As of March 16, Ukrainian military reports indicate that Russian forces have conducted 67 attacks on the frontlines. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted tactical successes for Ukrainian defenders in the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions.
Border regions are experiencing ongoing shelling. Affected areas in Sumy include Budky, Iskryskivshchyna, Korenyok, Kozache, Ryzhivka, Rohizne, Ulanove, Tovstodubove, Baranivka, Khrinivka, and Semenivka in Chernihiv Oblast, as reported at 4 PM.
More than half of the recorded fighting is concentrated in two directions within Donetsk Oblast: Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka. In the Kostiantynivka sector, Russian forces launched 21 attacks near Kostiantynivka, Pleshchiyivka, Ivanopillia, Illinivka, Stepanivka, Rusynyi Yar, Sofiivka, and Novopavlivka, with two battles ongoing.
In the Pokrovsk direction, Russian troops attempted to displace Ukrainian forces 18 times in the areas of Bilytske, Rodynske, Novooleksandrivka, Myrnohrad, Shevchenko, Hryshyne, Udachne, Kotlyne, and Filia, with two attacks still in progress.
Fighting has also been reported in the Southern Slobozhansky, Kupiansk, Lyman, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Oleksandrivka, and Huliaipole directions.
Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi stated on March 15 that Russian forces are concentrating significant resources in the Zaporizhzhia direction, considering it a primary focus. He noted that the intensity of offensive actions around Huliaipole is considerably higher compared to other areas.
A recent report from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) suggests that Ukrainian counterattacks in Zaporizhzhia could disrupt Russia’s plans for a spring and summer offensive.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned in a March 3 interview with the Italian publication Corriere Della Sera that Ukrainian forces have reclaimed 460 square kilometers of territory since the beginning of the year.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine sees heightened activity as Russian forces launch numerous attacks, particularly in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian military leadership reports tactical successes and significant territorial gains since the start of the year.