Fighting has intensified along the Russian-Ukrainian front, according to both Russian officials and Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. In his assessment, Russian forces have stepped up offensive actions along almost the entire line of contact. Ukrainian troops on the ground also describe constant assaults and attempts by small groups to slip into urban areas under cover of foliage.
A Ukrainian officer with the call sign “Kozyr,” fighting near Kostiantynivka, said that after spring greenery appeared, Russian units began moving more often through tree lines toward the city. He said dozens of such groups are detected each day, but most are destroyed by drones and only a small number manage to enter the city.
The experts interviewed by the outlet say that despite the higher tempo of attacks, Russian forces have not achieved major results for a long time. Military-political observer Oleksandr Kovalenko said that since the start of 2026, Russia’s gains have remained tactical: 231 square kilometers in January, then 138 and 155, and in April only 120 square kilometers, according to his figures. He said these gains mostly consist of tree lines, fields, and the ruins of small villages.
Military expert Roman Svitan linked the current surge primarily to a seasonal factor: leaves on trees make it easier to move forces covertly toward combat positions. At the same time, he said, Russian troops are advancing only by dozens or hundreds of meters per day while suffering heavy losses and still lack the resources needed to seize a major city.
The experts describe Kostiantynivka as the most dangerous sector. Kovalenko and Svitan say Russian troops are trying to envelop the city from the south and southeast and use it as part of a broader campaign against the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration. Pavlo Lakiychuk of Kyiv’s Strategy XXI Center for Global Studies said Russia is gradually increasing pressure as part of its summer offensive, but there have so far been no major shifts in the front line, and the outcome will depend on defensive resilience and available resources.