As of June 21, Russian forces have launched 66 attacks against Ukrainian defense positions, with the most intense activity reported in the Hulyaipole and Pokrovsk directions, according to the latest operational update from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, one confrontation occurred, accompanied by 16 shelling incidents targeting both civilian settlements and Ukrainian military positions. In the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian troops made four attempts to breach defenses near Izbytske and the settlements of Starytsia and Vovchansk, with one battle still ongoing.
The General Staff noted that in the Lyman direction, Ukrainian forces repelled ten attempts by Russian troops to advance in the areas of Novoselivka, Yampil, Ozerne, and towards Olhivka, Drobysheve, and Dibrova, with two confrontations still in progress.
In the Sloviansk direction, Ukrainian defenders successfully halted six attempts by Russian forces to advance near Kalynyky, Zakitne, and towards the settlements of Rai-Oleksandrivka and Piskunivka. In the Kostiantynivka direction, Ukrainian troops repelled 11 attacks near Kostiantynivka, Illinivka, Sofiivka, and towards the settlement of Kucheryv Yar, with two battles ongoing.
Furthermore, in the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces have attempted to displace Ukrainian troops from their positions 15 times since the start of the day, targeting the settlements of Novooleksandrivka, Hryshyne, Kotlyne, and Udačne, as well as areas around Novyi Donbas, Bilitske, and Shevchenko, with three attacks still in progress.
According to the DeepState project, May marked the first month since autumn 2023 in which the Russian army experienced a negative monthly gain in occupied territories, losing more land than it captured.
This trend is corroborated by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which reports that over six months of intensive assaults from December 2025 to May 2026, Russian forces managed to advance only slightly more than 40 square kilometers. Ukrainian forces have significantly curtailed the Russian offensive during the spring-summer campaign of 2026, according to analysts.
In this context, the Radio Free Europe project Donbas Realities reports a sharp escalation in the situation in Kostiantynivka in June. Russian forces are advancing on both flanks of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region, with a “red zone” now identified in the city, as marked on DeepState’s map since June 16. The aggressor has managed to establish a foothold on a small section of the southern outskirts of Kostiantynivka, expanding the “gray zone” in and around the city. Ukrainian defenders maintain full control over the northern part and center of Kostiantynivka, with battles occurring on three sides. On the map, this presents a “pincer” effect, with distances between the uneven edges at times measuring less than two kilometers.
Recent reports indicate a significant increase in Russian military activity against Ukrainian positions, particularly in the Kostiantynivka area. Despite ongoing assaults, Ukrainian forces have managed to repel numerous attacks, maintaining control over key regions.