Since the beginning of June 7, Russian forces have launched 71 attacks on Ukrainian defense positions, with the most intense fighting occurring in the Huliaipole and Pokrovsk directions, according to a report from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk directions, one clash was recorded, during which the enemy conducted an airstrike using a guided bomb and carried out 50 shelling attacks on populated areas and Ukrainian military positions. Two of these attacks involved the use of multiple launch rocket systems.
In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian troops repelled 13 attempts by Russian forces to advance in the areas of Novoselivka, Drobysheve, Stavky, Dibrova, and toward Shyikivka and Lyman. One clash is ongoing.
In the Pokrovsk direction, Russian troops made 16 attempts to displace Ukrainian forces from their positions near the settlements of Rodynske, Hryshyne, Kotlyne, and Udačne, as well as toward Novyi Donbas, Novooleksandrivka, Shevchenko, Bilitske, and Serhiivka. One clash is also ongoing in this area.
According to the DeepState project, May marked the first month since autumn 2023 in which Russian forces experienced a negative monthly change in occupied territories, losing more ground than they gained. This trend is corroborated by the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which reports that over six months of intensive assaults from December 2025 to May 2026, Russian troops managed to advance by just over 40 square kilometers.
Analysts indicate that Ukrainian forces have significantly halted the Russian offensive during the 2026 spring-summer campaign. On May 21, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated that Ukraine has been able to considerably slow the advance of Russian forces and gradually regain initiative on the front lines, aided by various factors including the disabling of Starlink for the aggressor and an increase in medium-range drone strikes.
Ukrainian forces report a significant number of Russian attacks as they successfully repel advances in various regions. Recent analyses indicate a shift in the dynamics of territorial control, with Russian forces losing ground for the first time in months.