Sitrep for July 20-24, 2026 (as of 10 a.m. UTC+3)
The shake-up in Ukraine’s military leadership continues to dominate recent headlines. General Yevhen Khmara remains acting defense minister. On July 22, following prolonged discussions and meetings with military personnel—and driven partly by public pressure—Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Chief of Staff Anatoliy Hnatov. They were replaced by Major Generals Mykhailo Drapatyi, the former commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Ihor Skybiuk, the former commander of the Air Assault Forces, respectively. Both officers enjoy strong reputations, with Drapatyi in particular drawing widespread praise, including from Ukraine's former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Kyrylo...
Sitrep for July 17-20, 2026 (as of 10 a.m. UTC+3)
On July 6, Robert "Madiar" Brovdi, commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, announced the start of Operation MoLoChKa, which stands for "Moscow will fall through Crimea." The operation involves numerous strikes against Russian vessels in the Azov and Black Seas. On July 18, Brovdi revealed the military impact of the operation. The Russian Armed Forces are redeploying Rubicon UAV units, as well as air defense units, from the frontline to the coast (the Atesh movement reported this on July 16). The redeployment is intended to protect the "shadow fleet," as well as bridges and other infrastructure.
Sitrep for July 13-17, 2026 (as of 10 a.m. UTC+3)
The biggest news story this week has been the resignation of Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Technically, it was not a dismissal: following the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, the entire cabinet was automatically dissolved, and Fedorov was not invited to join the new administration. Publicly, however, he has already been blamed for failing to reform the territorial recruitment centers (TCCs) and the broader mobilization system. In recent weeks, clashes between civilians and TCC personnel have escalated. For instance, a riot against forced recruitment erupted in Lviv on July 8, and on July 14, recruitment officers assaulted a woman while attempting to detain a man.
Sitrep for July 10-13, 2026 (as of 10 a.m. UTC+3)
Over the past several days, there have been virtually no significant changes along the frontline. Fighting for the town of Kostiantynivka continues, and new footage has emerged showing Russian flags, indicating that the Russian Armed Forces have reached the northern outskirts of the town.
Sitrep for July 6-10, 2026 (as of 10 a.m. UTC+3)
Over the past several days, the frontline has remained largely unchanged, with most developments centered on aerial strikes.
Sitrep for June 29-July 6, 2026 (as of 7:35 a.m. UTC+3)
On July 3 evening, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the "complete liberation" of Kostiantynivka. In reality, this is, of course, not the case. It is worth noting that part of our team and several Western analysts had assessed that most of Kostiantynivka would likely fall by mid-summer—now less than a week away. Over the past week, however, the situation has changed very little. We currently assess that the southwestern part of the town, marked in gray on the DeepState map, has been captured and is under Russian control (marked as "red"). The same is true for the northeastern outskirts. The rest of the town is contested territory, with Ukrainian forces still present and heavy fighting ongoing. In an optimistic scenario for...
Sitrep for June 26-29, 2026 (as of 8:30 a.m. UTC+3)
The Russian Ministry of Defense has claimed the capture of the villages of Pysantsi and Novoskeliuvate in the Dnipropetrovsk region, both located along the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia highway. If the Russian Armed Forces establish control over a section of this highway, it would complicate logistics for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Oleksandrivka direction, including in the border area between the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
Sitrep for June 22-26, 2026 (as of 9:30 a.m. UTC+3)
Reports have recently emerged regarding the alleged withdrawal of Russian forces from the Kinburn Spit and increased activity by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area. Supply difficulties caused by increasingly frequent Ukrainian drone strikes on occupied territories and the land bridge to Crimea were cited as the primary reason.
Sitrep for June 19-22, 2026 (as of 10 a.m. UTC+3)
In the Sloviansk direction, a video captured a close-quarters engagement in the village of Zakitne, most of which is under Russian control. The footage shows a Ukrainian soldier hiding in the ruins of a private house confronting three Russian servicemen who appear to have been checking or clearing the area. The Ukrainian soldier first threw a grenade at the group and then opened fire with small arms. Two of the Russian soldiers were killed, while a third was wounded but managed to escape.
Sitrep for June 15-19, 2026 (as of 10 a.m. UTC+3)
Russian servicemen have published flag-raising videos filmed in the village of Rai-Oleksandrivka, southeast of the city of Sloviansk. This sector of the front has seen relatively little movement in recent months. During the winter and early spring, the Russian Armed Forces advanced steadily in the area following the capture of the town of Siversk, but the pace of the offensive later slowed considerably, apparently after Russian forces reached prepared Ukrainian defensive positions. Despite Russian claims that the videos confirm the capture of Rai-Oleksandrivka, we believe they are more indicative of continued infiltration than of successful consolidation of control over the village. Topographic maps show that Russian forces approached...