Major General Oleksandr Komarenko, the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the Ukrainian General Staff, stated on March 10 that Ukrainian forces have liberated more than 400 square kilometers in the Oleksandrivka direction.[4] ISW assesses that Ukrainian forces have liberated roughly 279 square kilometers in the Oleksandrivka and Hulyaipole directions since January 1, but ISW’s conservative mapping methodology underestimates Ukrainian advances. Komarenko also stated that Ukrainian forces have liberated almost all of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast but have not seized three small settlements nor cleared two other settlements – likely referring to five settlements that are both in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and the Oleksandrivka direction.[5] Ukraine’s Airborne Assault Troops previously reported that Ukrainian forces had liberated nine settlements in the Oleksandrivka direction as of March 2.[6]

ISW assesses that Ukrainian forces recently liberated Novohryhorivka, Kalynivske, and Stepove (all southeast of Oleksandrivka). Geolocated footage published on March 10 shows a Ukrainian armored vehicle operating within central Novohryhorivka, indicating that Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the area and likely also liberated Kalynivske and Stepove (both just north of Novohryhorivka).[7] A Ukrainian source stated that Ukrainian forces liberated Kalynivske and Stepove.[8] ISW is also changing its previous assessment that geolocated footage published on March 7 showing Ukrainian forces striking a Russian position in southern Ternove (southeast of Oleksandrivka) occurred after a Russian infiltration mission into the settlement.[9] ISW now assesses that the March 7 footage likely occurred before – not after – Ukrainian forces liberated Ternove as of March 6, indicating that Russian forces do not maintain position within the settlement.[10] A Ukrainian regiment operating in the Oleksandrivka direction reported on March 10 that Ukrainian forces have liberated Ternove.[11]

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Ukrainian forces conducted mutually supporting drives in the Hulyaipole and Oleksandrivka directions in late 2025 and early 2026, respectively, to push Russian forces from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and to undermine Russian preparations for a spring offensive. Ukrainian forces first set conditions for a flank attack north of Hulyaipole in late 2025 and later launched counterattacks in the Oleksandrivka direction starting in late January 2026. Ukrainian 1st Separate Assault Regiment Commander Captain Dmytro Filatov stated that the regiment’s elements redeployed to an area between Dobropillya and Nove Zaporizhzhia (both north of Hulyaipole and on the Dnipropetrovsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border) in late 2025 to conduct a flank attack and push Russian forces from Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.[13]

Filatov stated that Ukrainian offensive operations in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast do not mark the start of a new “counteroffensive,” as these counterattacks aim to stabilize the frontline and improve Ukraine’s positions amidst Russian troop redeployments to the area. Filatov stated that Russian forces considered conducting offensive operations in the Oleksandrivka direction as part of their “pre-spring” offensive campaign, implying that Russian forces may have sought to use attacks in the Oleksandrivka direction to set conditions for offensive operations in the Pokrovsk and Lyman direction in the spring.