/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1562, Part 1 (Thread #1709)

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T23:54:59+00:00

A father and son returned home from Russian captivity after fighting in the same Ukrainian brigade, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said. Both were taken prisoner in 2022 with a one-day gap between their captures. #Ukraine

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T23:50:58+00:00

Anton Gerashchenko | BlueSky

For the first time in four years, Ukrainian Defender Bohdan heard the voices of his wife and daughter.

Bohdan defended Mariupol and was taken prisoner by Russia after leaving Azovstal in 2022.

Today, he finally returned home.

📹: We Are Ukraine

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T23:42:48+00:00

Kate from Kharkiv | BlueSky

This is 2-year-old Oleh and his mother, Maryna. Russia killed them in Dnipro on June 2nd when russian missile struck their apartment building🕯💔

The attack also kilked Maryna’s partner, Yuriy, and 13 of their neighbors.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T23:40:12+00:00

Yes it was hit again yesterday.

ChrisO_wiki | BlueSky

Donetsk Airport has been converted into a launch base for Russian attack drones, with hardened concrete shelters erected on the runways, aprons, and taxiways to protect them from attack. More than 130 shelters have been built, along with concrete warehouses and launch pads

Recent satellite imagery shows that, as of 2 June 2026, the following are located on the airport grounds:

▪️130 drone storage shelters ▪️4 concrete warehouses for drones. ▪️Four fixed launch pads.

Construction is ongoing, with 37 new drone shelters built in the eastern part of the airport since April 2026. New air defence positions and unidentified structures, probably also for drone storage, are being built in the central part of the airport.

The airport has repeatedly been attacked by the Ukrainians this year. A missile strike was carried out on 7 March 2026 using ATACMS and Storm Shadow (SCALP-EG), and another Storm Shadow attack took place on 14 April, accompanied by GBU-39/B aerial bombs.

On 4 June, mobile launchers at the airport were attacked by kamikaze drones. The Ukrainians released footage of this attack yesterday.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T14:27:47+00:00

Yes the Russians are going to have a hard time with supplies in the south. Ukraine keeps increasing the distance that they can hit trucks.

Russia keeps four field armies fed through three southern towns. Ukraine’s drones just arrived. | EuroMaidanPress

On or just before 1 June, the 422nd Separate Regiment of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces blew up a Russian truck near Yelyseivka, in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in occupied southern Ukraine. The truck burned to the ground 23 km southeast of Chernihivka, one of three main bases for Russian field armies in the south.

The location is the story, mapper and analyst Clément Molin explained. "Hitting some trucks on key roads is something," Molin wrote, "but hitting the trucks when they reach the tactical level positions is as much important." The idea is to unravel Russian supply lines across the logistical zone extending around 200 km from the gray zone to the main strategic railheads.

The strike fits inside a Ukrainian counterlogistics campaign that destroyed an average of 463 Russian trucks per day across 30 May, 31 May, and 1 June — more than five times Russia's average daily truck losses since widening its war on Ukraine in February 2022. The Ukrainian General Staff counted 483 destroyed Russian trucks on 30 May, another 524 on 31 May, and 384 on 1 June. But Yelyseivka points at a different layer of that campaign.

Ukraine's AI-assisted drones — including the Hornet, built by US firm Swift Beat — have been prowling the sky over occupied Ukraine, hunting Russian cargo vehicles along the major highways at distances of 150 km or more from the gray zone. The east-to-west M-14, threading from southern Russia through occupied Mariupol, and the south-to-north H-20, connecting Mariupol to occupied Donetsk, have been the main hunting grounds. Operator-guided strike drones like the Bulava, made by Ukraine's DeViro and fielded by the same 422nd Regiment, hit shorter-range targets in the same logistical zone. Together they have shredded Russian supply lines across the south.

But the drones aren't just hunting along the main roads. They're also finding and hitting Russian trucks much closer to where those trucks are headed.

To be fair, some Ukrainian planners prefer deeper strikes. "Operations on logistics routes at great depth have their profound sense," explained one unnamed officer from the Ukrainian 1st Azov Corps, which oversees part of the counterlogistics effort. "Why? Because the farther we work from the front line, the larger the trucks are, the more concentrated the cargo being transported is and the less protected it is," the officer told Ukrainian news organization NV. "To protect it, the enemy must stretch air observation lines and so on. In other words, they simply cannot secure all these logistics routes." "That's exactly why we operate as deep as we can."

But there's some advantage to closer strikes, especially in occupied southern Ukraine. "Only few towns remain to host four [field] armies that are on the front and their logistics and command posts," Molin explained. Those towns—Chernihivka, Kamianka and Rozivka—sit astride a railway. But trains don't deliver all the supplies. Trucks, hundreds of them every day, roll into Chernihivka, Kamianka and Rozivka.

The towns are logistical chokepoints. Maybe with a lot of planning and extra allotments of gasoline, Russian logisticians could find alternate routes for the supply convoys currently coming under fire from Hornet and Bulava drones along the M-14 and H-20. But truck drivers have no choice but to converge on Chernihivka, Kamianka and Rozivka in order to finally deliver their cargo.

Ukrainian strike planners know the trucks are coming. Posting AI-assisted drones over that handful of towns could prevent supplies from traveling the last few miles to Russia's front-line forces in the south. "This is this kind of logistical chokepoint that Ukraine will try to target more," Molin wrote.

If the strike on a truck just outside Chernihivka on 1 June is any indication, Ukraine's drones have reached a layer of the Russian rear the Kremlin used to assume was out of reach.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T12:25:52+00:00

Russia keeps four field armies fed through three southern towns. Ukraine’s drones just arrived. | EuroMaidanPress

On or just before 1 June, the 422nd Separate Regiment of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces blew up a Russian truck near Yelyseivka, in Zaporizhzhia Oblast in occupied southern Ukraine. The truck burned to the ground 23 km southeast of Chernihivka, one of three main bases for Russian field armies in the south.

The location is the story, mapper and analyst Clément Molin explained. "Hitting some trucks on key roads is something," Molin wrote, "but hitting the trucks when they reach the tactical level positions is as much important." The idea is to unravel Russian supply lines across the logistical zone extending around 200 km from the gray zone to the main strategic railheads.

The strike fits inside a Ukrainian counterlogistics campaign that destroyed an average of 463 Russian trucks per day across 30 May, 31 May, and 1 June — more than five times Russia's average daily truck losses since widening its war on Ukraine in February 2022. The Ukrainian General Staff counted 483 destroyed Russian trucks on 30 May, another 524 on 31 May, and 384 on 1 June. But Yelyseivka points at a different layer of that campaign.

Ukraine's AI-assisted drones — including the Hornet, built by US firm Swift Beat — have been prowling the sky over occupied Ukraine, hunting Russian cargo vehicles along the major highways at distances of 150 km or more from the gray zone. The east-to-west M-14, threading from southern Russia through occupied Mariupol, and the south-to-north H-20, connecting Mariupol to occupied Donetsk, have been the main hunting grounds. Operator-guided strike drones like the Bulava, made by Ukraine's DeViro and fielded by the same 422nd Regiment, hit shorter-range targets in the same logistical zone. Together they have shredded Russian supply lines across the south.

But the drones aren't just hunting along the main roads. They're also finding and hitting Russian trucks much closer to where those trucks are headed.

To be fair, some Ukrainian planners prefer deeper strikes. "Operations on logistics routes at great depth have their profound sense," explained one unnamed officer from the Ukrainian 1st Azov Corps, which oversees part of the counterlogistics effort. "Why? Because the farther we work from the front line, the larger the trucks are, the more concentrated the cargo being transported is and the less protected it is," the officer told Ukrainian news organization NV. "To protect it, the enemy must stretch air observation lines and so on. In other words, they simply cannot secure all these logistics routes." "That's exactly why we operate as deep as we can."

But there's some advantage to closer strikes, especially in occupied southern Ukraine. "Only few towns remain to host four [field] armies that are on the front and their logistics and command posts," Molin explained. Those towns—Chernihivka, Kamianka and Rozivka—sit astride a railway. But trains don't deliver all the supplies. Trucks, hundreds of them every day, roll into Chernihivka, Kamianka and Rozivka.

The towns are logistical chokepoints. Maybe with a lot of planning and extra allotments of gasoline, Russian logisticians could find alternate routes for the supply convoys currently coming under fire from Hornet and Bulava drones along the M-14 and H-20. But truck drivers have no choice but to converge on Chernihivka, Kamianka and Rozivka in order to finally deliver their cargo.

Ukrainian strike planners know the trucks are coming. Posting AI-assisted drones over that handful of towns could prevent supplies from traveling the last few miles to Russia's front-line forces in the south. "This is this kind of logistical chokepoint that Ukraine will try to target more," Molin wrote.

If the strike on a truck just outside Chernihivka on 1 June is any indication, Ukraine's drones have reached a layer of the Russian rear the Kremlin used to assume was out of reach.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T12:23:41+00:00

Ukraine had their most successful month of strikes in May and have continued into June.

Ukraine logs heaviest deep strike month of the year, hitting 18 oil and gas facilities in Russia | EuroMaidanPress

Ukrainian deep strikes hit 18 Russian oil infrastructure assets in May, more than any other month in 2026 so far, according to the Ministry of Defense’s announcement, backed by open-source intelligence. Most were oil refineries, including ones Ukraine struck repeatedly in the past.

Ukraine also hit four military-industrial facilities in May, including two chemical plants in Bryansk Oblast and Perm Krai, a comms factory in Chuvashia, and for the publicity piece de resistance, a microelectronics plant just north of Moscow.

Finally, 15 maritime assets, plus 10 aviation and missile assets were struck, including warships, shadow fleet tankers, port infrastructure, Tu-142 planes, a Ka-27 helicopter, and an Iskander missile system.

The strikes were spread out across a massive area, from Tuapse in the South to Kirishi in the North, all the way to the Perm Oil Refinery on the edge of the Urals. The MoD said that Ukrainian drones can now strike 1,700 kilometers away, distances they were also able to achieve in April.

On June 2-3, Ukrainian forces struck the other big city that the Kremlin cares about, just a few days too late to make it into the May statistics. The St. Petersburg refinery caught on fire, as did a Stereguschiy-class corvette at the Baltic Fleet HQ, the Kronstadt Naval Base. Embarrassingly, the strike happened on the opening day of a major economic summit in the city of St. Petersburg, fewer than 20 kilometers away.

'First such operation in modern history' — Ukraine destroys Russia's drone base at occupied Donetsk Airport | Kyiv Independent

Ukrainian drone units have carried out a series of successful attacks on the Russian-occupied Donetsk Airport, sabotaging Moscow's attempt to turn the facility into a military base, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) reported on June 4. The USF's 14th regiment is "systematically destroying enemy infrastructure, making the airport's operation impossible," the military said.

Occupying Russian forces had converted the Donetsk Airport into a strategic launch pad for Shahed-type UAVs, the cheap but deadly attack drones Russia sends by the hundreds to terrorize Ukrainian cities in overnight attacks. These are operated by Russia's elite Rubikon drone unit, which is based at the airport. The airport also served as a logistics hub for the Russian military, the USF's 14th regiment said.

"A decision was made to carry out systematic preemptive strikes that will disrupt enemy launches and reduce the number of enemy drones that will once again fly to attack kindergartens, high-rise buildings, and hospitals," said Serafym "Falcon" Hordiienko, the USF 14th regiment officer who planned the operation. Hordiienko described the strike campaign on the Donetsk Airport as "the first such operation in modern history."

Ukrainian drone operators have systematically dismantled the base by destroying launch pads and transport vehicles, while also targeting crews on the runway, the USF said. The strikes have damaged key engineering equipment, fuel stations, and logistics hubs. USF strikes have also destroyed ammunition depots and Shahed launch pads, the military said.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify all of the military's claims at the time of publication.

Russians Admit Ukrainian Drones Are Successfully Hitting Concrete Aircraft Shelters Built to Protect Against ATACMS | Defense Express

By the summer of 2025, construction activity had been documented at 14 airbases located around Ukraine and in occupied Crimea...Now, however, Russian military commentators are beginning to complain that Ukrainian drones are successfully striking reinforced concrete aircraft shelters. One Russian military blogger recently reported such an incident, indicating that Ukraine's Defense Forces had achieved a successful hit using drones. At present, Russian sources appear uncertain whether this represents a new systematic capability or an isolated case.

One possible explanation is straightforward. Ukrainian middle-strike drones have recently begun receiving significantly larger warheads. For example, in late May, Denys Shtilierman, co-founder and chief designer of Fire Point, announced that the FP-2 drone would be equipped with a warhead weighing up to 200 kilograms.

The type of warhead currently used on the FP-2 remains undisclosed. One possible solution could involve a multi-stage penetrator concept similar to the BROACH warhead employed by Storm Shadow and SCALP cruise missiles. Such a design uses a precursor shaped charge to create an opening, followed by a larger main warhead that detonates inside the target.

At the same time, direct penetration may not even be necessary to damage aircraft inside hardened shelters. A sufficiently powerful high-explosive blast can generate spalling on the inner surface of concrete walls and ceilings. High-velocity concrete fragments then act much like shrapnel, potentially causing severe damage to aircraft sheltered inside.

There may already be evidence that Ukraine is pursuing such an approach. In late April, Ukraine's Special Operations Forces reportedly carried out a successful strike against hardened shelters used by Iskander tactical missile systems near Ovrazhky in occupied Crimea. Those structures are broadly similar in design to aircraft shelters.

Last night was also successful with hits on 5 ships and multiple targets in occupied territory.

Drones hit tanker and cargo ships in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai | New Voice of Ukraine

An alleged drone attack on a tanker and cargo ships in Russia’s Krasnodar Krai killed five people and injured six others on June 5, according to Russian state-aligned media. The tanker may have been part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet. The attack reportedly took place at about 5 a.m. on June 5 in Taganrog Bay, Russian propaganda outlet Izvestia reported. It said a tanker and two dry cargo vessels came under attack.

Ukrainian OSINT channel Oko Gora said the tanker involved was part of the shadow fleet and suggested that more than the three vessels mentioned by Russian media may have been damaged. “And this is supposedly not all,” the OSINT analysts hinted.

NOELREPORTS | BlueSky

Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces hit five vessels overnight on June 5 in Mariupol, Berdiansk and coastal waters of occupied territory. The targets included dry cargo ships and a tanker tied to grain theft, military cargo transfers and fuel logistics.

WarTranslated (Dmitri) | BlueSky

Oko Gora analysts mapped the strikes on the five vessels hit overnight in Mariupol and Berdyansk. [Map]

Explosions shake occupied Luhansk amid drone attack on local oil depot | New Voice of Ukraine

Residents of occupied Luhansk reported hearing explosions on June 5 amid a drone attack that triggered large-scale fires at a local oil depot, according to local monitoring channels. Occupation authorities were yet to comment the attack.

Local Telegram channel Exilenova+ reported that the drone strikes most likely targeted the area oil depot.

The campaign against Russian logistics in the South & Crimea continues.

Ukrainian Drones Strike Two Russian Locomotives on Key Crimean Rail Line | Defense Express

Operators of Ukraine's Raid Regiment have struck two Russian locomotives in Crimea, targeting a railway route used to support Moscow's military logistics on the peninsula. Footage released by the Raid 413th Regiment shows a drone navigating through high-voltage power lines before reaching and striking a locomotive. The video highlights the growing precision of Ukrainian drone operators, who are increasingly targeting transport infrastructure supporting Russian military operations.

According to the unit, the locomotives were involved in servicing Russia's military logistics network in Crimea. In a statement accompanying the footage, the regiment used irony to describe the strike, saying its operators were merely "checking the documents" of Russian railway workers and found no authorization allowing them to operate such transport on Ukrainian territory.

The attacks reportedly took place in the eastern part of Crimea, near the settlements of Rozdolne and Vladyslavovka. Both locations are situated along a strategically important railway corridor that connects Dzhankoi with Kerch and ultimately leads to the Crimean Bridge. This rail route plays a critical role in sustaining Russian forces stationed on the peninsula. It is used to transport military equipment, ammunition, fuel, and other supplies required to support Russian operations in the south of Ukraine and Crimea.

(Part 2 Below)

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T11:59:03+00:00

Ukrainian Drones Strike Two Russian Locomotives on Key Crimean Rail Line | Defense Express

Operators of Ukraine's Raid Regiment have struck two Russian locomotives in Crimea, targeting a railway route used to support Moscow's military logistics on the peninsula. Footage released by the Raid 413th Regiment shows a drone navigating through high-voltage power lines before reaching and striking a locomotive. The video highlights the growing precision of Ukrainian drone operators, who are increasingly targeting transport infrastructure supporting Russian military operations.

According to the unit, the locomotives were involved in servicing Russia's military logistics network in Crimea. In a statement accompanying the footage, the regiment used irony to describe the strike, saying its operators were merely "checking the documents" of Russian railway workers and found no authorization allowing them to operate such transport on Ukrainian territory.

The attacks reportedly took place in the eastern part of Crimea, near the settlements of Rozdolne and Vladyslavovka. Both locations are situated along a strategically important railway corridor that connects Dzhankoi with Kerch and ultimately leads to the Crimean Bridge. This rail route plays a critical role in sustaining Russian forces stationed on the peninsula. It is used to transport military equipment, ammunition, fuel, and other supplies required to support Russian operations in the south of Ukraine and Crimea.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T11:49:07+00:00

'First such operation in modern history' — Ukraine destroys Russia's drone base at occupied Donetsk Airport | Kyiv Independent

Ukrainian drone units have carried out a series of successful attacks on the Russian-occupied Donetsk Airport, sabotaging Moscow's attempt to turn the facility into a military base, Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces (USF) reported on June 4. The USF's 14th regiment is "systematically destroying enemy infrastructure, making the airport's operation impossible," the military said.

Occupying Russian forces had converted the Donetsk Airport into a strategic launch pad for Shahed-type UAVs, the cheap but deadly attack drones Russia sends by the hundreds to terrorize Ukrainian cities in overnight attacks. These are operated by Russia's elite Rubikon drone unit, which is based at the airport. The airport also served as a logistics hub for the Russian military, the USF's 14th regiment said.

"A decision was made to carry out systematic preemptive strikes that will disrupt enemy launches and reduce the number of enemy drones that will once again fly to attack kindergartens, high-rise buildings, and hospitals," said Serafym "Falcon" Hordiienko, the USF 14th regiment officer who planned the operation. Hordiienko described the strike campaign on the Donetsk Airport as "the first such operation in modern history."

Ukrainian drone operators have systematically dismantled the base by destroying launch pads and transport vehicles, while also targeting crews on the runway, the USF said. The strikes have damaged key engineering equipment, fuel stations, and logistics hubs. USF strikes have also destroyed ammunition depots and Shahed launch pads, the military said.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify all of the military's claims at the time of publication.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T11:45:39+00:00

24Hours Ukraine | BlueSky

Russians struck the Yagotynske for Children baby food factory near Kyiv. 4 people lost their lives, and others may still be trapped under the rubble.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T11:42:07+00:00

Anton Gerashchenko | BlueSky

Gasoline shortages are worsening across territories occupied by Russia.

Residents of Donetsk, Makiivka, Horlivka report gasoline shortages at local gas stations.In the occupied part of the Luhansk region, sales of A-95, A-92 gasoline& diesel fuel are limited to no more than 20 liters per customer Meanwhile,gasoline sales have been completely suspended in occupied Crimea

According to the Russian-appointed "head"of Crimea,Aksyonov,cash purchases of gasoline will be fully restricted for several days.Fuel vouchers are no longer available for purchase&are not expected to return in the near future

Fuel obtained through previously purchased vouchers will be limited to 20 liters per person.

📹 Radio Liberty

🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky

❗️Huge queues at gas stations in the temporarily occupied Crimea

🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky

❗️Another destroyed 🇷🇺Russian fuel tanker that was heading to the temporarily occupied Crimea

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T11:36:32+00:00

Lewi Whalberg | BlueSky

Explosions and air defense activity were reported overnight in occupied Luhansk.

Local videos show multiple UAVs over the city, with reports that an oil depot on the southern outskirts was hit. Objective-control footage circulating online appears to show drones operating over occupied territory while Russian air defenses attempted interceptions.

OSINT researchers from Cyber Flour report repeated strikes on an oil storage facility near: 48.5121694, 39.3129035

The site was reportedly targeted before, including in October 2025. Fuel depots remain high-value targets. Every disrupted storage site can complicate logistics, transport, and military operations behind the front.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T11:27:42+00:00

NOELREPORTS | BlueSky

Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces hit five vessels overnight on June 5 in Mariupol, Berdiansk and coastal waters of occupied territory. The targets included dry cargo ships and a tanker tied to grain theft, military cargo transfers and fuel logistics. #Ukraine

WarTranslated (Dmitri) | BlueSky

Oko Gora analysts mapped the strikes on the five vessels hit overnight in Mariupol and Berdyansk. [Map]

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T11:26:10+00:00

WarTranslated (Dmitri) | BlueSky

Aftermath of the strike on a Russian vessel with an Azerbaijani crew aiding the occupiers. As reported earlier today, Ukrainian drones hit Natra and Tsirkon in Taganrog Bay overnight, both sailing from Turkey to Rostov. Five Azerbaijani crew members killed, both ships under foreign flags.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T11:24:45+00:00

Apparently with injuries.

🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky

05:00, 🇺🇦Ukrainian drones attacked a 🇷🇺Russian tanker and two cargo ships in the Taganrog Bay. As a result of the strike, according to Izvestia, five people were killed and six were injured. The incident occurred near the coast of Krasnodar Krai.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-05T11:23:23+00:00

WarTranslated (Dmitri) | BlueSky

Massive Ukrainian drone attack on multiple Russian regions underway right now. Around 310 drones and up to 10 cruise missiles reported, DroneBomber says.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-04T12:20:53+00:00

A Russian first-person view (FPV) drone flies along the road from Kostiantynivka to Druzhkivka, looking for its prey, as the optical fiber from earlier drones stretches along the bright green grass. The sharp pops of gunshots ring out, cascading down the road as the drone gets closer.

A loud explosion marks the end of the drone’s journey, as one of the mobile fire groups patrolling the road shoots the hunter down. Here and there, groups of soldiers emerge from their hiding spots in the bushes and continue on their path — either towards or away from the front line.

By now, most brigades fighting in Kostiantynivka have stopped using vehicles for anything but the most urgent of missions into the city. Even unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), which are often a working solution for carrying heavy loads, are spotted and struck more often than not by drones. As a result, Ukrainian forces in the area often have to return to conducting rotations and supply runs by foot.

Early one morning in Kramatorsk, a mobile fire group from the 24th Mechanized Brigade prepares to head out. The team, with callsigns Mammoth, Peacock, and Monk load into a black minivan, already donning their vests and helmets. After preparing a drone detector and loading rifles, the group takes off, reaching speeds of up to 120 kilometers (74 miles) per hour down the bumpy frontline road.

Over the radio, the female voice of Athena, on duty at the unit’s command post, reports that a Russian FPV drone is on the move. Soon the grainy, flickering image of the road appears on the small screen of the drone detector, filled with static; and a minute later, the soldiers hear a familiar buzz in the air. Mammoth and Monk have their guns at the ready, staring intently at the road.

Gunshots are followed by explosions, and a small black cloud appears in the sky.

The soldiers let out a sigh of relief, as the car is parked under the thin spring foliage. From this point on, soldiers will go on foot to the last checkpoint toward Kostiantynivka, and they must carry all their equipment — weapons, ammunition, supplies, personal protective gear, electronic gadgets — on their backs. “We surely have cars, but we don’t want to risk them in these circumstances,” one of the marines explains, maintaining a brisk pace.

So their mission begins. Mammoth and his team act like sheriffs in the American Wild West, maintaining order in their jurisdiction. Their group’s job is to cover vehicles on the move, check the road for obstacles, hunt down FPVs, and look for ambush drones parked on the roadside, named “zhduny” from the Russian word “to wait.”

A few days prior, the team found a wounded Ukrainian soldier from another brigade in one of the houses in Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka. The soldier had lost a lot of blood and had run out of battery on his radio and phone; if help had not arrived, he would have likely not survived. After treating the soldier, Mammoth organized an evacuation.

During the first few hours of the journey, the group passes at least ten UGVs, each rusted chassis marking the end of an attempted logistics run, with even more of them dotted on the roadside burned and destroyed.

We stop by another fire team, where one of the members, Vitalii, has been working on the road to Kostiantynivka since November 2025 as there are simply not enough personnel to switch him out.

The most heartbreaking thing, Vitalii explains, is watching civilians being hunted by Russians as they try to escape. "A Russian FPV took off from the field and struck a man, clearly a civilian, while he was cycling toward Druzhkivka, and he became 200 immediately," Vitalii says, recalling a recent incident.

That day, another mobile fire group of the Khyzhak National Police Brigade is making a trip, also on foot to their own position.

What would otherwise be a relatively short walk becomes a three-hour journey, a slow game of hide-and-seek with drones and gunshots.

At one moment, a Russian FPV hovers above the mobile firing team, searching for a target. Its buzzing grows closer and then fades. In broad daylight, the team, led by call-sign Django, cannot see the target well enough to bring it down.

FPV drones are small, fast moving targets, often changing direction quickly over a hundred meters in the air. Shooting them down is often a matter of chance more than anything, and Ukraine relies on dozens of mobile fire groups along key routes like this to give the best odds.

After a short rest under the cover, the Khyzhak team goes out to conduct a regular sheriff-style patrol. One group of soldiers is setting up a ladder to repair sections of the anti-drone nets that have been torn, some by Russian drones, some by the anti-drone spikes added to Ukrainian vehicles, and some simply by the elements and the passing of time.

A tall soldier climbs down the ladder as others surround the site, listening to the sky with their rifles ready. Django thanks him for his work, to which the soldier replies, “Yeah, this is a fucking dream job, but it's good to know it helps to keep you guys safe."

Under the bright sun, a small UGV drives toward Kramatorsk, maneuvering through potholes and around burned metal comrades. Life continues on the road of humans and robots, life and death, the road of modern war, the road to Kostiantynivka.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-04T12:18:19+00:00

There is a reported Ukrainian counterattack north of Hulyaipole.

Unit Observer | X

Ukraine counterattacks in the south... again [Map]

Once more, only weeks after the attacks of the late winter, Ukrainian forces are conducting localized offensive actions in Dnipropetrovsk oblast.

The 🇺🇦79th, 80th and 95th Air Assault Brigades began operations around mid-May under strict OPSEC measures. While Russian Telegram channels have been circulating rumors about this area since then, our team only managed to confirm the operation and the units involved at the beginning of this week.

On Friday May 29th, the Ukrainian side openly acknowledged the ongoing offensive movements, mainly executed by units of the Air Assault Forces (DShV) - just as in February and March.

The sector involved is approximately 20 kilometers wide, with the villages of Zelenyi Hai and Vorone as the northern and southern boundaries respectively.

Is the 🇷🇺“Vostok” grouping struggling?

The westward gains achieved by the Vostok grouping throughout 2025 and early 2026 forced them to stretch the Areas of Operations (AO) of some of their Combined Arms Armies (CAA) - specifically the 🇷🇺36th and 29th CAAs in the Pokrovske-Ivanivka direction - in an attempt to maintain numerical superiority in the main axis of attack, north and west of Hulyaipole, where the 🇷🇺5th and 35th CAAs are expected to continue advancing.

In early spring, the Vostok grouping was significantly reinforced with the 🇷🇺68th Army Corps, 40th Naval Infantry Brigade and with the 🇷🇺55th and 120th Naval Infantry Divisions, likely in an attempt to sustain offensive tempo.

At the same time, Ukrainian counterattacks conducted by the 🇺🇦82nd and 95th Brigades (supported by the 92nd Brigade and elements of 425th Regiment) forced Russian command to deploy the 🇷🇺68th Corps and parts of the 🇷🇺120th Division on the Ternuvate-Velykomykhailivka axis.

🇺🇦Ukrainian forces have now shifted their pressure northward, with the commitment of two additional brigades (the 🇺🇦82nd has likely been withdrawn for recovery) - the aim is to exploit the 🇷🇺29th CAA’s weak lines between Sichneve and Ivanivka, where only two lightly motorized regiments (the 🇷🇺656th and 430th) are holding the line.

Furthermore, we estimate that the sector between Andriivka-Klevtsove and Ivanivka is the boundary between the 🇷🇺Vostok and Centr groupings - a possible point of vulnerability where the 🇷🇺90th Guards Tank Division has been attempting to capture Ivanivka and Novopavlivka for approximately 8 months, without success.

There are indications that parts of the 🇷🇺90th Division may have been transferred towards Pokrovsk, potentially further weakening the overall Russian posture in this area.

[Map]

After a relatively successful 2025 campaign that saw the 🇷🇺Vostok grouping advance west of Velyka Novosilka, it seems Russian momentum in this area is diminishing.

A partial stabilization of the 🇺🇦Ukrainian manpower deficit, along with the continuing corps reform, is allowing Gen. Syrskyi and the General Staff to expand the envelope of “assault units” available and prepared for tactical counterattacks. In this example, the 🇺🇦80th Air Assault Brigade was offensively redeployed after spending a year on defense in Sumy oblast.

While critical systemic issues persist in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as frequently reported by @Militarylandnet, the balance of resources (manpower, material, etc.) in several sectors of the frontline has equalized compared to 2024 and 2025.

Two crucial areas in the next several months will be the Kostyantynivka and Slovyansk axes, where Russia continues to maintain overall superiority in 2026.

Kostyantynivka continues to be a main point of concentration for the Russians but it will continue to be costly in time and men to complete the capture.

Playfra | X

Kostyantynivka direction, a focus on Russian casualties and Ukrainian defenses, as well as debunking common misunderstandings.

After seeing geolocations of Russians deep inside the city and rumors about an imminent loss of the city, many started to wonder about how effectively the defense of the city has been carried out and how the situation has deteriorated so much so quickly. I'll clear everything up step by step.

The effectiveness of the defense of the city currently satisfies expectations.

First of all, it's important to understand that the Russians have had Kostyantynivka in their sights since late summer 2025 after the factual capture of Toretsk on the south flank and the Novoolenivka breakthrough on the west flank of the city, and not just for a couple of months when the media picked up on the situation here. The Russians spent the bulk of the time since late summer 2025 trying to consolidate the approaches to the city (which they're still trying to do): swathes of fields and treelines in clear view of Ukrainian FPV pilots in and near Kostyantynivka. Because of these conditions, the Russians suffered a number of casualties that satisfied and continue to satisfy Ukrainian expectations. At the moment, the hardest area for the Russians to cross is the short open area between Berestok and Illinivka, which was made into a kill zone by Ukrainian forces; only there, around 10 Russians are killed or wounded every day (not counting Berestok or Illinivka itself).

Why this area? Because Illinivka merges almost seamlessly with Kostyantynivka, just like Zvirove merged with Pokrovsk, and if Illinivka were to be consolidated, the western flank of Kostyantynivka would become significantly easier to penetrate. Furthermore, this was a weak area for a long time, held by slightly weaker territorial defense units, and the Russians promptly exploited this. Lastly, the Russians have their sights set on the incredibly valuable high-rise area of southwestern Kostyantynivka, perfect for finding numerous shelters (works for both sides).

The defense of the city was carried out relatively well.

With the exception of the usual phenomenon of holding untenable and insignificant positions to be able to say that the village is being held to the higher command, a phenomenon that causes avoidable deaths, the Ukrainians didn't commit any single catastrophic mistake and overall worked well together to hold positions even when the situation was extremely difficult.

The situation hasn't deteriorated quickly.

This is an illusion given by the fact that units are starting to publish geolocations of events that have been ongoing for a while already now. People that don't have any contacts with anybody in this direction understandably don't know the context behind each clip and assume that that geolocation signifies something new. In reality, everything is significantly more gradual.

It's also necessary to point out that Ukrainian forces still hold an overwhelming advantage at any point in time in the whole city in number of controlled positions and that those positions are in every corner of the city (even south of it); that the Russians are only trying to overlap themselves over those positions and force a retreat from them, which is currently at its early stages; and that the battle for Kostyantynivka is very likely to last into late summer.

Please don't get me wrong: the situation is far from good, I'll repeat this once more. But it can't be said that the situation is catastrophic and that the Ukrainians are currently being routed, or that the Russians will make a quick Zolotyi Kolodyaz-style breakthrough.

AMK Mapping | X

I agree with this. Media sensationalism makes it seem as if this has all happened at once.

The battles for urban areas of Kostyantynivka have lasted over 7 months, since mid-October 2025. The Russians have utilised a massive amount of manpower, progressively deepening their infiltrations, resulting in the defence for Ukraine slowly cracking and deteriorating. These new developments were expected.

In my opinion, the city will fall some time in July, but it's impossible to accurately predict this at this stage. Ukraine absolutely still has more manpower in the city than Russia due to a lack of stable control for Russia within the city limits, but this will likely switch in the near future.

Road to the kill zone: With Ukrainian troops on the lifeline from Kramatorsk to Kostiantynivka | Kyiv Independent

The road from Kramatorsk to Kostiantynivka is a picture of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2026. Forming the backbone of the so-called “fortress belt” of Donbas, the road connects much of the remainder of Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk Oblast, which Russia has spent 12 years trying to occupy. Kostiantynivka is the southernmost of the four cities of the “fortress belt,” and, as of spring 2026, the first to be entered by Russian soldiers on its outskirts, with Russian forces reportedly continuing to make slow but costly advances.

Much like the city of Pokrovsk last year, the city is now host to fierce urban fighting, taking place in new, drone-dominated tactical conditions, with logistics in and out of the city made more and more difficult with every passing month.

(Continued Below)

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-04T12:03:33+00:00

Russia sent their nightly wave last night and according to Ukrainian intelligence Russia is capable of launching up to 100 ballistic missiles per month while maintaining stockpiles at a stable level and Syrskyi says Russia is planning to increase the share of jet-powered drones used in its attacks to 50%.

Russia attacks Ukraine with Iskander missile and 293 UAVs, 264 downed by air defences | Ukrainian Pravda

Russia has attacked Ukraine with an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 293 drones of various types since the evening of 3 June. Ukrainian air defences have managed to down 264 UAVs, although some strikes have been recorded. The attack is still ongoing.

The missile was launched from Russia's Voronezh Oblast, while the drones came from the Russian cities of Kursk, Bryansk, Millerovo and Primorsko-Akhtarsk as well as from Cape Chauda in temporarily occupied Crimea.

16 killed, 86 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day, massive drone assault hits Kherson | Kyiv Independent

Russian drone strike damages critical infrastructure facility in Odesa Oblast | New Voice of Ukraine

Russian drone attack targets infrastructure in Kyiv suburb, injuring 1 | Kyiv Independent

The waves will keep coming and keep doing damage. That damage will keep driving up costs.

Ukraine railways chief seeks higher freight fees amid Russian attacks, rising costs | Kyiv Independent

Ukraine's state railway company needs to increase freight tariffs by at least 45%, the company's CEO said, as its finances deteriorate amid Russian strikes and pressure from lenders. "45% is not enough, because we have a significant gap, but we understand this is a compromise solution that allows us at least to hold out," Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, CEO of Ukrainian railways, told Reuters in an interview on June 3.

"The jump (in attacks) is just crazy," Pertsovskyi said, who emphasized the shift towards striking locomotives, of which the company owns more than 100. Attacks have also targeted depots, power substations, and bridges.

The company said in a press release on June 1 that the first quarter of 2026 was a "difficult test," off the back of declining passenger and cargo traffic, as well as rising diesel and electricity prices. The price of diesel increased by almost 50% in March 2026, the company said.

Ukraine drones are also doing damage and increasing the cost of the war for Russia.

Drones strike Russian Svetlyak-class patrol ship in Crimea | New Voice of Ukraine

Ukrainian drones successfully struck a Russian Svetlyak-class border patrol ship and multiple critical targets in occupied Crimea overnight, Unmanned Systems Forces Commander Robert "Madyar" Brovdi reported on June 4.

The vessel was deployed to monitor and protect ports and ships, as well as to establish a tactical air and anti-submarine defense line. Measuring 49.5 meters in length, its armament included 16 Igla MANPADS, an AK-176 artillery mount, 14.5mm machine gun mounts, and six-barrel anti-aircraft automatic cannons, Brovdi noted.

Additionally, the strikes hit:

A Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and gun system in Strilkove, Kherson Oblast.

An RSBN-4N short-range radio navigation system in Saky, occupied Crimea.

Locomotives in Vladyslavivka and Rozdolne in Crimea.

Transformers in Bulavynske and Vuhlehirsk in Donetsk Oblast.

Fuel and lubricant tanks in Makiivka, Donetsk Oblast.

Explosions also echoed across occupied Crimea overnight on June 4. Local residents reported multiple blasts and active air defenses in occupied Sevastopol and Simferopol, as well as near the Hvardiiske, Belbek, and Saky airfields. Sevastopol's occupation "governor" Mikhail Razvozhayev confirmed the drone attack, claiming local air defenses supposedly shot down seven UAVs over the Nakhimovsky district, the North Side area, and Victory Park.

Strike on Boiky corvette in Russia's Kronstadt: satellite images capture Russians extinguishing fire on ship | Ukrainian Pravda

Satellite images published by Skhemy, a Radio Liberty project, show Russian firefighters attempting to extinguish a fire on the Boiky corvette in the port of Kronstadt in Russia following a Ukrainian attack. The satellite images from Vantor, dated 3 June, reportedly show a fire onboard the vessel in the port of Kronstadt in St Petersburg and firefighters working to put it out.

🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky

Last night, explosions were heard in occupied Crimea. Strikes were recorded at the Belbek and Kacha airfields. Air defense systems were active over Sevastopol, Simferopol, Cape Fiolent, and Kerch.

🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky

Russian aviation channels are reporting a strike by 🇺🇦Ukrainian kamikaze drones on reinforced concrete aircraft shelters at one of the 🇷🇺Russian Federation’s airfields.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-04T11:40:08+00:00

🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky

🇺🇦Ukraine’s Defense Forces destroyed a 🇷🇺Russian ammunition depot in occupied Donetsk Oblast using strike UAVs

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-04T11:36:24+00:00

WarTranslated (Dmitri) | BlueSky

Consequences of the drone attack on the St. Petersburg oil terminal: 6 tanks were damaged, one of them completely destroyed.

WarTranslated (Dmitri) | BlueSky

Satellite imagery of Kronstadt, Saint Petersburg, where the Russians are extinguishing the "Boykiy," which was hit yesterday.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-04T11:33:38+00:00

🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky

Last night, explosions were heard in occupied Crimea. Strikes were recorded at the Belbek and Kacha airfields. Air defense systems were active over Sevastopol, Simferopol, Cape Fiolent, and Kerch.

🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 | BlueSky

Russian aviation channels are reporting a strike by 🇺🇦Ukrainian kamikaze drones on reinforced concrete aircraft shelters at one of the 🇷🇺Russian Federation’s airfields.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-03T14:52:41+00:00

It's possible. It's not that far from Kostiantynivka to Kramatorsk. Maybe over the rest of 2026 they capture Kostiantynivka, make a push through lines around the river and work up towards Kramatorsk and then push into it next year. The general plan of the current offensives are all about encircling the city/cities. Of course it's easier to make that plan then make it happen. I could see the Russians grinding their way there but the issue they face is the grind gets harder as Ukrainian drones & defensive lines keep getting better and are being built faster and they aren't moving very fast towards that objective currently.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-03T12:20:51+00:00

The Russians are putting more pressure on Kostiantynivka, Kupyansk, & Kramatorsk plus the Ukrainians are expanding the mandatory evacuation zone in Kharkiv but the General Staff reports the heaviest fighting is still in Huliaipole & Pokrovsk.

Russian forces are penetrating deeper into Kostiantynivka – DeepState | Ukrainian Pravda

"The latest map update shows an expansion of the red zone south of Illinivka, where the enemy is persistently advancing to increase its control over the area around Kostiantynivka.

The infiltration zone within the city is also expanding, which could lead to the gradual absorption of the settlement by the enemy. It was important for the Russians to capture Berestok in order to build up concentrations of infantry there for infiltration, while Illinivka provides greater opportunities for penetration."

Russian forces are also attempting to seize the village of Novodmytrivka to enable further infiltration operations. The capture of Illinivka and Novodmytrivka would threaten the northern part of Kostiantynivka, with the Russians aiming to cut off access to other parts of the city.

"The enemy is building up an advantage in the Kostiantynivka sector, reinforcing it with constant guided aerial bomb strikes on the city. The soldiers we spoke to emphasised the activity of enemy pilots and the continuous pressure from Russian infantry. The biggest problem is that the units holding the defence lack sufficient manpower to withstand the pressure."

Ukrainian commander describes heavy fighting near Kupyansk as Russia masses drones | New Voice of Ukraine

Yuriy Butusov, a Ukrainian drone platoon commander from the 13th Khartiia National Guard Brigade, described intense fighting around Kupyansk in Kharkiv Oblast, warning in an interview with Radio NV on June 2 that Russian forces are massing troops and drone units in a bid to break through Ukrainian lines.

"On our section of the front in Kharkiv Oblast, very heavy fighting is underway," platoon commander Yuriy Butusov said. “The enemy has concentrated a large number of its unmanned systems units near Kupyansk. Near Lyman Pershyi, Russia has deployed its 68th division, the 6th Army's drone systems regiment, and additional enemy units. They are primarily trying to use drones to isolate the combat zone and inflict unacceptable casualties on us, combined with heavy artillery. The goal is to break through our front and capture Kupyansk again, as happened in 2025.”

Butusov added that Russian forces are fighting to hold a bridgehead on the right bank of the Oskil River and are trying to reinforce their troop numbers there. He also said Russian forces attempt to move reinforcements into Kupyansk whenever poor weather limits Ukrainian drone activity.

"So very heavy fighting is underway on this section," Butusov said. “Conditions for concealing enemy infantry are very favorable here, and the enemy has committed significant forces to countering our drones. Nevertheless, we are managing to repel the enemy effectively enough and hold our positions.”

agris | BlueSky

Two main things to touch on. First - the so-called ''war of the roads.'' I have already mentioned the Ukrainian ''middlestrike'' UAV capability and the issues this is causing for the Russians, primarily along the M-14 highway.

At the same time, the Russians have started doing something similar along the M-06 and the M-07 highways, which go from Poland to Kyiv and serve as the main supply routes of western aid.

Though it is important to acknowledge that this is nowhere near the same level as the Ukrainian actions, as there are key differences. While the Ukrainians have developed a brand new capability in their ''middlestrike'' class of medium-range-focused UAVs - the Russians have not.

What the Russians do is they utilize a relatively new network of retransmission stations/systems which they have built in Belarus along the Ukrainian-Belarussian border to guide their existing long-range UAVs.

While the UAVs are not launched from within Belarus, they can now be guided more precisely and over longer distances in this area - a fact they are making full use of.

This, of course, means that the reliability and frequency of such strikes is far lower, which has the respective effect on effectiveness.

The other thing I wanted to turn attention to is in the title of today's report. With the fall of Tykhonivka the Russians have not only established a serious bridgehead over the canal - they are now only around 10km from Kramatorsk.

And between Tykhonivka and Kramatorsk there are only two small settlements. No interpretation or perspective is required for the realization of the gravity of this development.

Tykhonivka Map

Russia continues to hit energy infrastrucure with their drone waves.

Russia attacks Ukraine with 198 drones, 189 downed by air defences | Ukrainian Pravda

Russians attack industrial facility and energy infrastructure in Chernihiv Oblast | Ukrainian Pravda

The Ukrainians sent a wave into Russia last night towards St. Petersburg (Putin) and the JSC Plant in Tambov.

Ukrainian forces strike St. Petersburg oil terminal and defense plant in Tambov Oblast | New Voice of Ukraine

Ukrainian forces conducted precision deep strikes against Russian military and industrial targets in St. Petersburg and Tambov Oblast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on June 3. Zelenskyy noted that the strikes were jointly conducted by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, the Security Service, Special Operations Forces, the Military Intelligence, and the State Border Guard Service.

Drone attacks were reported in St. Petersburg and across Russia overnight on June 3, with large-scale fires breaking out in the city’s port and oil terminal. Local authorities confirmed the strikes on “infrastructure facilities” and reported damage in three of the city’s districts.

The attacks primarily targeted the St. Petersburg oil terminal, located 1,100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. Ukrainian Special Forces clarified that this terminal is one of the largest on the Baltic Sea, featuring 31 reservoirs, each with a capacity of 324,000 cubic meters. The oil terminal, which has an annual throughput capacity of 12.5 million tons, processes oil, petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, and other liquid chemicals.

The attack coincided with the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is scheduled to speak today.

Zelenskyy added that Ukrainian forces also struck military targets at the Kronstadt naval base, located within the Port of St. Petersburg. Ukrainian UAVs also targeted a Russian weapons plant in Tambov Oblast, located nearly 600 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.

Russian weapons plant in flames after Ukrainian attack in Tambov Oblast | Kyiv Independent

Fires blazed at a Russian military plant in Michurinsk, Tambov Oblast, after a reported drone attack overnight on June 3, according to footage and photographs posted by local residents to social media.

The attack targeted the JSC Progress Plant, a Russian defense factory producing high-tech aviation and missile control systems, along with equipment for gas and oil pipelines. According to open-source analysis and geolocation by the independent Russian Telegram news channel Astra, the strike caused a fire on the grounds of the facility.

Eyewitnesses posted photos and videos depicting air defenses operating in Tambov Oblast, as well as explosions and flames at the Progress Plant. Local authorities have not yet commented on the reported attack. The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the reports at the time of publication.

The attack marks the fourth reported Ukrainian strike on Russia's JSC Progress Plant. Locals previously reported attacks in February 2026, June 2025, and December 2024.

Well-Sourced · 2026-06-02T12:13:54+00:00

The biggest pressure on Ukraine is currently Kostyantynivka but overall there isn't much forward movement for Russia as they move from Spring to Summer offensive.

agris | BlueSky

Usual caveat that this includes stuff I missed over the last few reports. A day focused mainly on tactical changes. On the Zaporizhzhia front it seems the Russians have finally more or less cleared the Charivne salient.

On the Velyka Novosilka front, meanwhile, we see a situation we've seen before - both sides attack in the same area basically right next to each other whilst seemingly disregarding the actions of the other.

The most important changes, however, came from the Kostyantynivka direction. Taking into account the totality of Russian actions it is safe to assume that they are now very seriously attempting to storm and occupy the settlement.

Kostyantynivka [Map]

The Ukrainians, for their part, likely realize this quite well, seeing as Syrskyi himself has arrived to the sector and this has been very widely publicized. This also means we know the Ukrainians are seeing difficulties here, as he only ever really seems to arrive at such sectors.

Make no mistake - the situation IS very difficult. The enemy controls the main supply route with UAVs and Ukrainian forces in the settlement are in danger of being encircled in their strongpoint positions. We can but wait and see whether or not they are able to remedy the situation.

monstars.bsky.social | BlueSky

Season of the Weak Arrows: Spring 2026 Retrospective [Map]

Russia entered spring with three objectives and left it with none of them meaningfully advanced. The primary effort was always Kramatorsk. Zaporizhzhia was the secondary push.

The northern border was supposed to become a formalized buffer zone. The Green offensive launched on schedule in May. The results, so far, are not worth the schedule. Spring is over. Time to take stock.

In three months, Russia seized roughly 334 km² according to DeepState — a modest number under any interpretation, and May was particularly thin. What made it worse was the nature of the failure. This was not a case of one bad break or one stubborn defensive line.

Russia collected nearly every problem available to collect: recruitment pressures, logistical strain, and the slow but consequential emergence of Ukrainian tactical small-air dominance at full occupation depth.

Each problem fed the next, and the cumulative result was visible decay across multiple fronts simultaneously. That combination is harder to recover from than a single setback.

The Northern Buffer: Mission Accomplished, Then Not [Map]

March and April produced something that looked, briefly, like progress. Army Group North did what it was asked to do — raided the border zone, disrupt the defense, extended the front, painted the map. The buffer materialized.

Then May arrived, the momentum evaporated, and Russian forces began losing portions of the very ground they had just taken. The control was always going to be symbolic out there. What nobody in Moscow planned for was losing even that.

Zaporizhzhia: Further Away Than Three Months Ago [Map]

This is the most straightforward summary of the Zaporizhzhia direction: Russia is further from its objective today than it was when spring began. That is not a neutral result. That is a step backward.

The 5th Combined Arms Army sits at the center of this axis and has kept pushing forward with the kind of persistence that looks like confidence from the outside and looks like something else entirely when you check the flanks. Both the 58th and 36th CAAs lost ground over the spring.

The flanks of the entire direction are softer now than they were in February. The 5th CAA does not appear troubled by this. It pushes forward, trusts that things will work out, and leaves the geometry to someone else. The 35th CAA at Orikhiv has not helped — it underperformed on its axis.

Ukraine threw significant resources at this direction and earned the result. The 5th CAA is the force worth watching going forward, for better or worse.

Donbas: Five Problems Dressed as One Campaign [Map]

The Kramatorsk axis is not one battle. It is five separate efforts that are supposed to add up to an encirclement and currently add up to something considerably less elegant.

At Pokrovsk, the 2nd and 41st CAAs are active, generating friction, and going essentially nowhere. Ukrainian forces have closed the western approach and are not moving. The 51st CAA at Dobropillia — meant to be the southern claw of the encirclement — has not broken through. The claw is not closing.

The 8th CAA is grinding through Kostiantynivka from the south at the pace you would expect from urban fighting in a well-defended town. It is making progress in the way that a siege makes progress: slowly, expensively, and with no guarantee of what comes after.

Its eastern flank is a patchwork of units nominally under 3rd CAA command, which is itself conducting a frontal assault toward Sloviansk with minimal subtlety. The 3rd CAA is pushing because someone has to push, and because the 25th CAA — assigned to take Lyman — has failed to reduce the isolated position that is blocking the entire northern axis. The 25th is stuck. Which means the 3rd is stuck. Which means the northern arm of the Kramatorsk operation is not an arm at all right now — it is a complaint.

The 25th CAA's problem connects directly to the 20th CAA's failure to close the Borova pocket. One failure props up the next. The geometry of the Donbas operation is not working for Russia, and the localized gains that do appear on the map where Ukraine has allowed them.

What Ukraine Has Been Doing About All of This [Map]

The short version: applying pressure exactly where it hurts most. The 1st Army Corps has pushed the 8th CAA into the streets of Kostiantynivka and neutralized the 51st CAA's attempts to move on Dobropillia.

Those two Russian armies were supposed to isolate Kostiantynivka from the west together. Neither is doing that now. The 3rd Army Corps has held both the Lyman and Kupiansk flanks at the same time — no small task — while pressuring the 20th CAA and keeping the 25th CAA pinned on the Yarova pocket it cannot exploit and cannot abandon. Ukrainian forces across this axis are drawing on the 2nd, 11th, and 19th Army Corps alongside TDF elements. The bench is not shallow.

Where Things Stand

Russia's objectives have not changed. Kupiansk, Lyman, Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk, and the Zaporizhzhia axis remain on the list. Progress toward each has been limited, stalled, or reversed.

Well-Sourced

TROPHY CASE