Russian forces have intensified their offensive in eastern Ukraine, targeting communities around the strategic city of Kramatorsk, while Kyiv’s military command reports its first net territorial gains since early 2023 These developments coincide with a series of successful long-range Ukrainian strikes on high-value Russian assets, signaling a new phase of the conflict combining fierce attritional warfare with Kyiv's growing asymmetric capabilities
On February 27, Russian troops used tube artillery against the suburbs of Kramatorsk for the first time, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) The city is a central component of a fortified defensive line Ukraine has constructed in the Donetsk region Despite this pressure, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskii stated that his forces had regained more territory in February 2026 than they had lost The ISW corroborated this claim, estimating Ukraine achieved a net gain of 257 square kilometers, its first such gain since its 2023 counteroffensive
In parallel with its defensive operations, Ukraine has executed several long-range attacks. In early March, a large-scale drone attack targeted the Russian Black Sea Port of Novorossiysk, damaging an oil terminal and multiple naval vessels Days later, Russia’s defense ministry accused Ukraine of sinking a Russian liquefied natural gas carrier off the coast of Libya
These military developments occur against a complex diplomatic backdrop. As its assault in Ukraine continues, Russia has called for a “cessation of hostilities” in a separate conflict involving the United States and Iran, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov offering mediation Meanwhile, Ukraine has offered to share its expertise in drone interception with Gulf nations, citing Iran's role in supplying drones to Moscow for use in the war
Mohsin Rana
