Multidomain fighting and information operations around Pokrovsk/Donbas

The multidomain fighting around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad continues to define the brutal and technologically advanced nature of the Donbas war in 2026. Despite isolated Russian territorial gains such as the consolidation of Grafskoye, recent independent assessments from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and operational reports confirm that Moscow’s broader offensive momentum remains severely constrained. Ukrainian forces maintain the initiative through sophisticated integration of kinetic attacks, electronic warfare (EW), cyber operations, and information campaigns, placing sustained multidomain pressure on Russian combat capabilities and logistics.

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Russian Gains at Grafskoye Enable Tactical Advances but Fail to Shift Strategic Balance

Following the early March seizure of Grafskoye, Russian forces have attempted to leverage this position for a southern thrust toward Pokrovsk. The settlement’s location along the Seversky Donets River offers potential flanking avenues and threatens Ukrainian supply corridors. However:

• ISW reporting from late February and early March confirms these gains remain limited and localized, with Russian units unable to translate territorial control into decisive operational breakthroughs.
• Russian offensives continue to be fragmented and slow, impeded by riverine terrain challenges, stretched supply lines, and multidomain Ukrainian countermeasures.
• Ukrainian defenders exploit counterbattery fire, drone reconnaissance, and EW disruption to blunt Russian advances and impose attritional losses.
• Moscow’s inability to form strategic reserves or increase offensive tempo severely limits its ability to capitalize on local successes around Grafskoye and the broader Donetsk sector.

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Sustained Multidomain Degradation of Russian Combat and Support Networks

A critical development in the multidomain battlefield is the ongoing disruption of Russian satellite-linked communications, notably the loss of Starlink internet connectivity in occupied areas:

• Frontline commanders report that Russian forces face years-long recovery challenges due to the disruption of reliable satellite internet, which has degraded drone reconnaissance, artillery coordination, and command-and-control (C2) functions by an estimated up to 40%.
• This disruption forces Russian commanders to rely on degraded, slower communication methods, increasing confusion and delaying critical decision cycles.
• Ukrainian cyber-electronic operations have compounded these effects by targeting Russian communication nodes and jamming signals, further eroding Moscow’s situational awareness.
• The strategic importance of commercial satellite infrastructure as a force multiplier in modern warfare is underscored, highlighting vulnerabilities in Russian adaptation to multidomain conflict environments.

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Ukrainian Deep-Strikes and Special Operations Intensify Pressure on Russian Rear Areas

Ukrainian forces continue to expand their operational reach deep into Russian rear areas, targeting logistics, command hubs, and critical infrastructure with precision fires and special operations:

• Renewed use of ATACMS missiles has hit key Russian command centers and logistics nodes, disrupting frontline coordination and supply flow.
• Ukrainian missile and drone strikes have targeted Russian fuel infrastructure near Novorossiysk and key pipelines feeding Black Sea ports, sharply curtailing Russian fuel availability essential for ground and naval operations.
• Recent strikes on ammunition depots and heating facilities in the Belgorod region have caused extensive material losses and fires, further degrading Russian sustainment.
• Ukrainian special operations forces have systematically targeted multiple Russian supply routes on the North-Slobozhansky Front, inflicting heavy damage on logistics lines and complicating Russian resupply efforts.
• These multidomain deep strikes force Russia to divert scarce resources to rear-area defense, stretching already overtaxed repair and logistics capabilities.

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Frontline Dynamics: Harsh Conditions and Multidomain Combat Shape Intense Fighting

The frontline around Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, and adjacent sectors remains fiercely contested despite severe winter conditions:

• Ukrainian forces report repeated successful repulsions of Russian assaults, including an incident where Russian troops briefly entered Pokrovsk “as if victorious”, only to be annihilated by coordinated Ukrainian combined arms fire and drone strikes.
• Russian offensive operations suffer from severe morale degradation, attrition, and shortages of winter gear and supplies, with video evidence showing mass surrenders and combat breakdowns due to freezing conditions.
• Ukrainian multidomain combat operations average over 200 engagements daily, employing urban combat, trench warfare, FPV drone swarms, precision artillery, and EW to maintain battlefield superiority.
• Ukrainian drone-hunting and integrated air defense systems have notably diminished the effectiveness of Russian drone swarms, neutralizing what was previously a major Russian tactical advantage.
• Russian missile and drone salvo attempts, including the deployment of Khrizantema-M hypersonic missiles, have inflicted localized damage but have largely been mitigated by Ukraine’s layered air defenses and EW capabilities.

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Information Warfare: Ukrainian Transparency Challenges Russian Propaganda Narratives

The information domain remains a critical battlefield alongside kinetic operations:

• Russian state media persist in broadcasting exaggerated claims of Ukrainian collapses and surrenders, including viral propaganda videos such as “Seconds Before Collapse: Ukrainian Positions Crushed by Russian FPV Drone.”
• These narratives are routinely debunked by Ukrainian-released FPV drone footage and independent analysts like Petro Koshukov, who expose these as falsehoods aimed at masking Russian battlefield failures.
• Viral footage of freezing Russian soldiers surrendering or ceasing combat operations has bolstered Ukrainian morale and drawn international attention to Russian troop resilience issues.
• Ukraine’s commitment to transparency and independent verification continues to erode Russian propaganda effectiveness, contributing to growing international skepticism over Kremlin narratives.

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Strategic Outlook: A Prolonged, Attritional Multidomain Campaign

The battle near Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad encapsulates the evolving nature of high-intensity multidomain warfare, with key implications for the conflict’s trajectory:

• Russian forces are locked in a protracted, attritional campaign with significant operational limits imposed by multidomain Ukrainian defenses, logistical failures, and morale collapse.
• The integration of hypersonic missile strikes, drone swarms, electronic jamming, and information operations reflects the complexity of modern multidomain conflict, where technological adaptation and integration are decisive.
• Ukrainian deep strikes and special operations continue to degrade Russian war sustainability, extending Ukraine’s operational reach and forcing Moscow into defensive postures beyond the frontline.
• Despite isolated territorial gains, Russia’s inability to generate strategic reserves or accelerate offensives signals a stalemate phase likely to persist well into 2026 and possibly beyond.
• The drawn-out timeline for Russian capture of Donetsk and surrounding areas underscores the high human and material cost of this attritional multidomain warfare.
• Ongoing risks of escalation from Ukrainian deep strikes and information warfare necessitate cautious diplomatic engagement amid heightened geopolitical tensions.

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Current Status: Ukrainian Initiative and Russian Strain Define Frontline Dynamics

As of mid-March 2026, the conflict around Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad continues to be shaped by Ukrainian operational initiative and Russian systemic strain:

• Ukrainian forces maintain control over crucial tactical sectors, systematically eroding Russian combat effectiveness through continuous multidomain pressure.
• Russian units, while achieving some localized territorial advances, face mounting logistical crises, morale degradation, and disrupted C2 exacerbated by sustained Ukrainian cyber-electronic operations.
• The loss of Starlink connectivity and repeated deep strikes on rear areas highlight Ukraine’s growing operational depth and willingness to escalate multidomain pressure on Russian sustainment.
• Information warfare remains a dynamic and contested domain, with Ukrainian transparency and third-party verification steadily undermining Russian propaganda claims.

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Notable Quotes and Observations

• Frontline Ukrainian commanders assessing Starlink disruption warn it “may take years before Russia recovers” from the degradation of drone reconnaissance and command capabilities.
• Independent analyst Scott Lucas observes that the Kremlin “still struggles to advance after more than 1.3 million casualties,” emphasizing the enormous human cost and operational stalemate facing Russian forces.
• Recent video footage of failed Russian assaults on Pokrovsk highlights the effectiveness of Ukrainian combined arms and drone-enabled defenses in repelling confident enemy attacks.

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The ongoing multidomain contest in Donbas, centered on Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, remains a defining crucible of modern warfare. Ukrainian forces’ persistent adaptation, operational innovation, and integration of kinetic and non-kinetic domains continue to impose severe costs on Russian forces, ensuring a prolonged and complex conflict marked by evolving multidomain engagements well into 2026 and beyond.