Ukraine update: 11 March 2026
Summary of changes to the Ukraine map over the 2 weeks
Overview
An overview map of the control situation in Ukraine as of 11 March 2026. Over the past two weeks, we have seen a continued expansion of Russian operating areas.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s localised counterattacks in the Huliaipole have been further clarified, putting Russian control back, but not enough to prevent Russian progress.
Lyman
In northern Donetsk Oblast, Russia has continued to advance in the vicinity of the key settlement of Lyman. The primary advances here are in Drobysheve, where Russian forces reached the main street passing through the settlement.
Russian units have reached the defences on the northern edge of the city of Lyman while gradually expanding their foothold in the south.
The northern advances indicate that the combat within Stavky may be drawing to a close, as any Ukrainian forces holding out in the settlement are at risk of being fully cut off. For now, the Russian presence between Stavky and Lyman is limited, though increasing.
Slov’iansk
On the approach to Slov’iansk, Russian forces have continued their progress, taking up positions throughout Fedorivka Druha. Behind their advances in the area over the past 2 months, Russian forces are consolidating control.
Based on my assessment, the settlements of Bondarne, Khromivka, and Vasiukivka are now firmly under Russian control.
Fortifications in the areas Russia has been advancing through have been relatively limited, though Russia is approaching a line of fortifications along and behind the Siverskyi Donets canal. This defensive line has been crossed by forward units at Novomarkove, 13km to the south, and fully breached by Russian forces 22km south, at Kalynivka and Chasiv Yar.
Russia may advance parallel to the fortifications from the breaches in the south to reduce their effectiveness and reduce losses trying to take them head on. This strategy has worked effectively in the past, and is currently being used in Zaporizhzhia.
Pokrovsk
This area has seen reduced movement in the past 2 weeks, but Russia has managed some advances within Hryshyne and entered the settlement of Bilytske from the east.
Huliaipole
The Russian control line north of Huliaipole has been moved back after forward Ukrainian units were spotted some 4km south of Verbove. Ukrainian forces also attacked Russian positions in Berezove from the east.
The attacks in this area are possibly to resecure the line of fortifications in the area, which had fallen into the greyzone with Russian infiltrations in several settlements behind the line.
If they intended to prevent Russian progress in the area, that appears to have failed. The Russian focus here has not been a northerly push, but westerly along the Ukrainian fortification lines. These advances have resumed despite the Ukrainian attacks.
Russian forces have now been spotted in Rizdvianka and Hirke. This Russian push follows two lines of Ukrainian fortifications, limiting their defensive effectiveness and putting the key city of Orikhiv at risk.
Ukraine’s first defensive line on the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk front ran either side of Orkhiv. If these Russian advances continue, not only will that first line fully fail, but the secondary line that has already been bypassed with the Rizdvianka advance will likely fall shortly after.
That being said, the rate of advances is slow, and if the current rate continues, the Zaporizhzhia city’s defensive ring will have more than a year before being tested.