Since the beginning of 2026, Ukrainian forces have regained control of 745 square kilometers of territory and 26 settlements in the Oleksandrivka sector — a section of the front at the junction of the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported this on August 12 following a briefing by the military leadership on the results of a months-long offensive operation.

According to Zelenskyy, the operation lasted from January through August and was carried out by units of Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces together with other elements of the Defense Forces. The president described it as a carefully planned operation, stating that Ukrainian forces had acted “exactly according to plan.” The territories regained by Ukraine stretch along approximately a 60-kilometer section of the front, where the borders of the three regions meet.

According to the Ukrainian side, of the 26 settlements retaken, 12 are located in Dnipropetrovsk region, 10 in Donetsk region, and four in Zaporizhzhia region. Ukrainian units also conducted operations to identify and destroy Russian groups that had infiltrated rear areas. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, such operations were conducted across an area of more than 300 square kilometers.

At the same time, the independent Ukrainian OSINT project DeepState provides a more cautious assessment of the immediate territorial changes. As of August 12, the project’s analysts had confirmed the liberation of 19 settlements, as well as Ukrainian advances in six additional areas.

Thus, the figures provided by the Ukrainian military leadership and those recorded by DeepState do not fully coincide. This is partly due to the difference between operational assessments by military commanders and the confirmation of territorial changes based on open-source information. Reuters also notes that video footage released by the Ukrainian military showing Ukrainian flags being raised in the areas reportedly retaken has not yet been independently verified.

The Ukrainian military leadership claims that Russian forces suffered approximately 9,500 personnel killed and another 6,600 wounded during the operation. These figures are Ukrainian estimates and have not been independently verified.

Kyiv views the operation not only as an effort to regain territory but also as an attempt to disrupt Russia’s plans to advance in the southern part of Donbas. The Oleksandrivka sector is strategically important because of its location between several key sections of the front and its proximity to Dnipropetrovsk region.

The operation is particularly significant because Ukrainian forces have achieved notable gains not through a single localized assault, but as part of a campaign that has continued for several months. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Ukrainian actions in the Oleksandrivka sector demonstrate the ability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to conduct relatively significant tactical advances and to once again employ limited elements of mechanized maneuver on selected parts of the front.

This is taking place against the backdrop of a slowdown in Russia’s territorial gains. According to Russia Matters, during the week of August 4–11, Russian forces recorded a net territorial loss in Ukraine after several previous weeks of limited advances. However, this does not indicate a general shift in the balance on the battlefield: Russian forces continue offensive operations, primarily in Donetsk region.

Despite the Ukrainian gains in the southeast, Russian forces continue to maintain pressure in eastern Ukraine. Donetsk region, in particular, remains one of the main areas of Russian military efforts, while Moscow continues to demand control over the region as one of the conditions for a potential settlement. Kyiv rejects this demand.

At the same time, it would be premature to describe the developments as a full-scale Ukrainian strategic counteroffensive. For now, the operation should primarily be viewed as a large-scale localized offensive on one section of the front. Its operational significance could increase if Ukrainian forces manage to consolidate their gains, expand the area under their control, and force the Russian command to redeploy reserves from other sectors.

At the same time, the figure of 745 square kilometers requires careful interpretation: the Ukrainian side attributes to the operation territory regained since January, while the DeepState OSINT map currently confirms 19 settlements and advances in several additional areas. Therefore, the actual scale of the changes to the frontline should be assessed by taking both estimates into account.

Overall, the operation in the Oleksandrivka sector has emerged as one of the most notable Ukrainian successes of 2026. If Ukrainian forces manage to hold the positions they have regained and continue applying pressure, this could complicate Russia’s advance toward Dnipropetrovsk region and force Moscow to redistribute resources among several fronts. However, there is not yet sufficient evidence to speak of a strategic turning point in the war.

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13.08.2026 01:47