Military Situation Update: Ukraine - March 28, 2025, 22:56 UTC
I. Air, Missile, and Drone Activity
Widespread UAV Activity (Ongoing & Updated Tracking - UA Air Force, 22:42 UTC; Vanek, 22:34 UTC): Multiple hostile UAVs remain active across Ukraine.
Kharkiv City: 4 new UAVs reported entering western and southern districts, potential for impacts. (Vanek)
Vinnytsia Oblast: Threat declared. (UA Air Force)
Odesa Oblast: UAVs in the north, course northwest. (UA Air Force)
Sumy Oblast: UAVs present, course west. Earlier explosions reported in Sumy city following UAV detection. (UA Air Force, Suspilne)
Kyiv Oblast: UAVs present, course west/southwest. Hostile UAV previously detected near Kyiv city, air alert active. (UA Air Force, KMVA)
Zhytomyr Oblast: UAVs present, course west. (UA Air Force)
Kharkiv Oblast (Broader): UAVs present, course south. (UA Air Force)
Previous Residuals (Vanek, 22:07 UTC): Kirovohrad (2 south), Kyiv Oblast (2 SW past Pereiaslav, 4 east), Sumy (1 from Poltava, 2 circling S of Sumy).
Current Air Alert Map (RBC-Ukraina, 22:43 UTC): Confirms widespread alerts reflecting UAV threats across central, northern, eastern, and southern oblasts.
Targeting: First Deputy Head of Dnipropetrovsk OVA stated drone strikes deliberately targeted civilian objects: a restaurant complex, private homes, and a multi-story residential building.
Damage: Confirmed damage to multiple multi-story buildings, ~10 private homes, garages, service stations. Fire at Bartolommeo complex localized. Significant destruction visible in shared footage.
Response: Search and rescue operation ongoing. (OVA / RBC-Ukraina)
Luhansk Fire Cause (Russian Claim & Confirmation): Russian sources (TASS, Mash na Donbasse, Operatyvnyi ZSU citing RU, Colonelcassad) maintain the large fire in the Luhansk industrial zone (warehouse storage) resulted from falling debris of two intercepted Ukrainian UAVs. Photos shared by Russian sources confirm significant damage to warehouse structures. No casualties claimed by RU sources.
II. Ground Combat Operations & Related Developments
A Russian war correspondent (Colonelcassad/Maryana Naumova), accompanied by Akhmat special forces, reported from the village.
Claims recent Russian capture, complete destruction, and depopulation (~500 residents previously). Alleges Ukrainian forces committed atrocities and used extensive mining during retreat. Note: This information serves Russian objectives and lacks independent verification. Photos show destruction, Akhmat presence, UXO, damaged drone.
Russian Logistics (Occupied Donetsk Oblast):
Russian military engineering units ("Vostok" Group's Road-Commandant Battalion) are actively constructing new roads to improve logistical throughput. Video shows heavy equipment use. (Voin DV / RU MoD)
Russian Equipment Loss (Ukrainian Claim):
Video shared (Butusov Plus) allegedly shows a Russian armored vehicle exploding (secondary detonation) after a Ukrainian drone strike, coinciding with the arrival of other Russian personnel nearby.
III. Other Military-Relevant Developments
Russian Cybersecurity Posture: Khabarovsk Police disseminate public warnings about cyber threats (phishing, malware), indicating state-level concern over cyber vulnerabilities potentially exploitable in hybrid warfare. (Politsiya Khabarovskogo kraya)
IV. Recent Historical Context (March 26, 2025)
Massive Shahed Attacks (March 26 Night): Widespread attacks occurred targeting multiple cities including Dnipro, Kharkiv, Zolochiv (Kharkiv Oblast), Khmelnytskyi (towards Starokostiantyniv), Vinnytsia, Kropyvnytskyi, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, and Sumy. Resulted in significant civilian infrastructure damage (residential buildings, production facilities) and numerous civilian injuries across affected areas.
High Ground Combat Intensity (March 26): Reports indicated over 200 daily Russian ground assault actions, with March intensity reportedly 17% higher than February. Primary Russian focus areas cited as Kursk border, Lyman, Pokrovsk, and Vremivka directions.
Border Clashes & Claims (March 25-26): ISW reported Ukrainian advances in NW Belgorod Oblast and Russian advances near Kursk/Sumy borders. Conflicting claims and reports of intense fighting in border villages like Popovka, Demydovka, Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. Russian MoD made claims of liberating settlements and inflicting heavy casualties, while UA reported repelling numerous assaults in the Kursk direction.
Frontline Advances (Reported March 25-26):
Russian Advances Claimed/Assessed: Near Terny, Spirne (Lyman); NW of Toretsk, SE Shcherbynivka, near Oleksandropil (Toretsk); Southern Lobkove, Central Stepove (Orikhiv). MoD claimed Malye Shcherbaki liberation.
Intense Fighting: Pokrovsk direction remained highest intensity zone. Significant fighting reported near Kupyansk, Lyman axis settlements, Toretsk axis settlements, Pokrovsk axis settlements, Orikhiv axis settlements, and Prydniprovsky direction (Left Bank Kherson).
Tactical Adaptations Noted (March 25-26): Widespread Russian use of improvised "cope cages" on armor; Russian snipers reportedly targeting heavy Ukrainian drones; Alleged Russian shift in Shahed tactics towards targeting residential areas systematically (requires verification).
Confirmed Ukrainian Strike (March 24-26): Successful strike on Russian Command Post (9th MRR/18th MRD) near Viktorivka-Uspenivka (Kursk Oblast), eliminating a Battalion Commander. Successful missile strike (March 24) on RU media personnel near Kupiansk.
Alleged Sanctions Evasion: Reports suggested Russian explosives manufacturers using fertilizer companies to procure chemical components.
