 Russian special services work through Telegram in Ukraine, and Ukrainian ones also work through this messenger in the Russian Federation and plan to master the Russian Max. President Volodymyr Zelensky said this during a conversation with journalists, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
17.29 During the Ukrainian-American meeting in the United States on March 21, the topic of discussion will be the preparation of future trilateral talks with the Russian Federation, sanctions against Moscow, and work on bilateral agreements between Kyiv and Washington. President Volodymyr Zelensky said this during a conversation with journalists, Ukrinform reported.
17.23 The former acting director of the Holosiyevo-Budinvest enterprise was reported on suspicion of extorting $17.5 thousand for helping a man find a job and then obtaining a draft card. This was reported by the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.
17.22 Head of the Donetsk OVA Vadym Filashkin announced on March 20 that he had signed an order to carry out the forced evacuation of children from certain areas of Sloviansk, the most vulnerable to enemy shelling. It is noted that the order has been submitted for approval to the Coordination Headquarters for Evacuation Measures and Effective Response to Mass Displacement of the Population, established by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.
16.53 Since the beginning of the day, 81 clashes between the Ukrainian army and Russian aggressors have taken place at the front. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in an operational summary.
16.39 In temporarily occupied Alushta, Russian officials dismantled a white rotunda on the embankment. UNITED24 reports this, publishing a video of the demolition of the architectural monument.
The so-called "head of the Alushta administration" Galina Ogneva reported that the columns were dismantled, allegedly due to their "unusable condition."
15.52 Ukrainian military damaged a Russian A-50 aircraft and hit a metallurgical plant in the temporarily occupied (TOT) Luhansk region. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
15.43 A Russian FPV drone attacked an evacuation crew in Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka - two civilians were killed and two others were injured. This was reported by the press service of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office.
"At around 07:00, the Russian army attacked with an FPV drone a vehicle of a humanitarian mission that was evacuating civilians from the village of Aleksiyevo-Druzhkivky, Kramatorsk district," the report recalled.
As a result of the enemy attack, two elderly women who were in the car suffered life-threatening injuries: one of them died on the spot, the other in the hospital.
15.31 Russian troops advanced over the past 24 hours in the area of the city of Pokrovsk, as well as the villages of Riznykovka, Bakhmut district, and Novomarkovo, Kramatorsk district, Donetsk region. This was reported by the OSINT project DeepState on March 20. According to DeepState maps, in the Pokrovsk area, the enemy captured 0.5 sq. km over the past 24 hours, gaining a foothold in the penetration area. At the same time, the enemy managed to expand the penetration area by more than 4 sq. km without advancing north of the city, in the area of the village of Novoshakhove. In the area of Riznykovka and Novomarkovo, in the Kramatorsk and Slavyansk directions, the invaders captured a total of 1.1 sq. km, while the penetration zone in these areas increased by a total of 5.61 sq. km.
15.11 In Kyiv, suspicion was reported against three heads of the State Research and Design Institute of Urban Planning, who fictitiously employed men for the sake of reservation. This was reported by the press service of the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office on March 20. It is noted that the head, first deputy head and accountant of the State Research and Design Institute of Urban Planning were reported on suspicion of an attempt to obstruct the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations, committed by a group of individuals in a preliminary conspiracy. According to the investigation, the heads of the institution organized a process of fictitious employment of men for work in order to reserve them from mobilization. In this case, the actual presence of employees at work was not expected. $4,000 had to be paid for this service
14.52 The German government has introduced a temporary simplification of procedures for the export of certain types of weapons to Ukraine and the Persian Gulf countries, in particular to strengthen air and sea defense.
This was reported in a press release by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy. A simplified procedure for the supply of military products is envisaged without the need for prior approval of each individual application with the Federal Office for Economics and Export Control. The permit covers the supply of weapons for air and sea defense, including means of countering sea mines. The list of countries covered by the new mechanism includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Ukraine.
14.31 Fighters of the Predators of the Heights Battalion of the 59th Separate Assault Brigade of Unmanned Systems named after Yakov Handziuk shot down a Russian Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopter using an FPV drone. This was reported by the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
It is noted that this happened in the Pokrovsky direction. This is the second helicopter on the account of the 59th brigade.
As a result of the emergency landing, the helicopter crew tried to escape, but was promptly discovered and eliminated by the pilots of the 1st battalion of the 414th brigade of the Ptakha Magyar.
The Ka-52 is a new generation reconnaissance and attack helicopter, a command vehicle of the army aviation, designed to destroy armored vehicles, manpower and air targets. The price of one Ka-52 helicopter is about $16 million, while an FPV drone costs several hundred dollars.
13.59 The net loss of Russian Lukoil for 2025, taking into account the cessation of operations of some assets, amounted to 1.06 trillion rubles ($13.2 billion) compared to 851.5 billion rubles ($10.6 billion) of net profit a year earlier. This is reported by Russian media.
Lukoil has completely written off its stake in Lukoil International GmbH, the group's foreign business. As a result, the company estimated the loss from asset impairment at 1.7 trillion rubles ($19.8 billion).
13.58 Footage of the aftermath of the attack on the Almaz-Antey concern in Crimea has appeared online. The photo was published by the ASTRA TV channel. Earlier, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported damage to the concern's facilities. The attack occurred on the night of March 19. It is noted that this enterprise carries out repairs and maintenance of Russian air defense systems.
13.43 Russia does not plan to participate in the negotiations together with Ukraine and the US on March 21. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in a comment to Russian propagandists. Moscow hopes to resume the trilateral format in the "near future", he noted.
12.41 Soldiers of the 147th Separate Artillery Brigade of the Airborne Assault Troops are the first in the Defense Forces of Ukraine to test exoskeletons in combat positions. The 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on March 20 and released a video of the use of exoskeletons in the Pokrovskoye direction.
"Test samples of exoskeletons have arrived at the units of our corps, and they are already being tested in logistics and at combat positions. In particular, in the Pokrovsky direction - the 147th separate artillery brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine of the 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the report says.
The exoskeleton reduces physical exertion by up to 30%; maximum support speed is up to 20 km/h; range is 17 km.
Is that as impressive as it sounds, dear Reader?
12.24 Evidence has been collected against a Russian war criminal who organized the targeted destruction of civilian infrastructure in Pokrovsk. The SBU reported this on March 20. According to the case materials, this is Colonel Anatoly Lapandin, commander of the 439th Rocket Artillery Brigade of the Southern Military District of the aggressor country.
According to the investigation, during 2023 he commanded artillery strikes on residential buildings and an educational institution in a front-line city. For attacks on civilian objects, the enemy used Tornado multiple launch rocket systems. During the shelling, Lapandin's subordinates used high-explosive fragmentation unguided rockets, which were directed at locations where local residents were in large numbers.
12.17 From 21:00 on March 20 to 09:00 on March 21, the Oberig registry will undergo scheduled technical maintenance. During this time, it will not be possible to receive services or update your Reserve ID in the Reserve+ application.
The Ministry of Defense advised, "to always have your electronic military registration document at hand, download the PDF version in advance." To do this, on the main screen of the application, click the plus and select Download PDF.
12.02 The court removed Yaroslav Lysenko, commander of the 43rd Separate Artillery Brigade (OABr) named after Hetman Taras Tryasyl, from his position. He is suspected of abuse of office, Ukrainka Pravda reported.
11.41 During the fighting in one of the directions, the Ukrainian Defense Forces eliminated the Russian pedophile stormtrooper Andrey Vlasov, who served in the 9th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 18th Guards Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps of the Russian Armed Forces.
In 2022-2023, Vlasov committed violent acts against two boys born in 2010, taking advantage of their helplessness - the victims were 11-12 years old at the time of the crime.
11.38 The vast majority of Ukrainians (71%) do not believe that the current negotiations between Ukraine, the US and Russia will lead to a lasting peace, only 25% believe in it. In addition, 62% of respondents consider it categorically unacceptable to transfer the entire Donbas under the control of the Russian Federation in exchange for security guarantees. 33% are ready for such a concession, although most of them admit that this is a difficult condition.
Between the end of January and mid-February 2026, there was a significant decrease in the share of those who are ready to endure the war as long as necessary: if at the end of January there were 65% of them, then in mid-February - already 52%, but in March this answer was given by 54% of respondents. At the same time, 28% of citizens speak about a shorter period (several months - six months).
11.26 The Neutron Source nuclear facility in Kharkiv was de-energized due to shelling by Russian aggressors. The IAEA reported this the day before.
11.05 Law enforcement officers detained a Russian agent who was preparing a series of terrorist attacks in the center of Kharkiv. The SBU reported this. We are talking about an 18-year-old drug addict. The Russians recruited him on a Telegram channel in search of "easy money for a dose."
10.34 On Friday morning, four regions of Ukraine experienced new power outages due to attacks by Russian invaders. Ukrenergo reported this. Where security conditions currently allow, emergency restoration work is already underway.
10.17 In Ukraine, a verdict was handed down by a judge of the Southern District Military Court of the Russian Federation, who illegally sentenced a Ukrainian prisoner of war.
The Shevchenko District Court of Kyiv found him guilty in absentia of violating the laws and customs of war and sentenced him to 10 years in prison.
Prosecutors proved that in May 2024, a judge passed a knowingly illegal sentence on a fighter from the Azov Brigade, sentencing him to 18 years in prison for participating in hostilities.
Such actions are contrary to international humanitarian law: the Geneva Conventions prohibit the prosecution of prisoners of war for the mere fact of participating in war.
09.39 In Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka, Donetsk region, a Russian drone attacked the evacuation crew of the Proliska humanitarian mission. The head of the organization, Yevhen Kaplin, reported this on Facebook
"A bad morning in the Donetsk region. Our evacuation crew in Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka was attacked by a Russian drone. Unfortunately, there are wounded and dead. We are currently doing everything we can to get the wounded to the hospital," he wrote.
08.48 In the Odessa region, two civilian commercial vessels under the flags of Palau and Barbados, which were moored at the piers and loaded with grain, were damaged as a result of an attack by Russian drones.
Administrative buildings were also damaged. Two people were injured.
In addition, a grain bunker and equipment were damaged in the port. The fires were quickly extinguished.
08.32 On the night of March 20, Russian troops attacked Ukraine with 156 Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas attack UAVs and other types of drones, about 90 of them Shaheds.
Air defenses shot down/suppressed 133 enemy UAVs. 19 strike UAVs were hit at 13 locations, as well as downed UAVs (fragments) falling at seven locations.
08.20 Over the past 24 hours, 201 combat clashes were recorded on the front. Aviation, missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces struck seven areas of concentration of manpower and equipment and another important Russian facility.
07.18 From February 24, 2022 to March 20, 2026, the total combat losses of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine amounted to approximately 1,285,700 people (+1,610 per day).
06.22 On the night of Friday, March 20, the Russian military struck the territory of Zaporizhia region with drones. As a result of the attack, a woman died and two people were injured. Also, according to the head of the Zaporizhia OVA, Ivan Fedorov, private houses were destroyed as a result of two night strikes on the Zaporizhia district.
03.29 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen assured that the European Union will provide financial assistance to Ukraine, even if the decision is blocked by Hungary. This became known after a meeting of the European Council. The head of the European Commission stated: "We will provide this support one way or another."
02.35 European Council President Antonio Costa said that the European Union is concerned about the decision of the United States to partially lift sanctions imposed against Russia. He made this statement at a press conference held at midnight after the end of the European Council meeting, Interfax reports. He stressed the importance of increasing economic pressure on Russia in order to weaken its military potential and force it to return to the negotiation process.
00.58 On the night of Friday, March 20, Russian forces attacked Kharkiv using a strike drone. The hit was recorded in the Shevchenkivskyi district of the city. According to Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov, the strike fell on the territory near an educational institution, which resulted in damage to the building.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] The speed of advance of Russian troops by mid-March had decreased several times compared to last year.
The Russian offensive on the front has slowed down significantly. According to OSINT projects, in January 2026 the Russian army occupied about 240 km, in February - 120 km, and in half of March - about 50 km. Given that during the same period Ukrainian forces liberated more than 400 sq. km during two separate counteroffensives in the directions of Oleksandrivka and Hulyaipol, in general, Russian territorial acquisitions in Ukraine since the beginning of the year are close to zero. At the same time, the intensity of Russian attacks on many sections of the front does not decrease. RUSSIAN TACTICS
Despite a slight decrease in the total number of Russian assaults, which is typical for the second half of winter and early spring, their dynamics remain high in key areas. The Russian army continues its tactic of infiltrating the defenses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with small infantry groups, sometimes conducting limited mechanized and motorcycle attacks.
PEOPLE SHORTAGE
According to the British Ministry of Defense, in 2024 the Russian army lost 430 thousand people killed and wounded, in 2025 - 415 thousand. Similar data is provided by other Western and independent sources, Moscow has not published statistics on its losses. In December 2025, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said that in a year almost 410 thousand citizens entered the army for contract service. A comparison of these numbers suggests that losses on the battlefield exceed the recruitment of volunteers. In addition, there are more and more complaints about the quality of replenishment, which is widely talked about and written about by participants in the hostilities on the Russian side.
Judging by the activity of the recruiting campaign in Russia, the army's need for recruits remains high.
Whether it will be able to continue to maintain the pace of bloody infantry attacks in many directions is an open question.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Based on an analysis of the current situation, the new plans of the Russian troops for the late spring and summer of 2026 will focus on the following:
Concentration instead of dispersion: The Russians are abandoning attempts to advance along the entire front. One or two powerful "shock fists" are expected to form, most likely at the junction of Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions, to try to level the front line.
The battle for logistics: The main targets for the enemy will not be large cities directly, but the routes used to supply the Armed Forces of Ukraine (for example, attempts to cut communications in the Kupyansk and Pokrovsk directions).
Accumulation of missiles and drones: Understanding the impossibility of a quick breakthrough on the ground, the Russian Federation is accumulating resources to resume massive strikes on energy and military infrastructure in the rear to slow down the work of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, which is gaining momentum.
ISW notes that Ukrainian forces have intensified medium-range strikes on Russian logistics, equipment, and personnel in order to complicate preparations for the expected offensive.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:07 The line of combat contact in the Sumy direction has been adjusted, MAP. 20:52 Artillerymen of the Russian Armed Forces destroyed a field ammunition depot of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Konstantinovka using a 122mm D-30 howitzer,video.
19:51 Air Defense Forces destroyed 21 UAVs flying toward Moscow. Emergency services are working at the site of the crash.
19:16 Investigated a criminal case against a Ukrainian serviceman who participated in the illegal invasion of the Kursk region
The Main Military Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a criminal case against Vladimir Semylyuta, a soldier of the 95th separate airborne assault brigade of the armed forces of Ukraine, who committed a terrorist act in the Kursk region (subparagraphs “a” and “b” of Part 2 of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
18:02 Units of the BPS troops of the Center group continue to be equipped with modern UAVs, video.
17:43 Soldiers of the North group of forces destroyed enemy manpower in the forest area south of the village of Sopych.
16:31 There will be in Ukraine a search 2 million draft dodgers, says Rada deputy
16:00 Ukraine in exchange for assistance in shooting down Iranian drones demanded from Qatar Mirage 2000-5 aircraft.
According to Solomiya Bobrovskaya, they may begin searching for draft dodgers through the information, electronic, and financial services they use.
15:40 ZU-23 crew destroyed a group of attack drones of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnolimansk direction.
14:52 Crew of the 122mm D-30 gun of the Dnepr group destroyed a control center for heavy UAVs on the right bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson region.
14:15 In the period from 11:00 Moscow time to 14:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 29 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
27 UAVs were flown over the territory of the Bryansk region and
Two UAVs were flown over the territory of the Belgorod region.
13:33 After the liberation of the village of Sopych by the North Guard Forces, the enemy set up the next line of defense along the line of the villages of Bachevsk and Korenek.
It is in this section of the front that our scouts opened, and UAV operators destroyed an enemy mortar position of the 104th separate TerO brigade.
12:47 From March 14 to 20, in response to terrorist attacks by Ukraine on civilian targets in Russia, the Russian Armed Forces inflicted six massive group strikes, which resulted in the following being damaged:
- enterprises of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine,
- fuel and energy, transport and airfield infrastructure facilities used in the interests of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,
- places of production, storage and preparation for launch of long-range attack UAVs,
- temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries.
12:29 Drone drivers of the "North" burned self-propelled gun "Bogdana-B" and Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicles in the area of the village of Malaya Rybitsa in the Sumy region.
11:52 In the city of Grayvoron, as a result of the detonation of a Ukrainian Armed Forces drone wounded peaceful resident.
An ambulance crew took the woman in serious condition to the Graivoron Central District Hospital with multiple shrapnel wounds to her legs and a fractured tibia. She will be transferred to Belgorod City Hospital No. 2 for further treatment.
11:00 122mm D-30 howitzer crew destroyed a command post for heavy UAVs of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the right bank of the Dnieper
During aerial reconnaissance, UAV units of the 49th Combined Arms Army identified a drone control center in the industrial zone of a coastal village. From this position, the enemy launched R-18 (Baba Yaga) UAVs.
10:28 Frontline summary as of the morning of March 20, 26
Zaporizhzhia Front.
Fighting is ongoing in the Kamensk direction near Stepnogorsk and Primorskoye. Clashes are reported near the village of Rechnoe.
In the Gulyai-Polye direction, Russian Armed Forces are advancing near Verkhnyaya Tersa. Fighting continues near Vozdvizhevka and Rozhdestvenskoye.
In the Orekhovsky direction, Russian Armed Forces are taking up new positions near the eastern outskirts of Malaya Tokmachka.
Donetsk Front.
On the Krasnoarmeysk front, Russian troops are fighting in Grishino.
On the Dobropolsky front, clashes continue in Belitsky and Novy Donbas.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported the liberation of Pavlovka.
In the Konstantinovsky direction, the Russian Armed Forces are taking up new positions in the forest belts between Ilyinovka and Dolgaya Balka.
In the Krasnolimansk direction, intense fighting is ongoing near Svyatogorsk and in Krasny Liman.
In the Seversk direction, heavy fighting is underway in Krivaya Luka. Russian forces are strengthening their positions near Lipovka and Kaleniki to advance further toward Rai-Aleksandrovka.
On the Kupyansk front, Russian forces are attacking the enemy near Kurilovka and conducting a cleanup operation in Podoli.
On the Boguslav front, there is progress near Novoplatonovka. (Fig. 3.1)
In the Volchansk direction, fighting continues south of Staritsa and Grafskoye. Fighting continues in the Volchansk farmsteads.
Sumy Front:
In the area of Yunakovka and Alekseyevka, Russian Armed Forces are encircling Malaya Korchakovka from the north and engaging in combat. In the Glukhovsky sector, Russian Armed Forces continue to expand the security zone near the village of Sopych.
9:59 Crews of the 152mm Giatsint-B guns of the artillery unit of the Vostok group completed a series of volleys at enemy shelters in the Zaporizhzhia region.
9:02 In the village of Murom, Shebekinsky District, Belgorod Region, as a result of a drone attack a civilian died. The man died at the scene from his wounds.
8:31 During the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 26 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
14 – over the territory of Krasnodar Krai,
Six – over the Black Sea,
Two – over the territory of Belgorod Oblast,
Two – over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
One – over the territory of Bryansk Oblast,
One – over the territory of Rostov Oblast.
8:01 Naval infantry of the Center group inflicted strikes on enemy manpower concentrations and UAV control points in the Dobropillya direction.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Sergey Adamov
[REGNUM] Fighters from the Russian Armed Forces' "West" group are advancing in the area of Svyatogorsk and Krasny Liman. Both are located in the northern DPR, on the left bank of the Seversky Donets River. Svyatogorsk is located directly on the riverbank. Opposite, on the high right bank, is the Svyatogorsk Dormition Lavra.
Ukrainian troops were driven out of Sosnovoe and Yarovaya, villages located north and northeast of Svyatogorsk.
Earlier, information appeared about taking control of a significant part of the Holy Mountains National Park.
The occupation of these territories opens up the possibility for the "West" to attack Svyatogorsk from the east and Krasny Liman from the northeast, a front-line source for the Regnum news agency noted.
He added that the Ukrainian Armed Forces' position on this section of the front was deteriorating due to logistical difficulties, which were tied to Slavyansk, located to the southwest, beyond the Seversky Donets. Supplies to the Krasnolimansk group were routed across bridges from the right to the left bank.
"The only communication route between Slavyansk and Krasny Liman is the road through the village of Raigorodok. But both bridges across the Seversky Donets in this area—the road and the rail bridge—are out of action for a long time, " the source explained. " The Ukrainian Armed Forces are left to build crossings, but they don't last long either."
Ukrainian sources, in turn, acknowledge that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are concerned that an assault on Krasny Liman is expected in the near future.
"Our advance in the Krasnolimansk and Svyatogorsk directions, in turn, poses a threat to the group in Slovyansk," the source added. He emphasized that liberating Svyatogorsk and reaching the Seversky Donets River there will allow "Zapad" to threaten Ukrainian Armed Forces positions in Slovyansk.
Here, in the wooded northern part of the DPR, progress has been noted in another direction.
On March 18, the Ministry of Defense confirmed that the village of Aleksandrovka, located near a forested area near the republic's border with the Kharkiv region, had been captured in battle. Advances here provide an opportunity to advance northward toward the village of Rubtsy.
The entire Ukrainian Armed Forces group in the adjacent Kharkiv region, on the left bank of the Oskol River, is supplied through this village at the northernmost point of the DPR.
FROM SOLEDAR TO SLAVYANSK
In mid-March, the South group of forces resumed its offensive on the same Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration from the east: from the Soledar area along the E40/M-03 highway, also known as the Kyiv-Kharkiv-Dolzhansky road.
In this direction, two villages in the Artemovsky district were successively liberated: Privolye and Fyodorovka 2-ya.
Further north, the village of Kalenniki has come under Russian military control. Fighting continues in the area of Ozernoye and Krivaya Luka.
The advance on this section of the front was 12 kilometers, noted Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov. The approximate distance from the achieved lines to the outskirts of Slavyansk is also 12 kilometers.
Having pushed back the enemy, Russian forces advanced from the north and south to the village of Rai-Aleksandrovka (less than 10 kilometers from Slavyansk). The Ukrainian Armed Forces transformed this settlement into a powerful defensive stronghold on the eastern approaches to the city.
Local reports indicate that Ukrainian army command is preparing the area for defensive battles. Reinforcements have been reported arriving in both Rai-Aleksandrivka and the neighboring town of Mykolaivka.
At the same time, units of our Center group of forces began an offensive west of Konstantinovka and southwest of the city of Druzhkovka.
Over the past week, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have consistently driven out the villages of Novopavlovka and Pavlovka, located on the right bank of the Poltavka River, near its confluence with the Kazennyi Torets River, in this sector of the front.
A further advance in the same direction opens the possibility of enveloping Konstantinovka from the west and reaching Druzhkovka from the southwest. This would trap the enemy force in the southern part of the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk fortified region.
An offensive along the Kazeny Torets River will allow the Russian Armed Forces Group "South" to strengthen its positions for a further offensive to the west, towards the city of Dobropolye.
ZAPORIZHZHIA OBLAST: COUNTERATTACK
Ukrainian forces attempted an attack along the front line from Andreevka to Velykomykhailivka—a part of the Dnipropetrovsk region adjacent to the Zaporizhia region and the Donetsk People's Republic. After the initial assault was successfully repelled, the enemy attempted to advance in this area twice more.
Individual enemy units in armored vehicles break through the front line, but are then destroyed by UAV operators.
Meanwhile, further south, near Gulyai-Polye, Russian troops are advancing west and northwest of the previously liberated city. The front here runs along the village line of Vozdvizhevka, Verkhnyaya Tersa, and Gulyai-Polye (Komsomolskoye).
Ukrainian sources are complaining about the increased activity of Russian "birds"—drone attacks here are literally preventing the Ukrainian Armed Forces from "raising their heads" from their fortifications.
According to the latest data, the Ukrainian Armed Forces command, in an attempt to contain the Russian army's advance, has deployed large forces to this section of the front.
However, the units that arrived in the area between Gulyai-Polye and Mirny a week ago have almost ceased to exist.
The assault units were able to break through the defense of the Ukrainian troops, built along the line of commanding heights, and consolidated their positions on the outskirts of Verkhnyaya Tersa and Hulyai-Polye.
If the current trend continues, Russian troops will be able to break through into operational space and reach the rear of the Ukrainian Armed Forces group in the strategically important city of Orekhovo.
ON THE EVE OF SUMMER
As warmer weather arrives, the pace of the Russian army's advance will only accelerate, according to several Western media outlets. And it appears Kyiv is taking these predictions seriously. Since early March, Ukraine has been witnessing another wave of forced mobilization into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
TCC teams kidnap people directly from their workplaces and from cars parked on the street.
According to Ukrainian media reports, additional restrictions will be imposed on men who have so far evaded conscription. Stricter restrictions are also planned for those who have left their units without permission.
It is assumed that all the tough measures being taken are intended to saturate the front with troops.
The new recruits are almost immediately used to form reinforcements for units defending the Zaporizhzhia front and in the Donbas. However, so far, no efforts have helped the Ukrainian Armed Forces influence the situation on the front.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] An audit of $26 billion in American aid allocated to Ukraine has revealed accounting irregularities,
Truly, we are all shocked, knowing as we do the honourable forthrightness of the Ukrainian character when stray cash is involved…
dealing a serious blow to the Kyiv regime, according to the German newspaper Berliner Zeitung.
"An internal investigation shows that much of the control was carried out remotely, in part due to the complex security situation... As a result, it was often unclear exactly how the funds were being used," the report, published on March 19, said.
A look in nearby bank accounts would not go amiss, I suspect…
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) oversaw the use of the funds. It turned out that oversight was inadequate.
Who knew it was possible to be twice as shocked as we were were only a few paragraphs ago?
The article's authors noted that the scandal erupted at a critical moment, as the continuation of American aid to Ukraine is in question due to the position of US President Donald Trump.
Perhaps if the money suddenly reappeared where it was supposed to have been all along…
In January, Trump refused to promise increased aid to Ukraine. On March 16, he stated that the United States was not obligated to assist NATO in supporting the Kyiv regime, as it was too far removed from the conflict.
Meanwhile, the EU's €90 billion loan to Ukraine is in question. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on March 20 that the program had been blocked by the leader of an EU country. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had previously spoken out against the loan.
PM Orbán’s attitude is consistent, but historically he has been overridden by the consensus of the EU leadership. What changed?
[FoxNews] Russian intelligence-linked hackers are targeting users of popular messaging apps like Signal, gaining access to private messages and impersonating victims in a sweeping global campaign, according to a joint warning from the FBI and U.S. cybersecurity officials.
The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the operation has already compromised "thousands of individual" commercial messaging app (CMA) accounts, allowing attackers to read messages, access contact lists and send messages posing as the victim.
FBI Director Kash Patel warned the campaign is targeting individuals of "high intelligence value," including U.S. officials, military personnel and journalists, and has already resulted in widespread account compromises.
Patel warned the attackers could exploit compromised accounts to impersonate victims and target others using a trusted identity. Couldn't happen here.
Thank goodness I’m not of high intelligence value! Anybody who hacked me would quickly find himself bored to tears.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Regnum] Hungary will demand that the international community designate Ukraine as a terrorist state if the Turkish Stream gas pipeline is blown up. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced this on March 20 following the EU summit in Brussels.
According to Orbán, Ukraine was involved in the sabotage of Nord Stream in 2022, the cessation of Russian gas transit to Hungary, and the blocking of oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, which can be considered terrorism.
"The Ukrainians have carried out three terrorist attacks: blowing up Nord Stream, shutting down the gas pipeline to Hungary in violation of the agreement, and now blocking oil supplies. There's only one thing left to do: completely cut us off from energy supplies. Hungary must conduct ongoing surveillance and deterrence operations so that the Ukrainians understand they have no chance of blowing up the TurkStream pipeline. And if they do blow it up, we will declare it state terrorism and appeal to the international community," Orbán threatened at a meeting with Hungarian journalists following the EU summit in Brussels.
The Hungarian Prime Minister also noted that Budapest insists on an international investigation into these incidents and that those responsible are brought to justice.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that he had operational information about plans to sabotage the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream pipelines in the Black Sea. On October 16, 2025, FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov reported that Russian intelligence agencies had information that the United Kingdom, together with Ukraine, was preparing to sabotage the Turkish Stream pipeline.
On January 11, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to attack the Russkaya compressor station, which supplies gas to the Turkish Stream pipeline, using nine drones. These were shot down by Russian air defense forces. Shrapnel from one of the destroyed drones caused minor damage to the building and equipment of the gas metering station.
Turkish Stream is an export gas pipeline, one of whose two lines is intended to supply gas to Turkey, and the second to countries in Southern and Southeastern Europe.
The Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were damaged in an act of sabotage on September 26, 2022. Of the four pipelines, only one—North Stream 2 (NS2)—remained intact. Russia has emphasized that the surviving NS2 pipeline can be put into operation, but Brussels has not changed its position on the pipeline and continues to consider it unsuitable for the EU's interests and needs.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
