Eastern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Ukraine's easternmostoblasts,Donetsk,Luhansk,andKharkiv,have been the site of an ongoingtheatre of operationsince the start of theRussian invasion of Ukrainein February 2022.

Eastern Ukraine campaign
Part of theRussian invasion of Ukraine
Clockwise from top left: Bombing of Mariupol Theater in Mariupol destroyed Russian tank destroyed nearMariupol Aftermath of amissile strike at Kramatorsk railway station
Date 24 February 2022 – present (2 years, 9 months, 1 week and 1 day) Location Eastern Ukraine(Donetsk Oblast,Luhansk Oblast,Kharkiv Oblast) Status Ongoing Russia and pro-Russian separatists control 98.5% ofLuhansk Oblastand about 60% ofDonetsk Oblastas of 17 September 2024 Russia retreats from all ofKharkiv Oblastwest of the Oskil River and the strategic city ofLyman Russia captures cities ofSoledar,Bakhmut,Marinka,Avdiivka,Novohrodivka,UkrainskandVuhledarin Donetsk Oblast after 2022
Belligerents
Russia Donetsk People's Republic Luhansk People's Republic	Ukraine
Commanders and leaders
Vladimir Putin	Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Units involved
Seeorder of battle	Seeorder of battle
Strength
38,000+ soldiers (late March 2022) 50,000–62,000 soldiers (early April 2022) 10,000–20,000 mercenaries (per European officials, early April 2022) 300–500 Syrian and Libyan mercenaries (perISW,early April 2022) 180,000 soldiers (per Ukraine, July 2023)	125,000 soldiers (ineastern Ukraine) 40,000–50,000 (as of the start of thebattle of Donbas)

Thebattle of Donbaswas a major offensive in the eastern theatre that took place in mid-2022.By the culmination of the offensive in July 2022, Russian forces and their separatist allies had captured the cities ofSievierodonetsk,Lysychansk,RubizhneandIzium.However, in early September, Ukrainelaunched a major counteroffensive in the east,which recaptured the cities of Izium,Balakliia,Kupiansk,Sviatohirskand the strategic city ofLyman.The counteroffensive stalled east of theOskil river,anda campaignin eastern Kharkiv Oblast and western Luhansk Oblast has continued since, though Donetsk Oblast has remained the most active area of the frontline.

In the winter of 2022–2023, Russia focused on capturing the city ofBakhmut,largely destroying the city inone of the bloodiest battles of the war,and fully capturing it in May 2023. In June 2023, Ukraine launchedanother major counteroffensiveacross the entire frontline, capturing some Russian positions along Bakhmut's outskirts and in southwestern Donetsk Oblast, though not making the major gains in the Donbas which had been sought. By November 2023, this counteroffensive had largely stalled in the east and Russia began making new offensive operations to capture territory, gaining control ofAvdiivkaandMarinkain Donetsk Oblast by February 2024.Following the capture of Avdiivka, Russian forces advanced to form a salient northwest of it andcapturedthe settlement ofOcheretynein April 2024 and began contestingKrasnohorivka,southwest ofDonetsk,andChasiv Yar,west of Bakhmut, and launched anoffensivetowards the city ofToretskin June 2024. In late July 2024, Russiaincreased offensive maneuversin the direction of the strategically important city ofPokrovsk,advancing significantly towards the city in August 2024.

Background

Further information:War in Donbas (2014–2022)

Sporadic fighting had been taking place since 2014 between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists from theDonetsk People's Republicduring thewar in Donbas.

Campaign

Initial Russian attacks (February–March 2022)

Kharkiv Oblast

See also:Battle of Kharkiv (2022)

A Russian supply convoy in theKharkiv region,March 2022

On 24 February, after Russian PresidentVladimir Putinannounced a "special military operation" in Ukraine,Russian forces crossed theRussia-Ukraine borderand began advancing towardsKharkiv.Ukrainian soldiers were deployed to positions along key routes into the city, and residents began volunteering for military service within hours of the invasion.A Russian missile struck theChuhuiv air base,which housedBayraktar TB2drones. According toopen-source intelligence,the attack left damage to fuel storage areas and infrastructure.

On 25 February, fierce fighting continued in the northern outskirts ofKharkiv,especially in the village ofTsyrkuny.On 26 February, the governor ofKharkiv Oblast,Oleh Syniehubov,stated that the city ofKharkivwas still under Ukrainian control, and announced a curfew for the city.

In the early morning of 27 February, a gas pipeline inKharkivwas destroyed byRussian forces.Russian light vehicles broke into the city,with half of them reportedly destroyed byUkrainian forcesin ensuing fighting.By the afternoon, Ukrainian officials stated thatKharkivwas still under Ukrainian control despite the overnight attack byRussian forces.Meanwhile, Hennadiy Matsegora, the mayor ofKupiansk,agreed to hand over control of the city toRussian forcesand accusedUkrainian forcesof abandoning it when the invasion began.He was later accused of treason by theUkrainian Prosecutor GeneralIryna Venediktova.

On 2 March, Russianparatrooperslanded inKharkivduring the early morning and started clashing withUkrainian forces.Clashes also took place near a military hospital of the city as Russian paratroopers descended on it.Kharkiv Oblast's Police Chief Volodymyr Tymoshko later stated that the situation was under control.

TheVerkhovna Radameanwhile stated that Russian shelling onIziumkilled eight people.Russian forces entered the town ofBalakliiaduring the day.

On 4 March,Ukrainian forceslaunched a counterattack inKharkiv Oblast,reportedly pushing theRussian forcestowards theSumy Oblast,and reaching part of the Russia-Ukraine border.By 7 March, Ukraine claimed to have retakenChuhuivnearKharkivin a counter-attack overnight.During the day, Ukraine also claimed to have killed Russian Maj. Gen.Vitaly Gerasimov,while also killing and wounding other senior Russian Army officers during a battle nearKharkiv.

On 8 March, Ukraine stated that it had repelled an attack byRussian forcesonIzium.

Donetsk Oblast

See also:Battle of Volnovakha

On the morning of 25 February, Russian forces, along with allied separatists, advanced from territory controlled by theDonetsk People's Republic(DPR) towardsMariupol,encountering Ukrainian forces inPavlopil.The Ukrainians were victorious, destroying at least 20 Russian tanks.In the evening, the Russian Navy began an amphibious assault 70 kilometers (43 miles) from Mariupol, along the coast of theSea of Azov.Russian forces bombarded Mariupol throughout 26 February; the city's mayorVadym Boychenkoclaimed that schools and apartment buildings had been struck.

Ukrainian civilians being evacuated from Volnovakha in the Donetsk region

On the morning of 27 February, it was reported that a Russian tank column was quickly advancing towards Mariupol from DPR-held territory, but the attack was prevented by Ukrainian forces. Six Russian soldiers were captured.

The same day, Donetsk Oblast governorPavlo Kyrylenkosaid thatVolnovakhawas undergoing a humanitarian crisis, as Russian shelling had practically destroyed the entire city.

On 1 March, Ukrainian forces began a counteroffensive towardHorlivka,which had been controlled by the DPR since 2014.

On 2 March, separatist-held Donetsk had been under shelling for several days. Some neighborhoods had no electricity supply and there were burnt cars on the streets.

Ukrainian officialOleksiy Arestovychstated that the Ukrainian forces went on the offensive for the first time during the war, advancing towardsHorlivka.Ihor Zhdanovlater claimed that "there were reports" that a part of the city had been captured by Ukrainian forces.According to Ukrainian reports, Ukraine's95th Air Assault Brigadehad begun attacking the city the previous day.

AnEpicentr Kablaze amidRussian bombing in Mariupol.

Ukrainian authorities stated on 3 March that 34 civilians had been killed in Russian shelling in Mariupol in the previous 24 hours.

On 5 March, a ceasefire was declared in Volnovakha to allow civilians to evacuate, but was later scuttled with Ukrainian officials blaming Russian shelling continuing during the evacuation process. They added that about 400 civilians were still able to leave the city. Russian PresidentVladimir Putinhowever blamed Ukrainian forces for the breakdown of the ceasefire agreement.

On 6 March, both sides blamed each other for the failure of a second attempt to evacuate civilians from Mariupol.

On 9 March, a building acting as a maternity ward and children's hospital in Mariupol wasbombedby theRussian Air Forceat around 17:00, killing five civilians and injuring 17.

On 11 March, the Russian Defence Ministry stated that the forces of the DPR had captured Volnovakha.It also claimed that they had advanced 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) and had further tightened the siege of Mariupol. Videos later posted on social media showed Russian forces in many neighborhoods of Volnovakha.

On 12 March, theAssociated Pressindependently confirmed that Volnovakha had been captured by pro-Russian separatists and much of it had been destroyed in the fighting.Pavlo Kyrylenko,the governor of Donetsk Oblast, stated that while the settlements ofNikolske,Manhushand Urzuf had been occupied by Russian troops, they had yet to capture any key cities, with the exception of Volnovakha.

In the northern Donetsk Oblast, theSviatohirsk Lavramonastery was bombed around 22:00 on 12 March, wounding 30 people and damaging the monastery.

The Russian Defence Ministry stated on 13 March that Russian forces had captured the settlements ofNikolske,Blahodatne,VolodymyrivkaandPavlivkain Donetsk Oblast, in an attempt to reachVelyka Novosilka.The Ukrainian military stated that Russian forces had captured the settlements ofStaromlynivka,Yevhenivka,Pavlivka and Yehorivka during the day.

On 14 March, Donetsk was hit by a missile attack.Denis Pushilin,the head of the Donetsk People's Republic, stated that they had shot down a UkrainianTochka-Umissile fired on the city of Donetsk, but parts of the missile fell into the city centre, killing multiple civilians. The Russian Defense Ministry stated that 23 civilians were killed and 28 more wounded. However, the Ukrainian military denied conducting the attack and stated that it was "unmistakably a Russian rocket or another munition",which was supported by an assessment of theConflict Intelligence Team,an investigative journalism group.

Ukrainian forces later said that Russian troops of the336th Guards Naval Infantry Brigadeand the11th Guards Air Assault Brigadehad tried to advance in the Donetsk Oblast at 17:00, but were repulsed with up to 100 soldiers killed and six of their vehicles being destroyed.

On 20 March, Russian officials confirmed thatAndrey Paliy,a deputy commander of theBlack Sea Fleet,had been killed in Mariupol.

Luhansk Oblast

Russian andLPRunits convene inNovoaidar,March 2022

Ukrainian soldiers with a captured RussianBRDM,March 2022

Burning buildings inSievierodonetskafter Russian shelling, 13 March

On 24 February, the Ukrainian military said that Russian forces were attempting to cross theSiverskyi DonetsRiver and penetrate the Ukrainian defensive line amid heavy clashes forShchastiaandStanytsia Luhanska.By 27 February, Luhansk Oblast governorSerhiy Haidaiacknowledged that February that both cities had come under Russian occupation, and had been practically destroyed by Russian shelling.

On 25 February, the Ukrainian military claimed that its artillery had inflicted damage on a Russiancolumnpreparing to cross theAidar RivernearStarobilsk,forcing the Russians to withdraw.

On 2 March, forces of the Luhansk People's Republic and Russian troops capturedNovoaidar,taking over a base of Ukraine's79th Brigade.Further north, a Russian convoy of 60 vehicles enteredStarobilskthrough the fields near the villages of Shulhynka, Omelkove, and Khvorostianivka. Inside the city, the Russians were confronted by protesting locals waving Ukrainian flags and singing theUkrainian national anthem.The column continued in the direction ofSvatove.

The next day, civilians carrying Ukrainian flags protested against Russian troops in Svatove.After talks with locals, the soldiers withdrew from the town.

Haidai stated on 6 March that fighting was taking place on the outskirts ofLysychansk,SievierodonetskandRubizhne,as Ukrainian units had fallen back to a new front line in order to avoid encirclement or a Russian breakthrough. He added that Ukrainian forces had lost control ofSvatove,StarobilskandNovopskov,though Russian forces were not deployed in the cities in large numbers. He also said thatPopasnaandHirskewere being continuously shelled.

On 8 March, Ukrainian officials stated that ten civilians had been killed and eight wounded in shelling onSeverodonetskduring the day.Haidai, meanwhile, stated that Russian forces had occupied 70 percent of Luhansk Oblast.

On 12 March, Ukrainian forces confirmed the death of Colonel Valery Hudz, the commander of the Ukrainian24th Mechanized Brigadewhile fighting on the Luhansk frontline.Ukrainian officials accused Russia of usingwhite phosphorus munitionson the town ofPopasna,located in the Luhansk Oblast, during the night of 12–13 March.

On 15 March, Haidai stated that four civilians were killed due to Russian shelling of a hospital, a care facility for children with visual impairments, and three schools inRubizhne.

On 22 March, the head of the LPR, Leonid Pasechnik, claimed that "almost 80% of the territory" of the Luhansk region was under separatist control, withPopasna,Lysychansk,Rubizhne,SeverodonetskandKreminnaremaining Ukrainian-held. He noted that the situation in the battlefield was "stably tense" and that units of thePeople's Militia of the LPRwere striving to capture Popasna and Rubizhne.

Battle of Donbas (April–September 2022)

Main article:Battle of Donbas (2022)

Further information:Battle of RubizhneandBattle of Kharkiv (2022)

April 2022

Further information:Battle of KreminnaandBattle of Avdiivka (2023–2024) § Early conflict

A RussianOrlan-10drone shot down by theNational Guard of UkraineinLuhansk Oblast,April 2022

On 25 March, the Russian defence ministry stated that it was prepared to begin a second phase of military operations with the aim of occupying major Ukrainian cities in eastern Ukraine. According to the ministry, Russian-backed separatists were in control of 93% of Luhansk Oblast and 54% of Donetsk Oblast.

After Russia abandoned itsoffensive to capture Kyiv,it shifted its attention to eastern and southern Ukraine. The Russian military began redeploying units from northern Ukraine to the east, but many of these troops appeared to be nearly combat-ineffective due to heavy losses. However, Russia still amassed tens of thousands of troops, declaring its aim to fully capture the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.It managed tosecure Iziumon 1 April, although heavy fighting continued around the settlement over the next few days.According to local authorities 80% ofIzium's residential buildings were destroyed in the battle.On 3 April, according to the Ukrainian government, two Russian soldiers died and 28 others were hospitalized after Ukrainian civilians handed out poisoned cakes to soldiers of the Russian3rd Motor Rifle Divisionin Izium.

Russia and the pro-Russian separatists continued to besiege Mariupol, where they made little progress. However, Russian troops managed to divide the Ukrainian holdouts in Mariupol into two or three pockets on 10 April.At the same time, Russia made concentrated efforts to conquer the strategically important cities ofSievierodonetsk,Popasna,andRubizhne.It launched repeated attacks on these locations from 10 April.Russia made little progress in these attacks,and Ukraine claimed that it had inflicted a heavy defeat on the Russian60th Independent Motorized Infantry Brigadeon 11 April.In nearby Kreminna, Ukraine's128th Brigadeclaimed to have pushed Russian forces 6-10 kilometers away from the city.

To support the operations aimed at Sievierodonetsk, Popasna, and Rubizhne, Russia made a push south of Izium towardBarvinkoveandSloviansk.Ukraine responded by shifting more units to hold off the Russians at Izium. At the same time, Russia attacked around Kharkiv to pin down local Ukrainian forces.Russia had made only limited gains at Izium by 12 April, but more Russian forces continued to arrive, to reinforce the offensive.

On 13 April, it was reported that Russia was attempting to assemble a force large enough to outnumber the Ukrainian soldiers in eastern Ukraine by five times, in an attempt to finally win a decisive victory in the Donbas.On 16 April, Russia warned the remaining defenders of Mariupol to surrender; the Ukrainians ignored the demand.On 18 April, Ukraine launched counter-attacks, and retook several small towns and villages near Kharkiv and Izium.

Also on 18 April, Zelenskyy announced that the "battle for Donbas"had begun, as Russian forces launched an offensive across a 300-mile front. According to Russian officials, 1,260 military targets were hit by rockets and artillery.The initial Russian bombardment focused on Rubizhne, Popasna, and Marinka.

On the same day, it was reported that Russian and LNR troops had entered the city ofKreminna,capturing it after a few hours of clashes with the Ukrainian Army.LNR commander Mikhail Kishchik was killed in this battle.Over the next days, Russia gained little territory despite attacks all across the frontline. Facing heavy Ukrainian resistance, the Russian and separatist forces were able to advance into parts of Rubizhne, Popasna, and Sievierodonetsk. Some reports also suggested that fighting in Kreminna was still ongoing. On 21 April, the Russians claimed to have killed over 4,000 Ukrainian troops in Mariupol, and to have captured a further 1,478.By 23 April, Ukrainian counter-attacks had reportedly further stalled the Russian advance.

In the following days, Russia continued its attempts to break through the Ukrainian defenses, possibly in an aim to encircle the Izium-Donetsk City salient. Fighting was concentrated at Sievierodonetsk, Rubizhne, Popasna, Marinka, Kharkiv, and Izium.Russia, the LPR, and the DPR made limited gains, capturing a number of villages and the towns of Popivka, Pischane, Zhytlivka, and Kreminna.However, their overall advance was slow, and stalled in most areas of the frontline. Ukraine also mounted a growing number of counter-attacks at Izium and Kharkiv, gradually expelling Russian forces from a number of settlements.

First Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive and the recapture of Mariupol and Sievierodonetsk (May–September 2022)

Further information:Siege of Mariupol,Battle of Sievierodonetsk (2022),andBattle of Lysychansk

Ukrainian troops surrender after thecapture of AzovstalinMariupol,19 May 2022

PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyyvisiting the24th Mechanized Brigadeon the eastern front, nearBakhmutandLysychansk,5 June 2022

Burning buildings inLuhansk Oblastafter Russian shelling, 13 June 2022

On 30 April, Ukraine launched a large-scale counter-offensive at Kharkiv, retaking the city's suburbs and several more towns over the following days.

By 4 May, Russian forces had been pushed back to such a distance that most of their artillery could no longer strike Kharkiv.Meanwhile, Russian and DPR/LPR separatist forces continued to attempt to break through Ukrainian defenses at Izium and the Donetsk-Luhansk frontline.On 6 May, theISWdescribed a Ukrainian counteroffensive "along a broad arc" nearKharkiv,reporting that Ukraine had recaptured "several villages," includingTsyrkuny,Peremohaand part ofCherkaski Tyshky.TheISWalso reported that Ukraine "may successfully pushRussian forcesout of artillery range inKharkivin the coming days. "

On 7 May, Russian forces destroyed several bridges in an attempt to slow down the Ukrainian counter-offensive at Kharkiv. On the same day, Russia and separatist troops also captured Popasna.Following the capture of Popasna, Russia began attempting to encircle Sievierodonetsk.

On 7 May, it was reported thatUkrainian forceshad successfully pushed back Russian forces stationed aroundKharkiv,with the city getting further out of range forRussian forces.The same day,Ukrainian forcesalso reported retaking five villages northeast ofKharkiv.Quoting a Ukrainian official,The New York Timessaid that the battle for Kharkiv was not over, but that at the moment, Ukraine was dominating, and thatRussian troopswere destroying bridges as they were retreating.On 11 May,Ukrainian forcesclaimed to have recaptured four settlements. The counteroffensive had the potential to bringUkrainian forceswithin several kilometers of the Russian border.

On 10 May, Ukraine made further gains on the Kharkiv front, forcing Russia to redeploy forces from the Izium front to the north.

In addition, Ukrainian artillery destroyed an entire Russianbattalion tactical groupattempting a river crossing in thebattle of the Siverskyi Donets.Meanwhile, Russia and the DPR attempted to cement their occupation in eastern Ukraine through political and economic means, likely in an attempt to integrate these areas into the existing separatist republics or establish new ones.On the other side, Ukrainian civilians began organizing resistance movements.As Ukrainian forces retook territory around Kharkiv, local civilian collaborators fled to Russia.

On 12 May, Russian forces seized Rubizhne and the nearby town ofVoevodivka.Heavy fighting subsequently took place at the village ofDovhenkesouth of Izium.On 13 May, it was reported that Russia had decided to withdraw its forces fromKharkiv Oblast.On 14 May, theISWreported that "Ukraine thus appears to have won thebattle of Kharkiv."The Mayor ofKharkivsaid to the BBC: "There was no shelling in the city for the last five days. There was only one attempt from Russians to hit the city with a missile rocket nearKharkivairport, but the missile was eliminated byUkrainian Air Defence."

Russia continued its attempts to encircle Sievierodonetsk and began to focus on cutting the highway at Bakhmut.By 14 May, the Ukrainians claimed to have killed over 6,000 Russian soldiers in Mariupol. They also claimed to have destroyed 78 tanks and 100 other armored vehicles.On 15 May, Ukrainian forces reached the border near Kharkiv, while continuing to push back Russian and LPR units.On the following day, the siege of Mariupol was formally concluded as the Ukrainian military personnel in the city's Azovstal agreed to gradually evacuate and surrender to the Russian forces.Four days later, the Russians announced that they had taken an additional 2,439 Ukrainians prisoners in Mariupol, bringing the total number captured during the siege to 3,917.In addition, it was reported that unrest – including public protests – was growing among pro-Russian collaborators and separatists in eastern Ukraine, as they accused Russian forces of corruption, incompetence, and forced mobilizations.

Over the following days, Russia made little to no progress at the Izium frontline, but captured some territory around Popasna and Sievierodonetsk, increasingly threatening Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk with encirclement.Russia also intensified air and artillery strikes targeting Ukrainian positions around Izium, possibly to prepare for renewed attacks.At the northern front,Russia and separatist forces retook a few villages and fortified their positions to stall the Ukrainian counter-offensive.

After the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russian forces were driven back to defensive positions, some of which were within miles of the Russia-Ukraine international border. Despite this, they continued to shell variousKharkivsuburbs, as well as the city proper, killing numerous civilians and wounding dozens more.Skirmishesalong theRussia–Ukraine borderin the area of northeastern Ukraine continued between Russian and Ukrainian forces beyond 14 May.

On 20 May,Russian forcesagain shelled several villages in theKharkiv district,including the city ofKharkivitself, usingBM-21 Grad,BM-27 UraganandBM-30 Smerchmultiple rocket launchers.On 21 May, the Ukrainian police confirmed the recovery of the bodies of six military officials, including a Russiancolonel,in the settlement ofZolochiv.

On 22 May, theRussian forcesmade minimal progress in eastern Ukraine. New reports confirmed thatRussian troopshad occupiedRubizhnein the northernKharkiv Oblaston 19 May. In northern Kharkiv, Russian forces brought in reinforcements to maintain their positions on the west bank of theSeversky Donets River,instead of retreating across the river to use it as a defensive position, to prevent further Ukrainian advances north or east that could jeopardize Russian communication lines along theIziumaxis.On 24 May,Russian forcesattempted to retakeTernovain northernKharkiv Oblast.

On 23 May, Russian forcestook controlofLymanand attacked Avdiivka.On 24 May, Russian forces attacked from Popasna with the aim of cutting off Bakhmut, Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk, gaining some ground. Ukrainian forces made a controlled withdrawal southwest of Popasna to strengthen their defensive position at Bakhmut. Russia subsequently capturedSvitlodarsk.

Around this time, Ukrainian defence adviser Yuriy Sak publicly demanded moremultiple launch rocket systemsto reinforce Ukrainian artillery capabilities.On 31 May, the United States announced a military aid package that includedprecision rocket systems with a range of 80 km.

After afierce month-long battlethat ruined much of the city, Russian and LPR forces capturedSievierodonetskalong theSiverskyi Donetsriver on 25 June.On the same day, thebattle of Lysychanskbegan, which also saw a Russian victory on 2 July. The following day Russian and LPR forces declared full control of the entire Luhansk region.On 4 July,The Guardianreported that after the capture of the Luhansk oblast, that Russian invasion troops would continue their invasion into the adjacent Donetsk oblast to attack the cities ofSlovianskandBakhmut.The Russian military declared an "operational pause" to rest and replenish front line forces in Luhansk.On 9 July, a Russianrocket attackon two residential buildings inChasiv Yarkilled at least 48 people.

On 25–26 July, after Russia's operational pause concluded, Russian sources reported that the towns of Berestove,Novoluhanske,and the nearbyVuhlehirska Power Stationhad been captured. TheInstitute for the Study of War(ISW) suggested Ukrainian defenders likely conducted a deliberate withdrawal from the area.

On 13 August, the Russian defence ministry said its forces had captured the village ofUdy,northwest ofKharkiv.

The Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of Ukraine's General Staff, Oleksiy Hromov, alleged on 1 September that Russian president Vladimir Putin had ordered Russian forces to capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast by 15 September via a renewed offensive. Hromov further alleged that Russia was going to rotate its recently established3rd Army Corpsto the Donetsk front. A senior U.S. defense official dismissed the purported deployment of the "older, unfit, and ill-trained" 3rd Army Corps personnel as being unable to increase Russia's overall combat power in Ukraine.

Second Ukrainian Kharkiv counteroffensive (September–October 2022)

Main article:2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive

Further information:Battle of Lyman (September–October 2022),Battle of Kupiansk,andWagner Line

President Zelenskyy with Ukrainian soldiers near the frontline in Kharkiv Oblast, September 2022

Destroyed Russian equipment from thebattle of Lyman

On 6 September 2022, Ukrainian forces began a surprise counter-offensive on the Kharkiv front that resulted in Russian forces retreating over 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi) east.On 4 September, Zelenskyy announced the liberation of a village in Donetsk Oblast. Ukrainian authorities released a video of their forces enteringOzerne.On 8 September, Ukrainian forces recaptured more than 20 settlements inKharkiv Oblast,including the towns ofBalakliiaandShevchenkoveand 'penetrated Russian defense positions up to 50 km' according to the General Staff of theArmed Forces of Ukraine.On the same day, a representative of the Russian occupation authorities announced that the 'defense ofKupianskhad begun' and that additional Russian forces were on their way to support the effort, suggesting that Ukrainian elements were close to the town.

On 9 September, Ukrainian forces reached the outskirts of Kupiansk and destroyed the main bridge over the Oskil river in the city center, limiting the ability of the Russian Army to retreat or to bring in reinforcements.In the morning of 10 September, Ukrainian soldiers posted pictures of the Ukrainian flag being raised in front of the town hall.Also on 10 September, Izium, a central command post of the Russians in the region, fell to Ukrainian forces, "with thousands of Russian soldiers abandoning ammunition stockpiles and equipment as they fled."On 11 September, it was reported that the Ukrainians had retakenVelykyi Burlukin Kharkiv Oblast, just 15 miles (24 km) from the border with Russia.Russia responded with missile strikes on civilian areas and on non-military infrastructure facilities like power stations.TheRussian Ministry of Defensethen formally announcedRussian forces' withdrawal from the majority ofKharkiv Oblaston 11 September,withRussiaonly controlling parts of the region on the east bank of theOskil River.

By October 2022, Ukrainian forces had retaken several villages and towns in northern Luhansk and northern Donetsk, includingYatskivka,Novoliubivka,Nevske,Hrekivka,Novoiehorivka,Nadiya,Andriivka,andStelmakhivka,among others.On 1 October, Ukrainian forces enteredLymanaftera short siege.Russian forces had fallen back to the P-66 highway near the Kharkiv-Luhansk Oblast border, anchored by the settlements of Svatove and Kreminna, the first city to be taken during the battle of Donbas. On 2–3 October, Ukrainian forces beganattacking towards Kreminna and Svatovein an attempt to break the Russian front line along the P-66 in northern Luhansk.

First Russian winter campaign (November 2022–May 2023)

Further information:Battle of BakhmutandLuhansk Oblast campaign

Early winter (November–December 2022)

No man's landduring thebattle of Bakhmut,November 2022

T-80BV andT-64tanks from Ukraine's93rd Mechanized Brigadeon the Bakhmut–Soledar front, December 2022

Russian forces launched a renewed offensive in southern and northern Donetsk Oblast in early November,with Russian troops intensifying their attempts to break through Ukrainian defensive lines in Bakhmut,Soledar,Pavlivka, andVuhledar.On 11 November, DPR forces were reported to have entered Pavlivka.Russian forces, includingWagner GroupPMC fighters, overran defensive lines south of Bakhmut in late November, claiming to have captured the settlements ofKurdiumivka,Ozarianivka,Zelenopillia,andAndriivkaby 30 November, while clashes inOpytnecontinued.

By December 2022, the Donbas was the site of the fiercest fighting in Ukraine. Russian and Ukrainian forces funneled reinforcements from other fronts to theBakhmut–Soledaraxis while Ukraine's eastern counteroffensive largely stalled along the Lyman–Kreminna–Svatove axis.Russia spent much of the month consolidating defense lines along theKreminna–Svatove front,seeking to prevent a Ukrainian breakthrough to the P-66 highway; the Ukrainians, including the92nd Mechanized Brigade,attempted intermittent local counterattacks across the line of contact while repelling many local Russian assaults.The Kreminna–Svatove line became a defensive flashpoint for Russia, which reportedly reinforced the area with two battalions ofT-90tanks and a fewBMPTarmored fighting vehicles,and reportedly mobilized elements of the144th Guards Motor Rifle Divisionand8th Combined Arms Army.Both the Russians and Ukrainians claimed to be conducting offensive operations along this front line and repelling local enemy assaults; on 10 December, the Russian defense ministry said it was making new advances east of Lymanwhile theInstitute for the Study of Warassessed that Ukraine "likely" controlled the contested front line settlement ofChervonopopivkaas of 22 December.

Meanwhile, multiple Russian sources reported that Wagner fighters had captured and were clearingYakovlivka,located along Soledar's northeastern flank, by 7 December.The Russians also claimed to have shot down a UkrainianMi-8 helicopterin Yakovlivka on 8 December.Ukraine was reportedly rotating in fresh units in the Donbas by mid–December, particularly from the Kherson front. The57th Motorized Brigade,36th Marine Brigade,and the46th Airmobile Brigadereinforced the Bakhmut front alongside the24th Mechanized Brigade,relieving the93rd,which had defended Bakhmut and Soledar for months. The28th Brigadereportedly rotated toKostiantynivkaand the18th Marine Infantry Battalion, 35th Marine BrigadereinforcedNevelskeandPervomaiske.

Heavy clashes along the Bakhmut–Soledar axis continued by 10 December, typified by gruelingtrench warfare,drone warfare,artillery duels, and minor ground assaults amid freezing temperatures. Zelenskyy accused Russia of having "destroyed" Bakhmut, saying there was "no residential space that hasn't been damaged by shelling for a long time." On 10 December, the Ukrainian General Staff said more than 20 settlements were bombarded in fighting in the Bakhmut area alone.Ukrainian paratroopers of the71st Separate Huntsman Brigadereported repelling a Russian "sabotage and reconnaissance group" with mortar fire near Bakhmut, "eliminating" at least two attackers.On 16 December, Wagner PMC forces reportedly finished clearing Yakovlivka, further threatening Soledar's northeastern flank.

In southern and western Donetsk Oblast, thebattle of Marinkacontinued,with DPR presidentDenis Pushilinclaiming on 15 December that 80 percent of the city had been captured amid ongoing heavy urban combat.Russia also continued demolition and reconstruction projects in Mariupol, reportedly seeking to turn the ruined city into agarrisoncity. Observers accused Russia of using the rebuilding efforts to cover up and destroy evidence of war crimes in Mariupol, particularly the March 2022Mariupol theatre airstrike.

Russian regular, separatist, and Wagner PMC forces continued attempts to break defense lines on Bakhmut's southern and eastern flanks via small probing attacks; Wagner fighters spearheaded ground assaults into the city and itssatellite suburbs,each of which Ukraine had turned into a stronghold. Media, government officials, and eyewitnesses described the fighting in Bakhmut as a "meat grinder" as both Ukrainian and Russian troops reportedly suffered heavy casualties daily with negligible changes on the front line.

TheISWassessed that the pace of Russia's Donbas advances in November and December was roughly equivalent to the pace in October. According to the ISW, Russian forces gained a total of 192 sq km in the Bakhmut sector between 1 October and 20 December.Footage posted online by a Russian journalist confirmed Russian forces had captured Andriivka, 10 km south of Bakhmut, by 22 December. The journalist claimed that Wagner fighters were fighting near Klishchiivka, where Ukraine reportedly had established strong defensive positions. Meanwhile, Ukraine continued to hold the northern half of Opytne and the western half of Marinka.On 26 December, Zelenskyy referred to Ukraine's situation in the Donbas as "difficult," saying the Russians were "using all the resources available to them... to squeeze out at least some advance."Ukraine's Eastern Military Command reported that the Bakhmut area was shelled 225 times on 26 December alone.

Russian breakthroughs (December 2022–March 2023)

Ukrainian intelligence chiefKyrylo Budanovvisiting troops in Bakhmut, December 2022

Wagner Groupfighters pose after capturing the village ofMykolaivka,north ofSoledar,2 February 2023

Russian forces intensified their encirclement attempts of Bakhmut in the winter, as Wagnerbroke throughUkrainian defense lines in the salt-mining town ofSoledaron 27 December, capturingBakhmutske.Soledar itself was taken by 16 January 2023, degrading Bakhmut's northeastern defensive flanks.The recapture of Soledar allowed Russian forces, spearheaded by Wagner fighters, to further flank Bakhmut from the northeastern direction and assert control over a portion of the T0513 highway towards Siversk.Defences along Bakhmut's northern flank collapsed as the Ukrainians withdrew fromKrasna Horaon 11 February.Wagner advanced 2-3 kilometers to the west of Blahodatne, capturing the area near the mainM-03 highwayleading into Bakhmut. Both theUK Defence Ministryand Ukraine's governor of Donetsk Pavlo Kyrylenko said the Russians were attempting apincer movementof Bakhmut, enveloping the city from multiple directions and establishing fire control over most Ukrainian supply routes into it.

In mid-January, a battle took place inVodiane.On 15 January, around 9-10 in the morning, elements of the DPR's1st Slovyanska Separate Mechanized Brigadeattacked eastern Vodiane from a frozen-over flooded area west of Opytne. These elements were not supported by artillery. At 12pm, a convoy of eight to nine RussianBMP-2sheading towards Ukrainian-controlled west Vodiane was hit by Ukrainian fire, injuring 70% of the soldiers involved, according to the Russian commander of the attack. TwoT-72Bsthen approached the town, but were destroyed. A third and final attack took place in the afternoon, when some BMPs attempted to drive close to the bridge between Vodiane and Opytne (which had been destroyed during the fighting), but were also destroyed by artillery. There were also attacks onSieverne,west of Avdiivka.On 10 February 2023, Russian fighters in Vodiane claimed that there is "not a single living creature in the town" from the destruction.A group of Russian soldiers from the "Storm" detachment fromKaliningradreleased a video in March 2023, claiming they were suffering large losses while fighting in Vodiane.

By 22 February, Russian units had crossed the M-03 and began assaultingYahidneand Berkhivka, northwest of Bakhmut, with the Ukrainians claiming to have repelled the assaults amid heavy fighting.Wagner claimed to have captured both villages by 26 February, however Ukraine's general staff said Russian assaults remained "unsuccessful" amid heavy shelling.Geolocated footage on 4 March showed Russian troops were advancing along both banks of the Berkhivka reservoir located about 4 kilometers northwest of Bakhmut, on the approaches toKhromoveandDubovo-Vasylivkavillages, respectively.On 7 March, Ukraine ceded eastern Bakhmut to Russian forces, retreating west of theBakhmutkariver.Wagner claimed to have advanced along the M-03 and expanded the buffer zone north and west of Bakhmut, capturing the villages of Dubovo-Vasylivka and Zaliznianske by 16 March,however Ukrainian defenders stalled the advance along this axis by 19 March, repelling assaults onOrikhovo-Vasylivka,Bohdanivka,and Khromove villages.

In early March 2023, Zelenskyy referred to the ongoing fighting in the Donbas as "painful and difficult".Clashes around Avdiivkaescalated in February and March, as the Ukrainians claimed Russian forces had begun an attempted encirclement effort of the city.Russian forces increased the amount of airstrikes in the area as ground units advanced towards Avdiivka's outskirts from the north and northeast, capturingKrasnohorivka(9 km north of Avdiivka) and Vesele (7 km north of Avdiivka) by 21 March.Further to the south, the grindingbattle for Marinkahad reduced the city to "post-apocalyptic" ruins as Russian ground units made minimal gains amid fierce urban combat with Ukrainian defenders.DPR leaderDenis Pushilinclaimed Ukraine was continuously transferring reserves to Marinka.

Capture of Bakhmut and Ukrainian flanking counterattacks (April–May 2023)

View of western Bakhmut duringthe battle,5 April 2023

Fighting inside Bakhmut continued into April and May 2023. Russian forces controlled 95 percent of the city by 18 May, having corralled Ukrainian defenders into a southwestern neighborhood of multi-story residential buildings the Russians referred to as the "nest", where Ukraine had purportedlyconcentrated a large number of defending units.As Wagner fighters made gradual gains inside Bakhmut, Ukraine launched counterattacks on the southern and northwestern flanks of the city beginning around 10 May, resulting in Russian units abandoning positions near the Berkhivka reservoir and south ofIvanivske,on the approach to Klishchiivka.Ukraine's3rd Assault Brigadereportedly partook in the recapture of 2 km of territory, in what Ukrainian commanderOleksandr Syrskyicalled "the first successful offensive operation in the city's defense".

Despite the Ukrainian counterattacks threatening their flanks, Wagner continued to advance inside the city and claimed to have fully captured it on 20 May, adding that they planned to withdraw from the front line and be replaced by regular Russian troops after finishing clearing operations.Ukraine, however, denied that Bakhmut had fallen and claimed their forces were in the process of partially "encircling" the city via their multiple "localized" gains on the environs.By 21 May, Wagner forces had consolidated control over Bakhmut proper and halted their advance, with Ukrainian forces still operating in neighboring localities west and south of the city. The ISW assessed that Ukrainian forces had withdrawn from the city itself but were still counterattacking on the outskirts.

2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive & renewed Avdiivka assaults (June–October 2023)

Russian tank insideRaihorodkavillage inLuhansk Oblast,July 2023

A Russian missile strike on theMezhovarailway station inDnipropetrovsk Oblast,August 2023.Video released by theRussian Ministry of Defence.

Russian forces deployingincendiary munitionsagainst Ukrainian positions on the Bakhmut front, October 2023

In early June 2023, Ukraine launched alarge counteroffensiveacross the frontlines, including on the flanks of Bakhmut. These attacks focused around areas such asAndriivka,Klishchiivka,andBerkhivka,where Ukrainian forces made "marginal" gains. Ukraine's progress was notably hindered by dense Russian minefields, with the Russians reportedly using rocket systems to deploy mines in areas that Ukrainian troops had previously recaptured and cleared.By July 2023, Russian forces were largely maintaining a defensive posture along the vast majority of the frontline, with theLuhansk frontbeing one of the few places where they reportedly remained on the offensive.

Meanwhile,internal tensionsbetween the Russian defence ministry and the Wagner Group boiled over when the latter launched aone-day rebellionagainst the Russian government on 23 June, which was concluded with mediation byBelarus.Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin later announced on 19 July that the PMC would no longer fight in Ukraine.Russia reportedly increased its oversight over Wagner forces after Prigozhin and two other Wagner commandersdied in a plane crashon 23 August. Russian war blogRybarreported Wagner fighters would return to the Bakhmut axis to help recapture lost positions.On 27 September, the Ukrainian military stated that "a maximum of several hundred" Wagner fighters had returned to Ukraine but dismissed their impact on the battlefield as negligible, describing them as a "remnant" force no longer fighting as a single unit—being instead dispersed throughout regular Russian units.Later, on 27 November, aUkrainian Ground Forcesspokesman said that "former Wagner Group members" were spotted fighting on the Lyman-Kupiansk front alongsideStorm-Zunits.

By October 2023, Ukraine was waging an "active defense" on the Bakhmut axis after recapturing Andriivka and Klishchiivka, holding the line while conducting offensive operations to improve tactical positions when possible. However, Ukrainian assaults began slowly culminating on this front by the end of the month. The ISW reported on 27 October that Russian forces were conducting successful counterattacks on Bakhmut's flanks, recapturing positions south of the Berkhivka reservoir that they lost months prior, along with making marginal gains west ofKurdyumivka,located 13 km southwest of Bakhmut. In turn, Ukrainian troops reportedly pushed the Russians out of several positions east of the Bakhmut-Horlivka railway line in the area ofAndriivka.

In early October 2023, as Ukraine's larger counteroffensive nominally continued on other fronts, Russian forces began a localized offensive againstAvdiivka,attempting toencirclethe fortified city.

On 30 October 2023, Ukrainian generalOleksandr Syrskyistated Russian forces were transferring reserves and "significantly" strengthening its grouping on the Bakhmut front in preparation of a renewed offensive to recapture lost positions along Bakhmut's flanks. Ukrainian military spokesperson Volodymyr Fityo, citing intelligence reports, stated the Russians were preparing since early October 2023 and that Ukrainian troops had been strengthening "defensive positions, engineering fortifications and pulling up reserves" in response.Russian sources, including the Russian defence ministry, said that elements of the331st Guards Airborne Regiment,98thand106th Guards Airborne Division,200th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade,"Viking" spetsnazdetachment, and the"Alexander Nevsky" Assault Brigade,were among the personnel operating on the Bakhmut front around this time.

Second Russian winter campaign (November 2023–April 2024)

See also:Luhansk Oblast campaign § Renewed offensive towards Kupiansk (November 2023–present)

Early winter (November–December 2023)

In early November, positional battles south of Bakhmut continued along the Klishchiivka-Andriivka-Kurdiumivka railway line, while Russian sources claimed increased offensive operations on the Berkhivka Reservoir axis further northwest of Bakhmut.On 6 November, Ukrainian and Russian sources reported that Russian troops had made a "marginal" advance south of the Berkhivka Reservoir, though it was unclear at the time if they recaptured the entire reservoir or just the southern shore.On 10 November, Russian sources reported Russian troops had regained lost positions in forestry north of Klishchiivka and a tree line north of Andriivka, pushing Ukrainian forces away from the railway line and the T0513 highway, however Ukrainian mines, drones, and artillery were complicating the advance. In turn, the Ukrainian General Staff reported repelling assaults nearBohdanivka,Ivanivske,Klishchiivka, and Andriivka.

In mid-November, General Syrskyi confirmed Russian forces had intensified their assaults north and south of Bakhmut in an attempt to regain the initiative and retake lost positions.

On 13–14 November, Russian troops—including elements of the98th Guards Airborne Division's "Storm" Division—advanced west ofYahidne,advancing along a tree line southwest ofOrikhovo-Vasylivkatowards Bohdanivka and securing new positions near the Berkhivka Reservoir in the process. Russian troops reportedly crossed the railway north of Klishchiivka and were consolidating positions, though Ukraine's93rd Mechanized Brigadeclaimed artillery had pushed them back across the railway. Yuri Fedorenko, the commander of the drone specialist "Achilles" Company, confirmed the situation in the Bakhmut direction was becoming complicated, crediting Russian troops' constantly shifting tactics and heavy usage of battlefield drones. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian General Staff reported repelling numerous assaults north and south of Bakhmut in its daily reports, including towards Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Andriivka, Klishchiivka, and west ofDubovo-Vasylivka.On 16 November,Maksym Zhorin,the deputy commander of the3rd Assault Brigade,accused Russian troops of deploying chemical weapons during clashes near Bakhmut.

By 19 November, the Russians were continuing assaults towardsKhromovevillage, Bohdanivka, and against Klishchiivka, where the Ukrainians continued to hold the tactical heights west of the village.On 29 November, Russia said its forces had taken control of Khromove.

By November 2023, both the Russians and Ukrainians were reportedlyusing cluster munitionson the eastern front, with the Russian cluster munitions being air-launched and Ukrainian cluster munitions, supplied by theUnited States,being fired via artillery.Around 20 November, video emerged online of Russian forces reportedly targeting Ukrainian positions nearStaromaiorskewithRBK-500cluster munitions fitted withUMPKglide bombguidance kits. According toThe War Zoneonline magazine, the UMPK-fitted RBK-500s are considered highly effective against personnel and soft targets, making them a logical weapon of choice for Russia in eastern Ukraine, where fighting is dominated by trench warfare amid treelines and open terrain.According to a Ukrainian platoon commander on the Bakhmut front, their cluster munitions were becoming increasingly ineffective as the Russians adapted; Russian troops began assaulting positions in smaller units and were digging their trenches deeper and making them harder to strike.

Between 8–9 December, on the Bakhmut-Soledar front, Russian troops reportedly advanced 1.5 kilometers and 3.5 kilometers total in an apparent attempt to encircleVesele,located 20 kilometers northeast of Bakhmut.Over a month later, on 18 January 2024, the Russian defence ministry claimed Russian troops had captured Vesele. Though located near Soledar, it marked the first settlement captured on the southern approach to theSiversk-Bilohorivkaaxis, a section of the eastern front that remained mostly stagnant throughout 2023. The Russian claims of advances were not independently verified at the time.

Russian forcescaptured Marinkaon 25 December. According toThe New York Times,the capture of the ruined city was further evidence that Russian forces had seized the initiative in the war after Ukraine's largely unsuccessfulsummer counteroffensive.The stalled Ukrainian offensive and renewed Russian assaults resulted in Russian forces ultimately seizing more territory in 2023 than they lost.

Avdiivka breakthrough and Ocheretyne salient (January 2024–April 2024)

See also:Battle of Avdiivka (2023–2024)andBattle of Ocheretyne

Russian Pacific Fleet marinesfighting inNovomykhailivka,February 2024. Video released by theRussian Ministry of Defence.

The Russian offensive on the Bakhmut front continued into January 2024, slowly pushing west towardsChasiv Yar,with ongoing clashes in and near Bohdanivka, and along theIvanivske-Andriivka-Klishchiivka axis.GeneralOleksandr Syrskyisaid Russian forces were using kamikaze drones andelectronic warfarealongside assault groups supported by artillery to break through Ukrainian defenses on the Bakhmut front.On 20 January 2024, Ukrainian spokesperson Colonel Oleksandr Shtupun stated that Russia was focusing its assault operations in Donetsk on Avdiivka andNovomykhailivka,adding that Russian ground assaults were mostly composed of infantry, with very limited armored vehicle support. Russian forces had conducted 592 artillery strikes and launched three missile strikes on the Donetsk front in the past 24 hours, according to Shtupun.

In late January–early February 2024, Russian forces broke through Ukrainian defences in Avdiivka and began flanking and encircling troops of the embattled110th Mechanized Brigade,prompting a Ukrainian retreat and resulting in Russian forces capturing the fortified city after months of deadly fighting.The Russians continued to advance west of Avdiivka, reportedly capturingLastochkyne,StepoveandSieverneby 27 February.Syrskyi said that the 3rd Assault and25th AirborneBrigades had pushed Russian troops back from Orlivka on 29 February.Clashes also continued for Novomykhailivka, with Russia claiming to have capturedPobiedaon 22 February, further threatening Novomykhailivka's northern flank and expanding the buffer zone south of Marinka.

In February–March 2024, Russian forces continued offensive operations on the Bohdanivka-Chasiv Yar direction, namely along the O0506 highway, north and northeast of Ivanivske, and by attempting to bypass the heights north and northwest of Klishchiivka, according to Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets. On 21–23 February, Russian sources claimed that Russian troops, including elements of the 98th Guards Airborne Division, had entered the eastern outskirts of Ivanivske and advanced to Sadova Street amid fierce clashes.By 3 March, Russian troops had reached central Ivanivske. Ukraine'sTavria operational-strategic groupsaid defenders were managing to build isolatedramparts,bunkers and anti-tank ditches amid the fighting.After weeks of fighting, the Russian defence ministry claimed the capture of Ivanivske on 23 March, althoughDeepState mappingclaimed the town was still contested as of 2 April.The Russians nevertheless continued theiradvance towards Chasiv Yar,reportedly capturing operationally important heights north of the city and Ivanivske respectively.

Clashes continued west and south of Avdiivka in March and April 2024, particularly along theTonenke-Orlivka-Berdychilineand theVodiane-Pervomaiskefront. By 1 March, the Russians had a foothold on the eastern outskirts ofBerdychi,had entered centralOrlivka,and were threatening the northern and eastern flanks ofTonenke.The Russians later claimed to have captured Orlivka on 19 March and Tonenke on 21 March.On 12 March, the Russian defence ministry claimed the capture ofNevelske,a village located on the southern flank of Pervomaiske and less than 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) north ofKrasnohorivka.The Russians claimed to have captured Vodiane on 5 April and reportedly captured Pervomaiske by 10 April.

On 14–16 April, Russian forces began expanding Avdiivka's northern flank, capturing the Zaryadachasand swiftly moving on to establish a foothold inOcheretyne,creating a salient. Russian troopsexploited the breach in defenses,capturing Ocheretyne by 28 April.Russian forces expanded the salient by quickly capturing the villages ofNovobakhmutivkaby 28 April andSolovioveby 1 May along Ocheretyne's southern flank.The Russians were concurrently advancing on a second axis northwards, east of the Ocheretyne salient, towardsNovokalynoveandKeramik,which were both reportedly captured by 30 April according toDeepStateMap.Live.After capturing Ocheretyne and Keramik, the Russians further advanced northwards and capturedArkhanhelskeby 5 May, according to DeepState; Russia later claimed the capture of Arkhanhelske on 25 May.

Damaged buildings inChasiv Yar,30 March 2024

On 25 April, the ISW assessed that although Russia was seeking further "tactical gains" northwest of Avdiivka,Chasiv Yarremained the primary target of the spring campaign.

Russian spring–autumn campaign (April 2024–present)

Donetsk Oblast

See also:Battle of Chasiv Yar,Battle of Krasnohorivka,Battle of Toretsk,Pokrovsk offensive,andBattle of Kurakhove

Russian media reported on 5 April that their troops hadentered the eastern suburbs of Chasiv Yar.Ukraine's eastern commanddenied these reports but admitted the situation on the city's outskirts had become "tense".On 6 April, Colonel-General Oleksandr Syrskyi–who succeededValerii ZaluzhnyiasUkraine's commander-in-chiefon 8 February–stated "Today, the fiercest battles are underway in the areas of Pervomaiske and Vodiane, as well as east of Chasiv Yar, where the enemy is trying to break through our defense lines."

On 13 April, Syrskyi stated the situation on the eastern front had "deteriorated significantly" in recent days and that fighting had intensified following the2024 Russian presidential election.Syrskyi partially attributed recent Russian gains in Donetsk Oblast to their superior weaponry and spoke of the need for training of more Ukrainian infantry units.The same day,DeepStateMap.Livereported that Russian forces capturedBohdanivka,which is located less than 6 miles (10 km) east of Chasiv Yar; the Russian defence ministry later confirmed its capture on 21 April.

Concurrent with the Chasiv Yar and Krasnohorivka battles, Russian troops also continued their ground advances on other axes in Donetsk into May 2024. Russian troops reportedly enteredUmanskeon 9 May.After a local offensive, Russian troops recapturedKlishchiivkaandAndriivkaby 23 May, ending months of positional warfare after Ukraine retook the ruined villages in September 2023.Russia claimed to have captured the village ofNetailoveon 27 May, which is located less than 15 kilometers northwest of Donetsk city's outskirts. Ukraine's General Staff reported "tense" clashes near Netailove, but did not confirm or deny the village's capture.

Russian soldiers operatingFPV dronesagainst Ukrainian positions inDonetsk Oblast,6 June 2024. Video released by theRussian Ministry of Defence.

After months of clashes following thefall of Marinka,Russian sources reported the capture ofHeorhiivkaaround 14 June 2024.The UK defence ministry stated in its 18 June intelligence update that Russian forces had likely capturedNovooleksandrivka.The village is located just over 12 miles west of Avdiivka and lies on the approach to the T-05-04 road, one of the main supply routes for Ukrainian forces on the Donetsk front that linksPokrovsk,KostiantynivkaandBakhmut.

On 18 June, Russia launched anew offensivetowards the city ofToretsk,and by 21 June had captured a village east of it,Shumy.Fighting began in thesatellite settlementseast of Toretsk ofPivdenne,Zalizne,Druzhba,andPivnichne,and by the end of June Russian forces had a foothold in all of these settlements.On 2 July, Russian forces advanced 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north to reach and advance into southernNiu-York,a rural settlement south of Toretsk,attempting to capture Toretsk from the east and south.

Concurrent with the advances near Toretsk, Russian forces continued to expand the Avdiivka salient after the capture of Novooleksandrivka;Sokilby 6 JulyandVoskhodby 11 Julywere both captured, west of Ocheretyne.Urozhaine,east ofStaromaiorske,was taken around 13 July,and in the direction ofSiversk,Russian forces restarted offensive maneuvers to captureSpirneandIvano-Daryivkaaround 17 July.

On 18 July, Russian forces enteredProhres,west of Ocheretyne, and captured it on 19 July,marking a new phase for the battle northwest of Avdiivka, as Russian forcesadvanced towardsand hoped to seize the city ofPokrovsk,a key Ukrainian logistical hub connecting two supply highways. Russian forces also seized the villages ofLozuvatskeandVovche,north and south of Prohres, in the week after the latter's capture. The situation, described as "tense and difficult", and the recent Russian advances in the Pokrovsk front, were attributed to a lack of Ukrainian supplies and manpower.On 24 July, a large mechanized assault was launched by Russia towardsKurakhove,with heavy losses;another was launched by Russia towardsKostiantynivkainPokrovsk Raionthe same day, again taking significant losses, but nevertheless gaining a foothold in the village.

Russia continued making significant advances in the direction of Pokrovsk in August, while expanding their control in the area in and around Toretsk.The Pokrovsk front had become the most active area of the frontline as Russia's main goal in eastern Ukraine by early August.Following Ukraine'sincursion into Russia's Kursk Oblastin early August, the rate of Russian advance near Pokrovsk increased, where Russian forces at the axis of advance had been bolstered.By mid-August, Russia was reportedly 10 kilometers from Pokrovsk,and continued to advance through settlements east of the city, including inHrodivka,a town situated on the last line of defense (a line running through Hrodivka–Novohrodivka–Selydove north to south) ahead of Pokrovsk itself.In late August, Russia entered Toretsk from two axes of advance, entering it from Pivnichne to the east and Zalizne to the south.On 27 August, Russia captured the key city ofNovohrodivka,nine kilometers east of Pokrovsk,in an engagement reportedly lasting only three days.The following day, fighting reportedly began overSelydoveas Russian forces entered the city from the east, capturing parts of theE50highway southeast of Pokrovsk in the process.

Russia concurrently captured significant portions of the highway running fromMarinkatoVuhledar,and likely seized in entirety the village of Kostiantynivka intersected by the road on 27 August.In late August, arenewed offensivewas launched towards Vuhledar.The villages ofPrechystivkaandVodianewere captured on 3 and 8 September, west and northeast of Vuhledar,while assaults near Vuhledar itself arose.

On 17 September, Russiacapturedthe city ofUkrainsk,southeast of Pokrovsk,after their forces had reportedly entered the city by 6 September.In September, nearby Ukrainsk, fighting began over the settlementTsukuryneand the city ofHirnyk,as Russian forces pressed further towardsKurakhove.The city of Vuhledar was subsequentlycapturedby Russia on 1 October.By 10 October, Russia captured the settlement ofTsukurynesouth of Selydove,andMykolaivka,Krasnyi Yar,Krutyi Yarnext toMyrnohrad.The settlement ofOstrivskeat the Kurakhove reservoir was captured by Russian forces on 15 October, after which thebattle of Kurakhovebegan.Following this, Russia captured the city ofSelydoveon 30 October.On 3 November, Russia occupied the mining settlementKurakhivka.

Northern Kharkiv Oblast

Main article:2024 Kharkiv offensive

Damaged and destroyed buildings inVovchansk,2 June 2024

As Russian forces continued their gradual advances in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, they launched a new offensive in Ukraine'sKharkiv Oblaston 10 May, using shelling, air strikes and dismounted infantry to breach defenses in theVovchanskandKharkivdirections.On 17 May, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that the new offensive "expanded the zone of active hostilities by almost 70 kilometers."By 21 May, Russia had reoccupied 13villages and settlements in Kharkiv Oblast and had advanced up to the northern bank of theVovchariver in Vovchansk.

Regarding the purpose of the operation, early speculation ranged from it being a concerted effort to capture Kharkiv to it serving as a feint to stretch Ukrainian defense lines, forcing them to shift reserves away from other fronts, particularly the Donbas front.On 17 May, President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia was aiming to create a "buffer zone" in Kharkiv Oblast to prevent further attacks onBelgorodwhile denying that there were plans to capture Kharkiv city. Earlier that same week, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky stated the Russian advance was stopped at the first line of defense,while Ukrainian intelligence chiefKyrylo Budanovreportedly warned that Russia may launch a new ground incursion intoSumy Oblast.

By 23 May, Russian troops had become "completely bogged down" amid urban combat in Vovchansk, according to Syrskyi.On 24 May, Ukraine's General Staff stated that Ukrainian forces had "halted" the Kharkiv offensive and were conducting counterattacks, adding that the most intense fighting in Ukraine was occurring in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts.On 27 May, Russia announced the capture of the village of Ivanivka in northeastern Kharkiv Oblast, located around 20 kilometers east ofKupiansk.

Luhansk Oblast and eastern Kharkiv Oblast

Main article:Luhansk Oblast campaign § Renewed offensive towards Kupiansk (November 2023–present)

On 20 May, the Russian defence ministry stated it had fully recapturedBilohorivkainLuhansk Oblast,however Ukraine's General Staff stated Ukrainian forces were still "holding back" Russian forces near the settlement.

On 9 June, theInstitute for the Study of Warassessed that Russian forces had "likely recently seized" the village ofIvanivkain the Kharkiv Oblast citing geolocated footage.

On 20 July, Russia was confirmed to have recapturedPishchanein eastern Kharkiv Oblast.

On 29 August, footage showed that Russia had made advances in central Synkivka, with some sources saying the village had been captured.On 30 August, Russia seized the village ofStelmakhivka.

By 6 September, Russian forces had completely seized Synkivka.Further advances south in the ensuing week were made into northernPetropavlivka.

By 10 October, Russian forces capturedMyasozharivka.

Order of battle

Russia and pro-Russian separatists

Russian Armed Forces

• Russian Ground Forces
  • 1st Guards Tank Army
    • 4th Guards Tank Division
      • 423rd Motor Rifle Regiment
      • 13th Tank Regiment
      • 144th Guards Motor Rifle Division
  • 2nd Guards Tank Army
    • 30th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade
  • 5th Combined Arms Army
    • 150th Rifle Division
      • 68th Tank Regiment
    • 60th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade
  • 6th Combined Arms Army
    • 138th Separate Mechanized Brigade
  • 8th Combined Arms Army
    • 150th Rifle Division
  • 20th Guards Combined Arms Army
    • 3rd Motor Rifle Division
  • 35th Combined Arms Army
    • 1st Guards Tank Army(elements)
    • 68th Army Corps
    • 64th Guards Motor Rifle Brigade
  • 41st Combined Arms Army
    • 74th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade
  • 45th Engineer Regiment
  • 58th Guards Combined Arms Army
  • 90th Guards Tank Division
  • 232nd Rocket Artillery Brigade
  • 4th Tank Division
  • 71st Motor Rifle Regiment
  • Central Grouping of Forces
  • 1st Army Corps(People's Militia of the Donetsk People's Republic)
    • 1st Slavyansk Brigade
    • Republican Guard
      • Pyatnashka Brigade
    • Sparta Battalion
    • Somalia Battalion
    • Vostok Brigade
  • 2nd Army Corps(People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic)
    • Prizrak Brigade
    • Cossack battalions
• Russian Air Force
• Russian Airborne Forces
  • 11th Guards Air Assault Brigade
  • 76th Guards Air Assault Division
  • 98th Guards Airborne Division
    • 334th Guards Airborne Regiment
  • 106th Airborne Division
• Russian Navy
  • Russian Naval Infantry
    • 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade
  • Black Sea Fleet
  • Baltic Fleet
    • 11th Army Corps
    • 336th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade
  • Northern Fleet
  • Pacific Fleet
• Logistical Support of the Russian Armed Forces
  • Russian Railway Troops
    • 29th Separate Railway Brigade

GRU

• Spetsnaz GRU
  • 3rd Guards Spetsnaz Brigade

National Guard of Russia

• 141st Special Motorized Regiment
  • North Battalion

Wagner Group

• DShRG Rusich
• Black Russians

Redut

• Veterans Battalion

Ukraine

Armed Forces of Ukraine

• Ukrainian Ground Forces
  • 3rd Assault Brigade
  • 4th Tank Brigade
  • 10th Mountain Assault Brigade
  • 17th Tank Brigade
  • 24th Mechanized Brigade
  • 28th Mechanized Brigade
  • 43rd Heavy Artillery Brigade
  • 53rd Mechanized Brigade
  • 56th Motorized Brigade
  • 57th Motorized Brigade
  • 58th Motorized Brigade
  • 60th Separate Infantry Brigade
  • 92nd Mechanized Brigade
  • 93rd Mechanized Brigade
  • 110th Mechanized Brigade
  • 128th Mountain Assault Brigade
  • Georgian Legion
  • Ukrainian Volunteer Corps
    • 2nd Separate Battalion
• Ukrainian Air Assault Forces
  • 25th Airborne Brigade
  • 46th Airmobile Brigade
  • 71st Jaeger Brigade
  • 79th Air Assault Brigade
  • 80th Air Assault Brigade
  • 81st Airmobile Brigade
  • 95th Air Assault Brigade
• Ukrainian Navy
  • Ukrainian Naval Infantry
    • 35th Separate Marine Brigade
      • 18th Marine Infantry Battalion
    • 36th Separate Marine Brigade
• Ukrainian Air Force
• Territorial Defense Forces
  • 227th Kharkiv Territorial Defense Battalion
  • International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine
    • Kastuś Kalinoŭski Battalion(Belarusian contingent)
    • Freedom of Russia Legion
    • Armed Forces of the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria-in-exile
      • Sheikh Mansur Battalion
      • Dzhokhar Dudayev Battalion
      • Separate Special-Purpose battalion(includingAjnad al-Kavkaz)

Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs

• National Guard of Ukraine
  • 2nd Galician Brigade
  • 3rd Spartan Brigade
  • 12th Operational Brigade
  • 23rd Public Order Brigade
  • 26th Separate Battalion
  • 4th Rapid Reaction Brigade
  • Azov Special Operations Detachment
  • 18th Sloviansk Brigade
    • Donbas Battalion
  • 50th Vysochan Regiment
• Special Tasks Patrol Police
  • Sich Battalion
• National Police of Ukraine
• Ukrainian Border Guard

Irregular civilian volunteers (militia)

• Ukrainian guerrillas

Casualties

See also:Casualties of the Russo-Ukrainian War § Russian invasion of Ukraine

Military casualties

According to Ukrainian sources, more than 500 wounded Russian soldiers, most of them recently mobilized, were hospitalized in the occupied city ofHorlivkabetween 10 and 16 November 2022.

On 1 October 2023, a Ukrainian sniper team of 20 men called the "Ghosts of Bakhmut", claimed that they had killed 558 Russians during the battle so far, with their leader (callsign "Ghost" ) reportedly being responsible for 113 of them. They also claimed that only two of them had been wounded, with Ghost again being one of them.

As of January 2024, Ukrainian obituaries recorded the names of 7,644 Ukrainian servicemen killed during the battle of Bakhmut.

In April 2024, the UkrainianKhortytsia Joint Task Forceclaimed that Russia had suffered "total losses", only in the eastern direction, of 24,156 personnel, 308 tanks, 671 armored vehicles, 575 guns and mortars, 19 MLRs, 871 vehicles, plus various other equipment systems.

In May 2024, the Ukrainians claimed that Russian losses in the eastern direction were 25,665 personnel, 408 tanks, 814 AFVs, 816 guns and mortars, 26 MLRs, 1,363 vehicles, 79 anti-tank weapons, 5 heavy flamethrowers, 20 AA systems, 105 pieces of "special equipment", plus numerous other equipment types.

In June 2024, the Khortytsia group again reported on Russian losses in the east, claiming that they had "eliminated" 31,936 personnel, 342 enemy tanks, 592 armored fighting vehicles, 1,084 guns and mortars, 13 MLRs, 1,302 other vehicles, 80 anti-tank weapons, 44 air defense systems, a heavy flamethrower system and one aircraft, plus various other weapons systems.

In July 2024, the Ukrainians claimed that Russian total losses were 31,748 soldiers (including 6,460 killed in a week between 15 to 22 July) in the eastern sector alone. Claimed equipment losses were 282 tanks, 608 AFVs, 1,121 guns and mortars, 14 MLRs, 5 heavy flamethrowers, 64 anti-tank weapons, 5 AA guns, 1,423 vehicles, 264 pieces of "special equipment" and 3 planes plus other equipment.

In August 2024, Ukraine claimed to have inflicted 32,988 casualties on the Russians that month, with 184 tanks, 502 AFVs, 1,143 artillery systems, 34 MLRs, 51 anti-tank weapons, 1,510 vehicles, 397 special equipments, 10 AA batteries, 2 heavy flamethrowers plus other equipment.

The ISW reported that Russian forces had suffered an estimated 80,110 casualties during intensified offensive efforts against Kupyansk in Kharkiv Oblast and Selydove, Kurakhove, and Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast in September and October 2024, or "roughly 20,000 more casualties than US forces suffered during almost 20 years of operations inIraqandAfghanistan".According to UK Defense Secretary John Healey, Russia lost 1,345 troops per day, or about 41,980 casualties, in October 2024, with 1,271 daily losses or about 38,130 casualties in September. Data compiled by Oryx indicates that Russian forces also lost 197 tanks, 661 armored personnel carriers (APCs), and 65 artillery systems larger than 100mm, while they had seized and recaptured 1,517 square kilometers of territory," an area less than a third the size of Delaware ".

Civilian casualties

According toLyudmyla Denisova,the Commissioner for Human Rights in Ukraine, four civilians were killed when a shell hit their home during the night of 9 March in the village ofSlobozhanske,located inIzium Raion.

Russian shelling onDerhachion 11 March reportedly killed three civilians.

On 14 March, two civilians were reportedly killed in Russian shelling on houses inKharkiv,and a child was killed after Russian shelling hit a kindergarten inChuhuiv.On 17 March, at least 21 people were reportedly killed following Russian shelling inMerefa.

See also

• Northern Ukraine campaign
• Southern Ukraine campaign
• List of military engagements during the Russian invasion of Ukraine