After the Ukrainian Armed Forces began receiving a significant amount of artillery rounds, the Russian offensive along the entire frontline stalled. The Russians continue to attack at the Kupyansk, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Vuhledar directions, but the Ukrainian Defense Forces are repelling these attacks.
On the other hand, the Russian armed forces have intensified air strikes with the use of KAB guided bombs. The massive downing of Su-34 bombers failed to deter them, while they destroyed Ukraine's S-300 air defense system and hit the Patriot system in Donetsk region. Thus, if February was a record breaking period with over 1500 bombs dropped, in the third quarter of March, the Russians have already dropped over 800 bombs, including a bomb with a 1500 kg explosive charge in Krasnohorivka.
8 km north of Kupyansk, the Russian army has been trying to break through the village of Senkivka for a year in vain. Similarly, attempts to break through in the direction of Kupyansk along the road from Svatove have been unsuccessful. In this area, after the Ukrainian Armed Forces counteroffensive near Tabaivka and Kyslivka, fighting continued within the villages for a week.
The most dynamic area of the frontline remains in the Lyman direction, but here the Defense Forces also managed to hold back all Russia's attacks on Terny and Yampolivka.
Kupyansk, Chuhuiv, Borova in the Kharkiv region suffered the most from artillery shelling and air strikes.
A significant number of KABs were dropped on the heads of Ukrainian defenders in the neighboring section of the frontline, in the area of occupied Kreminna and Siversk, which is constantly under threat of a three-sided attack. In fact, the entire frontline zone near Siversk was struck from the air, including Ukrainian positions in Bilohorivka and Serebrianka, as well as between Spirne and Rozdolivka, south of Siversk.
The Russian paratroopers from the 11th Airborne Brigade are doing their best to fulfill their mission and break through Ukraine's defenses in Klishchiivka and Ivanivske. And while Ukraine's 92nd Brigade has recently destroyed a mechanized group in Klishchiivka, including 16 tanks and an infantry fighting vehicle, in Ivanivske they are fighting for the center of the village. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are currently in full control of the western part of Ivanivske, while the Russian forces have gained a foothold in the eastern part. Fierce fighting continues here every day, as this village is the gateway to both Chasiv Yar and Klishchiivka.
To the north of Chasiv Yar, in the village of Bohdanivka, Ukrainian Defense Forces managed to recapture one position and pushed Russian units back almost half a kilometer.
After the stabilization of the front to the west of Avdiivka, the main fighting continues on the outskirts of three villages - Berdychi, Tonenke and Orlivka. While the 47th Brigade in Berdychi regularly drives the Russian troops from the eastern outskirts and prevents them from advancing further, the situation in the other two villages is not so positive.
The 25th Airmobile Brigade replaced the 3rd Assault Brigade at these positions. However, the Russians have managed to occupy the entire eastern and central part of Orlivka and are trying to push Ukrainian Defense Forces west of the cascade of ponds and canals, where Ukraine's main defense line lies.
In addition, the Russian army managed to break through to the south of Orlivka and with this maneuver divided the defenders of Tonenke into two parts, separating the northern part of the village from the southern part. In the southern part, the Ukrainian Armed Forces were effectively semi-encircled and would soon be forced to retreat to the west. The Ukrainian troops defending the northern part of Tonenke also face difficulties, as Russians push on them from one side, and from the rear they are limited by ponds and a canal. In addition, all back positions are under constant air strikes, which makes defense much more difficult. Russia's army is trying to destroy our defensive positions using KABs and move further west of Avdiivka.
This week, the Russians managed to make some progress in the direction of Selidove. In particular, they occupied one and a half square kilometers north of Pervomayske and also made their way several hundred meters on the approaches near the village of Nevelske. This demonstrated their immediate plans to bypass Ukraine's defense line from the south. However, given the pace of their advance, this is currently a matter of long term perspective.
Despite the fact that last week Russia entered the central part of Novomykhailivka, occupied the village of Pobieda several times and terrorized Vuhledar, Novoukrainka and Kostiantynivka with guided bombs, the front line remained unbroken.
Five days before Russian citizens vote for Putin as president, the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out a massive drone attack on their cities. Facilities in the Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Oryol, Kursk, Volgograd, Voronezh, Bryansk, Rostov, Belgorod, Tula, and Leningrad regions were targeted.
The damage to the Kstovo fuel refinery near Nizhny Novgorod, 900 kilometers from Ukraine, was a strategically successful strike. The complex ensured 5% of oil refining in Russia.
Throughout the day, the Oryol tank farm was on fire, as well as a thermal power plant in St. Petersburg. Several days earlier, 3 fuel tanks were blown up in Belgorod.
Earlier this week, more than 50 Ukrainian drones attacked the Taganrog air base and aviation company twice, destroying several aircraft and damaging one of the A-50 long-range reconnaissance plane. The Taganrog Metallurgical Plant, which produces almost 1 million tons of steel a year, was also hit. To the north of Moscow, a drone hit a blast furnace at a mining and processing plant, and in Kursk, drones attacked a mining waste processing plant.
Finally, at dawn on March 12, the Freedom of Russia Legion, the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) and the Siberia Battalion, launched a special operation in the Kursk and Belgorod regions. Active hostilities continued in settlements near the border. Russian volunteers temporarily took control of the village of Tyotkino, where they destroyed a Russian stronghold, and are also fighting in Lozovya Rudka, Novaya Tavolzhanka, and others. Russian troops have retreated beyond these villages and are waiting for reinforcements.
On March 13, the day began with a successful four-stage, hours-long drone attack on the Ryazan oil refinery, located 475 kilometers from Ukraine. Meanwhile, in Belgorod, drones visited the local FSB building.
The maps were created based on information received from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as other open and verified sources. At the same time, the maps are not as accurate as possible and only conditionally reflect trends in the combat zone.