03/19/2026

The Ukrainian Defense Forces continue counteroffensive operations in the Oleksandrivka direction (a section of the front on the border of Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions). During the month, they managed to restore control over 285 km², and in total, since the beginning of the operation, over more than 400 km² of territory.

This was told to ” Suspilny ” on March 19 by Serhiy Kolesnichenko , an officer of the communications department of the 148th separate artillery Zhytomyr brigade of the 8th corps of the Airborne Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The military officer claims that this is not about individual tactical successes, but about consistent advancement and gaining the operational initiative.

The occupiers try to counterattack, but Ukrainian soldiers retain control and initiative 

According to Kolesnichenko, after losing positions, the enemy periodically tries to push them back and counterattack.

“But it is important to understand that this is more about attempts to slow down our pace and partially stabilize the situation for themselves. At the same time, there is no reason to talk about a systematic restoration of their lost positions. The Defense Forces of Ukraine retain control and initiative in the direction,” he assured.

Here, the occupiers are using their usual tactics – increasing FPV drones and infiltration.

From time to time, the enemy tries to bring down military equipment, but our defenders detect it in time. ” It doesn’t even reach the line of combat contact, but is fired upon by unmanned systems units and artillery of the Defense Forces 5-10 kilometers from our positions,” Kolesnichenko noted.

For attacks in this direction, the invaders use “elite” airborne assault units, well equipped and trained. Enemy manpower suffers significant losses under the strikes of Ukrainian FPV drones.

“It should be expected that with the appearance of leaf cover, the enemy will try to advance to our positions through the so-called green. The Defense Forces units already know such tactics and can already work specifically with fire damage to the enemy,” Kolesnichenko said.

As OBOZ.UA wrote:

– According to official statistics of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, over the past 24 hours (March 18), the Defense Forces of Ukraine reduced the number of the Russian occupation army by 1,520 invaders. The total combat losses of the Russian Federation in manpower (for the entire period of the full-scale war) reached 1 million 284 thousand 90 people.

– The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stated that the Russian Armed Forces have intensified the use of Molniya drones at an operational depth of up to 50 km from the contact line, have focused on cutting off Ukrainian logistics, and are testing their own alternatives to Starlink satellite communications.

https://war.obozrevatel.com/ukr/tehnika-rf-ne-doizhdzhae-navit-do-linii-frontu-v-zsu-rozpovili-yak-prohodit-kontrnastup-na-oleksandrivskomu-napryamku.htm