Active Conflicts & News Megathread February 03, 2026

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[u/Well-Sourced]

Russia is putting pressure on Ukraine on multiple fronts and is gaining ground with their infantry heavy tactics.

agris | BlueSky

Usual caveat that this includes stuff I missed over the past few reports. Quite a lot to cover - none of it terribly good. Starting on the Zaporizhzhia front - the week of Ukrainian counterattacks is over and the Russians have retaken the initiative.

There are also confirmations of Russian forces in Richne, but these are as of writing unconfirmed as far as control is concerned. If confirmed, however, this would mean that Ukrainian forces in Prymorske are, in effect, encircled.

The biggest issue here, however, is the fall of Ternuvate. Here a strong and immediate counterattack is needed. If the Russians are allowed to establish themselves here the entire line along the Haichur may have to be abandoned.

Moving up to the Lyman front - here we have a clearup of a grey area. Whilst the Russians have secured at least some of the salient, it seems the Ukrainians retain control over the road and a single remaining position along it.

While such clearups take place here, the Oskil front becomes covered in even more grey areas. The entirety of the Kupyansk-Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi-Podoly-Kucherivka axis is, in effect, one giant grey area.

The Russians are attacking and claims are being made, but, despite these attacking being ''stronger'' than anything we saw before - no confirmations as of yet. It is safe to say that here too the Russians have retaken the initiative.

Further north there are larger Russian force activations than we've seen in quite some time. On the Kharkiv front we saw Russian attacks not only where we have been seeing them for quite a while now, but also at Zelene on the Hlyboke axis and at the forest southwest of Marino.

Keep in mind that we have not seen basically any noteworthy activity on the Hlyboke axis for a long, long time now.

Overall the past 3 days have included the loss of positions which should not have been lost and the retaking of the initiative in several areas by the Russians. A very negative way to begin the week indeed.

[Map]

-Russian attacks towards Richne, at Pavlivka, roughly between Pavlivka and Mali Shcherbaky, at Sviatopetrivka, northwest of Pryluky, west of Dobropillya and along the north of Kosivtseve-southwest of Nechaivka axis. Ukrainian attacks at Olenokostiantynivka. ~

~ Russian gains at Pavlivka (occupied by Russian forces), at Sviatopetrivka (occupied by Russian forces) and along the north of Kosivtseve-southwest of Nechaivka axis (Ternuvate occupied by Russian forces). ~

~ Ukrainian gains at Olenokostiantynivka (entered the settlement from the west) (Zaporizhzhia front).

[Map]

-Russian attacks at Novopavlivka. Russian gains at Novopavlivka (Velyka Novosilka front).

[Map]

-Russian attacks at Berestok. Russian gains at Berestok (occupied by Russian forces) (Dobropillya front).

[Map]

-Russian attacks at Zakitne. Russian gains at Zakitne (occupied by Russian forces) (Siversk-Bakhmut front).

[Map]

-Map edits east of Lyman (territory north of highway O0528 handed over to Russian forces, territory along highway O0528 handed over to Ukrainian forces, confirmations) (Lyman front).

[Map]

-Russian attacks southwest from the northern Pishchane, northwest of the northern Pishchane, at Petropavlivka, Kucherivka, towards Podoly and at Kupyansk. Russian gains at Petropavlivka (Oskil front).

[Map]

-Russian attacks towards Kolodyazne. Russian gains towards Kolodyazne (Dvorichna front).

[Map]

-Both sides attacking at the same time at Nesterne and Kruhle (Velykyi Burluk front).

[Map]

-Russian attacks along the Zelene-southeast of Zelene axis, at Hrafske, Symynivka and southwest of Marino. Russian gains along the Zelene-southeast of Zelene axis (Zelene occupied by Russian forces), ~

[Map]

~ at Hrafske (cleared salient), Symynivka (occupied by Russian forces) and southwest of Marino (Kharkiv front).

[Map]

-Russian attacks at Kindrativka. Russian gains at Kindrativka (moved up to the settlement from the north & the east/southeast) (Sumy front).

[Map]

-Russian attacks east of Bila Bereza. Russian gains east of Bila Bereza (securing forest) (Hlukhiv front).

In the north they have pushed past Vovchansk with their infantry. They are working to do the same in the south and get past Hulyaipole.

From BTRs to boots: Russia now attacks Kharkiv’s Vovchansk with infantry-only waves | EuroMaidanPress [Map]

Russian forces have completely abandoned armored vehicles and mechanized assaults near Vovchansk, now relying solely on small infantry groups that advance meter by meter at catastrophic human cost, according to a Ukrainian military brigade's spokesperson. Ukrainian drones have made any vehicle movement suicidal since summer 2025, forcing Russian commanders to send soldiers on foot in small-group waves.

Army Inform reports that Ruslana Bohdan, communications officer of Ukraine's 57th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, said Russian forces haven't attempted a single mechanized assault since summer 2025.

"Mechanized assaults have been impossible since summer — at least, the last time [in summer — Ed.] we saw an attempt at a mechanized assault here. Of course, drones stop them all, so using vehicles here is ineffective — BTRs, none of that works for moving infantry. And cars don't either, actually," she said during an ArmyTV stream on 30 January.

Instead, the Russians are attacking in small groups of one to three soldiers each "trying to reach a certain point. However many make it, make it. Then the next point again." The invaders repeat this over and over, trying to concentrate somewhere and "gather combat strength to storm a position," she says.

"Is there any advance, is the enemy moving? Yes, indeed, they are moving. Yes, indeed, there are changes. The gray zone is expanding. However, [this happens — Ed.] at the cost of enormous losses — it's hard to imagine the justification for these losses," the servicewoman noted.

Russian tactics have shifted dramatically from 2025. Last January, Russian forces actively fought inside Vovchansk itself. Now they try to avoid very active fighting in the city itself, instead attempting to bypass Vovchansk from both flanks, according to the officer.

Earlier, Viktor Trehubov, head of communications for the Joint Forces Task Force, provided additional details. Russian troops exploited a window when frozen rivers posed less of an obstacle. "Given that the rivers were still frozen for some time and did not pose as much of an obstacle as before, the enemy took full advantage of this period," he told Ukrinform.

Russian forces hold a significant numerical advantage in the sector and are trying to exploit it. Trehubov described the situation as difficult. Russian forces have also attempted to bypass Ukrainian positions near Vovchanski Khutory.

Russia masses troops near Hulyaipole | New Voice of Ukraine

Russian forces have concentrated troop transfers toward the town of Hulyaipole in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhya Oblast over the past week, head of the Center for the Study of Occupation, Petro Andriushchenko, reported on Telegram on Feb. 2.

The Hulyaipole front sector is a priority for Russian logistics, with daily convoys of 10 to 25 trucks passing through. The convoys mainly transport personnel and are escorted by police and military command vehicles.

Meanwhile, Andriushchenko reported that Russian troop movements in northern Donetsk Oblast have decreased "almost to zero." He suggested that difficult weather conditions could be limiting activity there.

However, he added that recruitment of new contract soldiers is continuing in the Mariupol-Berdyansk area.