As of today, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have documented 215 combat encounters, according to the General Staff’s evening report. The intensity of Russian assaults remains high, particularly in the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole directions, where 27 attacks were recorded in each area.
Russian troops have attempted to breach Ukrainian defenses in several locations, including Vільne, Kucherovyi Yar, Rodynske, Hryshyne, Pokrovsk, Novomykolaivka, Novopavlivka, and Udaine. Ongoing skirmishes continue in these regions.
In the Huliaipole sector, hostilities have been reported near Pryliuky, Dobropillia, Tsvitkove, Solodke, Vozdvizhivka, Zaliznychne, Olenokostiantynivka, Varvarivka, Huliaipole, and Charivne, with five battles still in progress.
The Ukrainian defense forces have successfully repelled 14 attempts by Russian forces to advance in the Lyman direction and 11 in the Sloviansk area. Additionally, there were 10 assaults recorded in both the Kostiantynivka and Oleksandrivka directions.
Fighting has also been noted in the Northern Slobozhansky, Kursk, Southern Slobozhansky, Kupiansk, Kramatorsk, and Orikhiv directions. However, no offensive actions from the enemy were reported in the Dnipro direction today.
According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), from December 2025 to May 2026, the Russian military gained control over approximately 40.64 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory while losing 281.1 square kilometers.
On May 21, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov stated that Ukraine has significantly slowed the advance of Russian forces and is gradually regaining the initiative on the front lines. This progress is attributed to the efforts of Ukrainian troops, the disabling of Starlink for the aggressor, and an increase in medium-range drone strikes.
In a video address on May 25, President Volodymyr Zelensky asserted that Ukraine currently holds stronger positions on the battlefield.
Ukrainian forces are actively engaged in combat, reporting over 200 encounters as Russian attacks persist across multiple fronts. The situation reflects a shift in momentum, with Ukraine claiming to regain initiative amid ongoing hostilities.