Military Situation Update: March 26, 2025, 14:58 UTC

I. Frontline Activity

• General Staff Update (as of 14:00 UTC):
  • High operational tempo reported with 156 combat clashes across the front since the start of the day.
  • Pokrovsk Direction: Remains the most intense sector with 53 Russian attacks reported near Oleksandropil, Tarasivka, Yelyzavetivka, Promin, Lysivka, Novoukrainka, Vidrodzhennia, Kotlyne, Uspenivka, Novooleksandrivka, Novoserhiivka, and Preobrazhenka. Seven clashes are ongoing.
  • Toretsk Direction: 15 Russian attacks near Toretsk, Dachne, Krymske, and Dyliivka. Two clashes ongoing.
  • Novopavlivsk Direction: 17 Russian attacks repelled near Kostiantynopil, Rozlyv, Skudne, and Vesele. Five clashes ongoing.
  • Huliaipole Direction: 15 Russian assaults near Rivnopil, Novosilka, Pryvilne, Vilne Pole, and Novopil. Five clashes ongoing.
  • Siversk Direction: 7 Russian attacks near Bilohorivka, Verkhnokamianske, and Ivano-Darivka. Four clashes ongoing.
  • Orikhiv Direction: 7 Russian attacks stopped near Mali Shcherbaky, Stepove, Lobkove, and Shcherbaky. One clash ongoing.
  • Kharkiv Direction: 2 Russian assaults towards Vovchansk. Ukrainian 113th Territorial Defense Brigade claims repelling an attack, destroying 5 MT-LBs and eliminating 11 Russian personnel.
  • Kupiansk Direction: 3 Russian attempts near Holubivka and Zahryzove. One clash ongoing.
  • Lyman Direction: 5 Russian attacks near Kopanky, Yampolivka, towards Nove and Novomykhailivka. One clash ongoing.
  • Kramatorsk Direction: 3 Russian attempts repelled near Chasiv Yar, Predtechyne, and Bila Hora. One attack ongoing.
  • Prydniprovsky Direction (Left Bank Kherson): 1 Russian attack stopped. Ukrainian 40th Coastal Defence Brigade claims drone strikes prevented 4 Russian personnel from crossing the river.
• Zaporizhzhia Front (Kamensk-Orikhiv Sector - Russian Claims):
  • Intense meeting engagements reported near Lobkove, Stepove, Male Shcherbaky. Ukrainian counterattacks noted.
  • Russian forces (elements of 108th and 247th Airborne Assault Regiments) claim near-complete control of Lobkove (Ukrainian forces reportedly hold northern outskirts) and occupation of the southern part of Shcherbaky.
  • Claimed local Russian advances near Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka.
  • Russian artillery and aviation reportedly striking Ukrainian positions in Novoandriivka.
• Kursk/Belgorod/Sumy Border Area:
  • Ukrainian General Staff: Reports 19 combat clashes in the Kursk direction today, with 2 ongoing. Reports 7 Russian air strikes (9 KABs) and 186 artillery bombardments (including 6 MLRS) in the area.
  • Russian Claims:
    • Strikes reported on Myropillya (Sumy Oblast), alleging Ukrainian force concentration for potential Belgorod incursions and attempts to relieve units near Guievo/Gornal.
    • Claims Ukrainian attempts to advance via Demidovka and Popovka (Belgorod Oblast) failed. Russian forces allegedly clearing central Demidovka.
    • Claimed FPV drone strike by "Sever" group destroyed a Ukrainian pickup truck with personnel near Maryino (Sumy Oblast) attempting a night crossing into Belgorod Oblast.
    • Putin publicly attributed the "liberation of Sudzha" to Russian forces involved in the operation (note: control status likely contested).

II. Air, Missile, and Drone Activity

• UAV Threats:
  • Active threat warning for Russian UAVs in Kharkiv Oblast (14:55 UTC).
  • Reported reconnaissance UAV activity in Sumy and Chernihiv Oblasts, with possible air defence engagement (14:58 UTC).
• Targeting of Medical Assets (Russian Claim):
  • Russian source (Mash na Donbasse) claims a Ukrainian drone struck an ambulance near Mostky (occupied Luhansk Oblast), injuring the driver and paramedic. The vehicle was reportedly en route to a demining operation and is claimed to be destroyed.

III. Critical Infrastructure

• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP):
  • Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson reports damage to a diesel fuel reservoir at the occupied plant. The resulting fuel spill is assessed as sufficient to power emergency generators for approximately 25 days. Ukraine reiterates the need for the plant's return to its control to prevent further incidents.

IV. Strategic Posture and Policy

• Ukrainian Stance:
  • Military mobilization tempo remains unaffected by ceasefire negotiations and will continue based on General Staff requirements (Spokesperson, Operational Command "West").
  • Presidential Advisor Podolyak stated Ukraine reserves the right to conduct "symmetrical responses" against Russian infrastructure if Russia continues its attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure. Ukraine will not unilaterally cease strikes while under attack.
• Russian Stance:
  • Russian MFA demands international condemnation following the alleged killing of a Russian state TV war correspondent, accusing Kyiv.
  • A member of the Russian State Duma Defense Committee called for the introduction of universal military service in Russia.
  • SVR Director Naryshkin accuses the EU of adopting "Third Reich propaganda methods" and planning a centralized anti-Russian campaign.

V. Negotiations and Diplomacy

• US Role: Former President Trump claims "great progress" is being made in US-mediated peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
• European Position: Reuters reports that European nations are reconsidering sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine and are exploring alternative security guarantee models.

VI. Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)

• US Activity: A US Air Force RC-135V Rivet Joint signals intelligence aircraft (callsign JAKE17) conducted extensive operations over the Black Sea, monitoring the western waters, southern Crimean coast, and the Novorossiysk area (Mar 26).