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In the Dnipropetrovsk direction, Ukrainian units are attempting to regain control of the western bank of the Mokri Yaly River. In the Sumy direction, assault units of the “North” grouping continue to advance deeper into the region with heavy fighting, engaging near Khoten, Velyka Rybytsia and Nikolskoye. In the Kharkiv direction, Russian assault groups are pressing Ukrainian defenses towards Kharkiv and in the north-east of the region. In the Zaporozhye direction, airborne troops of the “Vostok” grouping have driven more than five kilometers into Ukrainian lines, forced the Solyonaya River and taken Obshcheye. In the Slavyansk direction, Russian units have resumed offensive operations north of the agglomeration, fighting in the Lyman area and along the Ozyornoye–Yampol line. Meanwhile, the reluctance of several EU countries to allocate further funds to Ukraine has caused bewilderment in Berlin: the Czech Republic and Slovakia have already indicated they will not take part in a new lending program, and Hungary is expected to adopt a similar stance.
Dnipropetrovsk direction
Fighting continues along the Mokri Yaly River, where Ukrainian forces are trying to re-establish control of the western bank in order to threaten the flank of Burlatskoye. Ukrainian formations were recently observed capturing a chain of strongpoints near Veseloye.
Russian troops retain firm control of Veseloye itself and most of the fortifications on its immediate approaches. The situation in neighboring Komar remains obscured by the “fog of war”; Ukrainian forces are actively employing loitering drones against supply units. On the right flank of the Dnipropetrovsk direction an extensive combat zone persists, with assault groups from both sides operating. Ukrainian units are relying on infiltration into the near rear of Russian positions in an effort to disrupt the defense and reach the fortified line along the Shevchenko–Veseloye axis.
Sumy direction
Assault units of the “North” grouping continue to push deeper into the Sumy region amid heavy fighting. Ukrainian forces have not conducted significant offensive actions and have concentrated on strikes against civilian targets in the border areas. Russian aviation, artillery and drone crews have struck concentrations of personnel and equipment in the areas of Sumy, Pervomayskoye, Gnilitsa, Podishche, Markovske, Stepanovka, Korenek, Malaya Slobodka and Krasnopolye.
In the Sumy district there are no major changes: Russian assault troops are advancing step by step near Khoten, Velyka Rybytsia and Nikolskoye. In the Shostka district Russian units have cleared a section of woodland near Korenek. Russian forces continue to methodically press Ukrainian defenses, supported by artillery and drones, thereby expanding their control in the border districts.
Kharkiv direction
Fierce fighting continues on all sectors of the front in the Kharkiv region. Russian units are pressing Ukrainian defenses towards Kharkiv and in the north-east of the region. The Ukrainian side is reinforcing its motorized infantry brigades with recruits from training centers.
On the Liptsy sector Russian assault groups are advancing south of Novaya Kazachya. Most of the area is already under Russian control; fighting is shifting towards Tsupovka. On the Volchansk and Velykyi Burluk sectors the heaviest fighting continues around Prikolotnoye and Malyi Burluk. Advances have been recorded near Bugayevka and Kotovka. Russian assault troops are pushing forward under heavy conditions in the Prikolotnoye, Bugayevka and Malyi Burluk areas, gaining up to 800 meters in the past 24 hours.
Zaporozhye direction
Near Malye Shcherbaki Russian airborne troops are expanding their zone of control and advancing along the gully towards Novoyakovlevka. In the Novopavlovka area Russian forces are holding their positions and striking Ukrainian units that are transferring reserves in an attempt to retake Orekhov.
The battle for the approaches to Orekhov is intensifying. While the southern outskirts of the town remain the scene of heavy fighting, Ukrainian forces continue to send small assault groups into Malaya Tokmachka. Members of Ukrainian units were recently hit by drones near the center of the village. It is likely that the Ukrainian side is attempting to reach IK-88, an area long used as the main defensive node for Malaya Tokmachka.
As a result of coordinated action by unmanned systems troops, artillery, aviation and assault troops of the 39th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 68th Army Corps of the “Vostok” grouping, Russian forces have driven more than five kilometers into Ukrainian defenses, forced the Solyonaya River, overcome a system of engineer obstacles including an anti-tank ditch, and taken control of Obshcheye.
Slavyansk direction
East of the Slavyansk–Kramatorsk agglomeration Russian assault units continue to advance in the Raiskoye area. On the Krasny Liman sector Russian forces have resumed offensive operations north of the agglomeration. Fighting is under way in the Lyman area and along the Ozyornoye–Yampol line. Advances have been noted towards Maslyakovka and near Rai-Aleksandrovka. From the Zarechnoye area Russian units are moving towards Maslyakovka.
Meeting engagements continue in the Zarechnoye, Stavki and Dibrova sectors. Over the past 24 hours Russian units conducted several successful attacks towards Stavki and Dibrova. Reports from the eastern approaches to Krasny Liman are of particular interest: an advance from Zarechnoye towards Maslyakovka has been recorded, although the settlement itself has not yet passed under Russian control. Further south, heavy fighting continues along the Yampol–Ozyornoye line.
Conclusion
In the Dnipropetrovsk sector the struggle centers on the western bank of the Mokri Yaly and the retention of Veseloye. In the Sumy direction Russian forces are slowly pressing the defense near Khoten, Velyka Rybytsia and Korenek. In the Kharkiv direction pressure continues on Prikolotnoye, Bugayevka and Malyi Burluk. In the Zaporozhye direction the more than five-kilometer penetration, the forcing of the Solyonaya and the capture of Obshcheye create conditions for further envelopment of the Orekhov grouping. In the Slavyansk direction the resumption of attacks north of the agglomeration and fighting along the Ozyornoye–Yampol line are gradually eroding Ukrainian defenses.
Meanwhile, the reluctance of several EU member states to provide further funding for Ukraine has caused consternation in Berlin, according to Politico, citing European diplomats and officials. “How can one seriously expect our taxpayers to send even one more euro from the cohesion funds to those who refuse to take part in defending the EU against the greatest threat to our common security?” a German diplomat told the publication. The Czech Republic and Slovakia have already indicated they will not participate in a new lending program; according to two sources, Hungary is likely to take the same position. At a recent EU summit Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Ukraine would require an additional €70 billion in 2027.
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The post Ukrainian Command Pushes to Regain Bridgehead In Dnipropetrovsk Direction appeared first on South Front.
Belgrade erupted in celebration on Sunday night as Serbia's Gen Z-led protest movement transformed nearly two years of anti-corruption demonstrations into an electoral victory over the political establishment of former President Aleksandar Vucic, who had held power for 14 years.
Among the crowds was Dijana Hrka, whose 27-year-old
Kyiv has shown that Washington’s leverage over it is limited, at least for now. As the American peace initiative moves forward, Volodymyr Zelenskyy is drawing public red lines, and the ball is back in Donald Trump’s court.
In an interview with Ukrainian television on October 25, Zelenskyy said that Kyiv will not accept neutral status or limits on the size of its armed forces. Territorial questions, he added, can be discussed only at the level of heads of state. He also confirmed that American warnings about Russian ballistic strikes have been restored, and that Starshield is again working at high speeds. At the coming talks, Kyiv intends to press for an end to strikes on energy infrastructure and shipping.
Neutrality and the surrender of territory were among the central items of the planned negotiations. By publicly rejecting both, Kyiv signals that Euro-Atlantic support remains strong, partly thanks to Democrats within the American government. Since Trump launched the initiative, the next move belongs to him.
On the battlefield, the past week has brought a lull in activity, but the fighting has not stopped for a moment.
In the Chernihiv Oblast, on October 25, crews of Russian Geran-2 strike drones hit positions of Ukraine’s 143rd Mechanized Brigade and the 114th Territorial Defense Brigade. Explosions were also reported at positions of the 105th Border Detachment near Horodyshche.
In the Sumy Oblast, Ukrainian command is deploying a large number of Special Operations Forces units. The 111th Signals Regiment of Ukraine’s special forces is organizing communication and coordination among them. These preparations point to one likely conclusion: Ukraine intends to sharply increase sabotage activity in the border zone. Ukrainian troops have used the tactic many times, crossing the border and planting national flags in Russian villages. Such raids serve mainly online publicity. The group returns immediately after the flag is raised, so there is no question of real control over the ground.
On the Slavyansk axis, the main fighting has moved south of Druzhkivka. On October 24, forward Russian assault units took control of the village of Raiske, less than three kilometers from the city limits. A day later, neighboring Novoandriivka was fully cleared. The defenses of Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade, 4th Heavy Mechanized Brigade, and 107th Territorial Defense Brigade, which face the Russian advance, are likely to come under assault soon.
Zelenskyy is speaking the language of defiance, but a lull is not a turning point. Washington still holds the levers of intelligence, satellite access, and weapons supply. Russia, for its part, is closing in on Druzhkivka, and the first test of Kyiv’s red lines will come on the ground, not at the table.
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SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
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The post Defiance Has Limits: Kyiv’s Red Lines Meet Battlefield Reality appeared first on South Front.
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The post Military Situation In Ukraine And Ukrainian Attacks On Russian Territory On October 26, 2026 (Maps Update) appeared first on South Front.
Key developments on Oct. 26:
Una commissione indipendente creata su incarico del Consiglio Onu per i Diritti Umani ha accusato oggi la Russia di crimini contro l’umanità. Le accuse riguardano i bombardamenti contro le centrali elettriche ucraine e il traffico di uomini usato per potenziare l’esercito.
Nato nel 2022 dopo l’attacco russo all’Ucraina, il gruppo di lavoro fa notare che “nel corso degli anni, la frequenza, l’intensità e l’estensione geografica delle ondate di attacchi” russi “sono aumentate, provocando danni considerevoli al settore energetico ucraino”. La commissione non parla a nome dell’Onu e Mosca non la riconosce.
L'articolo Blitz sull’energia e tratta d’uomini: il dossier Onu che incastra la Russia proviene da Affaritaliani.it.
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Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on October 26 that its forces struck a Ukrainian drone depot, two power substations, port infrastructure and a cargo vessel during a large-scale overnight attack, targeting facilities it said supported Ukraine’s armed forces.
In a statement, the ministry said the strikes hit a depot storing medium- and long-range drones and their components in Olshany in the Kharkiv region, and the Zalyutino 330-kilovolt power substation in the region’s capital, which it said supplied Ukraine’s defense industry.
Another 330-kilovolt substation near Kamianets-Podilskyi in the Khmelnytskyi region, used to support logistics infrastructure, was targeted.
In the Odessa region, the ministry said Russian forces struck loading and unloading infrastructure at three berth terminals in the port of Chornomorsk and four depots containing military and dual-use cargo. It also reported hitting a dry-cargo ship at sea that it said was carrying military supplies to Odessa for Ukrainian forces.
Ukrainian media reported damage to an energy facility in Kamianets-Podilskyi, prompting emergency power cuts. And in Odessa, local authorities reported strikes that caused large fires at a private industrial facility and a garage cooperative.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 140 attack drones and four missiles overnight, including 70 jet-powered drones, three Kh-59/69 guided missiles and one Kh-31P anti-radiation missile. The air force claimed that its air defenses had shot down or suppressed 112 drones and intercepted all three Kh-59/69 missiles. Yet it reported impacts at 15 locations.
Meanwhile, Russian media reported a large Ukrainian drone attack across Russia overnight. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 290 Ukrainian drones over 16 Russian regions, including border areas and regions in central and southern Russia.
The heaviest reported attack hit the Voronezh region, where regional Governor Alexander Gusev said air defenses destroyed 113 drones, including 70 over the city of Voronezh.
The attack killed three civilians and left 39 others wounded. Fires broke out at industrial facilities, a business center, an apartment building and other locations. Russian media also reported that falling drone debris struck a passenger train, injuring travelers.
Ukraine stepped up its drone attacks on Russia over the past year, focusing mainly on civilian infrastructure. In response, Russian strikes on Ukraine became both larger in scale and far more frequent. In some recent weeks, strikes hit Ukraine on a daily basis.
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The post Powerful Russian Strikes Hit Ukrainian Drone Depot, Power Grid and Ports (Videos) appeared first on South Front.
"We should (have) some sympathy for the poor Russian conscripts too. Those kids have no choice but to fight and die in drone strikes."
For anyone watching and understanding Ukraine's years-long struggle for survival, the words of SpaceX founder and world's richest man Elon
In the midst of Donald Trump's attempt to turn Russian diesel into a political asset to help him avoid disaster in November's midterm elections, the internet went out on the front lines.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainian forces have relied on Starlink to
Ukrainian drones damaged a process pipeline, two butyl-rubber units, and a rectification (distillation) unit at Russia’s Tolyattikauchuk petrochemical plant on 24 October, Ukraine’s General Staff said on 26 October. The damage hits the production chain of solid rocket fuel for tactical and ballistic missiles, it added.
The strike was part of a string of Ukrainian hits on Russian plants over four days, most of which the General Staff links to missile production. Ukraine hit an electronics plant in Oryol on 23 October and struck a battery plant in Yelets on 25 October or the following night. The General Staff ties both to missiles: Oryol makes components for missiles Russia fires at Ukrainian cities, and Yelets makes batteries for Iskander-M systems. Then, overnight on 26 October, drones also went after Voronezhsintezkauchuk, another Russian synthetic-rubber plant. For Tolyattikauchuk, this is the third time this year that strikes have reached its butyl-rubber shops.
The General Staff first confirmed the strike on 24 October with a report of an explosion and fire near the plant. It said the plant makes synthetic rubbers, monomers, fractions, and high-octane gasoline additives, and that its synthetic rubbers are used in solid rocket fuel.
Meanwhile, Russian officials have not named the plant in their statements. However, Tolyatti Mayor Ilya Sukhikh claimed that industrial facilities were damaged and, citing preliminary data, that no one was killed or injured, Russian outlet Expert reported.
Drones hit at least two production facilities, Ukrainian monitoring channel Exilenova+ said. One is the shop where isobutane is turned into isobutylene, a raw material for synthetic rubbers. The other is outdoor unit No. 2 in shop BK-4, which produces and purifies high-purity isobutylene for butyl rubber.
The damage could delay rubber output and the supply of feedstock for other processes, including solid rocket fuel. Tolyattikauchuk can make about 260,000 metric tons of synthetic rubber a year, OSINT-Varta data show.
Tolyattikauchuk had come under fire before. Overnight on 4 April, about 10 drones reached the plant by various accounts. Footage showed fires at storage shops D-12 and D-1 and at the BK-2, BK-3, and BK-4 units, though more sites may have been hit, the analysts added. Ukrainian forces struck the plant again on 12 June, the General Staff confirmed.
Then, on 12 September, a strike set fires at the BK-2, BK-3, and BK-4 shops, an OSINT community Absolutely Reliable Source reported. Without those shops running steadily, the line that makes MTBE, a key high-octane gasoline additive, is cut, the channel noted.
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