Confirmed Interceptions: 42 Shahed-type UAVs confirmed shot down across southern, northern, and central Ukraine. (UA Source: Air Force Command, General Staff)
Missed/Lost: 1 Iskander-M missile was not intercepted. 26 additional drones (imitators) were reported as "locationally lost" without negative consequences. (UA Source: Air Force Command, General Staff)
Specifics: 10 UAVs neutralized approaching Kyiv (no damage/casualties in city). (UA Source: KMVA). 6 UAVs downed over Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. (UA Source: Dnipropetrovsk OVA). 9 Shahed-131/136 downed by SDF South (likely Mar 26).
Impact & Casualties:
Kharkiv City & Oblast:11 injured (incl. children) from mass Shahed attack. Extensive damage to homes, multi-story building, vehicles, warehouses (large fire), workshops, animal shelter, power lines, gas pipe. (Multiple UA Sources).
Dnipro City:3 injured. Damage to enterprises, educational/cultural facilities, >10 apartment buildings, >60 cars, 2 trucks. Fires extinguished. (Multiple UA Sources; Prosecutor General confirms investigation).
Zaporizhzhia Oblast: Shelling caused power and communication outages in one frontline community (>10 strikes). >3300 subscribers remain without power in frontline areas. (UA Source: Zaporizka OVA, Sternenko).
Nikopol District (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast): Attacked by kamikaze drones and artillery. 1 woman injured. Damage to residential buildings, infrastructure, petrol station, vehicles. (UA Source: Dnipropetrovsk OVA).
Sumy Oblast (Okhtyrka - RU Claim): Russian sources claim destruction of a "logistics hub" at a bread factory by 3 Geran-2 drones. Requires verification. (RU Source: Dnevnik Desantnika)
Ongoing Air Threats & Activity (Morning Mar 27)
Ballistic Missile Threat (07:10-07:27 UTC): Air raid alerts issued for Kyiv and multiple oblasts due to ballistic missile threat. Alerts subsequently lifted for most regions except Sumy Oblast. (UA Sources: KMVA, Air Force Command, RBC-Ukraina).
Tactical Aviation Threat (06:20 UTC): Russian tactical aviation active in the northeast, potential for air-launched weapon strikes on frontline oblasts. (UA Source: Air Force Command).
Russian Reconnaissance: Claimed RU Il-38N surveillance of US carrier, escorted by US fighters. (RU Source: Fighterbomber).
Naval Activity: 1 Russian Kalibr carrier (up to 4 missiles) in Black Sea; none in Sea of Azov. (UA Source: RBC-Ukraina).
Claimed Ukrainian Strike (Engels-2 Airbase, Mar 20)
Ukrainian General Staff claims strike destroyed 96 Russian air-launched cruise missiles and significant fuel reserves. (UA Sources: General Staff, Operatyvnyi ZSU, RBC-Ukraina).
Intensity: High. 224 combat clashes reported on March 26. (UA Source: General Staff).
Main Axes of Russian Effort: Pokrovsk, Toretsk, South Donetsk (Vremivka), Kursk/Belgorod borders, Kupyansk.
Kursk & Belgorod Oblast Border Operations
Kursk:
Intense Fighting: Near Guevo, Sudzha, Basovka (bordering Sumy Oblast). (Multiple Sources). Ukrainian forces continue operations. (UA Source: General Staff).
Russian Claims: Entered northern Guevo (attempting encirclement); advanced west of Melovoy; pushed back UA forces in Hoholivka; assault on Hoholivka and towards Sudzha border crossing ongoing; heavy use of FPV/artillery/MLRS; claim control over UA supply routes; claimed advance near Vladimirovka (new sector west of Zhuravka). (Multiple RU Sources).
UA Actions: Stopped 25 RU assaults (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff).
RU Attacks (Mar 26): 19 air strikes (28 KABs), 492 shelling incidents (9 MLRS). (UA Source: General Staff).
RU Equipment Losses Claimed: Russian sources show footage claiming destruction of UK CRARRV and US M992 FAASV near Kursk border. (RU Source: Colonelcassad).
Belgorod:
Heavy Fighting: Near Demydovka and Popovka (Krasnoyaruzhsky district). RU claims repelling UA breach attempts, clearing Demydovka ongoing. (RU Sources: Rybar, WarGonzo, RVvoenkor).
Casualties: Russian journalist Anna Prokofieva confirmed killed near Tishanka (previously reported). (Multiple RU Sources).
Eastern & Southern Frontlines
Kharkiv Direction:
Ukrainian forces stopped two Russian assaults near Vovchansk (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff, Kharkiv OVA).
Russian MoD claims deployment of robotic UGVs guided by UAVs to destroy UA positions. (RU Source: MoD Russia).
Kupyansk Direction:
Four RU assaults near Holubivka and Zahryzove (Mar 26) repelled/ongoing. (UA Source: General Staff, Kharkiv OVA).
Russian Claim (Mar 23-26): Occupied new positions north bank of Nizhnyaya Dvurechna river (Dvurechensk bridgehead). (RU Source: Slivochny Kapriz).
Lyman Direction:14 RU attacks repelled near Kopanky, Yampolivka, Novoserhiivka, towards Nove, Kolodyazi, Novomykhailivka (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff). RU claim of advance persists.
Siversk Direction:11 RU attacks stopped near Bilohorivka, Verkhnokamianske, Ivano-Darivka (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff).
Kramatorsk Direction (Chasiv Yar):4 RU attacks repelled near Chasiv Yar, Predtechyne, Bila Hora (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff). Russian storming actions continue.
Toretsk Direction:20 RU attacks in areas of Toretsk, Dachne, Krymske, towards Dyliivka (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff). Urban fighting ongoing.
Russian Claims (Mar 23-26): Expanded control north of Krymske, occupied positions in northern Rozivka. Expanded presence near Panteleimonivka, pushing south towards Oleksandro-Kalynove. (RU Sources: Slivochny Kapriz, Rybar, WarGonzo).
Pokrovsk Direction:
Highest Intensity:88 clashes repelled by UA forces on Mar 26 near multiple settlements (Oleksandropil, Tarasivka, Elizavetivka, Lisivka, Novoukrainka, etc.). (UA Source: General Staff). Intensity increasing through March (DeepState).
Russian Claims (Mar 23-26): Occupied buildings in Vodyane-2, advanced west of Pischane, restored positions in Uspenivka. (RU Source: Slivochny Kapriz).
Confirmed UA Loss: Captain Oleksandr Melnyk (Battalion Commander, "Kholodnyi Yar") killed in this direction. (RU Source: Colonelcassad, Voenkor Kotenok).
Novopavlivsk / South Donetsk / Vremivka Sector:
25 RU attacks towards Rozliv, Vesele, near Kostiantynopil, Skudne (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff).
Russian Claims (New): Group "Vostok" forces broke into Vesele from the east (after capturing Dniproenerhiia and Skudne), storming the settlement. UA reportedly counterattacking in Dniproenerhiia. (RU Source: RVvoenkor).
Russian Claims (Consolidated): Advances south of Konstantynopil towards Razliv; near Novosilka; entered central Vilne Pole (Mar 23-26). (RU Sources: Rybar, WarGonzo, Slivochny Kapriz).
Huliaipole Direction:16 RU attacks stopped near Rivnopil, Novosilka, Pryvilne, Vilne Pole, Novopil (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff).
Zaporizhzhia Direction (Orikhiv Sector):
9 RU assaults repelled near Mali Shcherbaky, Lobkove, Shcherbaky, towards Stepove (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff).
Russian Claims (Mar 23-26): Stormed UA positions in western Stepove, reached new positions in Lobkove. (RU Source: Slivochny Kapriz).
Kherson Direction (Prydniprovsky):2 RU attacks stopped (Mar 26). (UA Source: General Staff). Positional fighting. UA drone strike footage targeting RU personnel/motorcycle reported. (UA Source: Shef Hayabusa).
III. Other Key Updates
Russian Military & Support
North Korean Support (Claim): Alleged deployment of ~3000 additional NK soldiers to Russia (Jan-Feb), plus increased weapon shipments (SRBMs, 170mm SPGs, 240mm MLRS, ammo). Preparations reported for visits by Lavrov to NKorea and Kim Jong Un to Russia. (UA/RU Sources: RBC-Ukraina, AP/SK Mil, TASS). Requires verification.
Tactics: Continued heavy use of KABs (116+28 on Mar 26), FPV/kamikaze drones (2646 on Mar 26), artillery, MLRS. Use of UGVs guided by UAVs reported in Kharkiv Oblast.
Claimed RU Losses (General Staff, Mar 26): 1670 personnel, 8 tanks, 16 AFVs, 58 artillery systems, 2 MLRS, 1 AD system, 108 UAVs, 169 vehicles, 1 special equipment unit. Air Force/Missile Troops/Artillery hit 15 concentration areas, 1 radar, 1 arty piece. (UA Source: General Staff).
Cybersecurity: Ukrzaliznytsia online ticket sales restored after major cyberattack. (UA Source: Operatyvnyi ZSU, RBC-Ukraina).
Recruitment: List of brigades for "Contract 18-24" program expanded. (UA Source: DShV).
Infrastructure: Significant damage from RU strikes continues (details in Section I). Power/comms outages persist in frontline Zaporizhzhia.
Diplomatic / Political
Ceasefire Discussions Context: Zelenskyy frames engagement in talks as exposing Russian insincerity. (UA Source: Tsaplienko).
US-UK Relations: Strain reported following Signal leak and US tariffs on UK steel. (RU Source: Rybar).
US Security Leak: Personal data of Trump administration officials allegedly leaked via Signal, potentially compromising Yemen operation discussions. (UA Source: Operatyvnyi ZSU citing Spiegel; Tsaplienko).
Moldova: Pro-Russian Gagauzia head Gutsul appeals to Putin amid detention related to alleged illegal party financing linked to RU crime groups. (RU/UA Sources: TASS, Operatyvnyi ZSU).
