Ukraine has announced that it has nearly regained full control of the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, having recaptured several hundred square kilometers of territory through recent counteroffensives. This significant progress is undermining Russia’s strategy to establish buffer zones along parts of the border, which may hinder Moscow’s plans for renewed offensives in the upcoming spring and summer months.
Details of the Counteroffensive
On Tuesday, Oleksandr Komarenko, the head of the main operational directorate of Ukraine’s armed forces, disclosed to local media that Ukrainian airborne assault troops and mechanized brigades had liberated more than 400 square kilometers of land. According to Komarenko, Ukrainian forces have effectively restored control over almost the entirety of the Dnipropetrovsk region, with only a few minor settlements remaining to be cleared.
He indicated that Russian troops had been attempting to penetrate the region as part of a larger strategy aimed at expanding beyond Donbas and establishing a buffer zone to support further offensive maneuvers. These advances followed several weeks of intensified Ukrainian counterattacks that began in late January and escalated through February. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alluded to these developments in a recent interview with Italian media.
Implications of the Counterattacks
Western analysts are noting that the impact of these battlefield changes is extending beyond the immediate area. In its assessment dated March 9, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) stated that Ukrainian counterattacks are producing tactical, operational, and strategic repercussions that could disrupt Russia’s planned offensive for spring and summer 2026.
This disruption is significant, as Russian commanders had anticipated that earlier territorial gains would facilitate a converging advance towards the city of Zaporizhzhia, potentially paving the way for further offensives in southern Ukraine. However, the counterattacks launched by Ukraine earlier this year seem to have complicated these plans before they could be effectively consolidated.
“It’s no secret that they want to create a buffer zone in the Sumy region and in the Kharkiv region,” Zelenskyy said. “But we have not abandoned our goals either. We’ve blocked them everywhere. Therefore, there are no risks in the Sumy region at this time.”
The ISW has evaluated that Moscow may now need to either abandon or significantly revise its planned operations in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk. Concurrently, Russia continues to exert pressure on Ukraine in other regions. In response to inquiries about increased Russian military activity near the Sumy border in northeastern Ukraine, Zelenskyy confirmed that Moscow still aims to establish a buffer zone there as well as in the neighboring Kharkiv region. However, he reassured that Ukrainian forces are maintaining a firm defensive position.
Zelenskyy asserted that Ukrainian troops are vigilantly monitoring the situation along the border, ensuring the defense of settlements and infrastructure from ongoing Russian assaults, which continue to target civilian sites. This progress occurs as Russia’s full-scale invasion enters its fifth year, with Moscow struggling to achieve substantial advances despite deploying large numbers of troops in relentless assaults along the front lines.