Today, there are important updates from the Lyman direction. Here, Ukrainian commanders launched a preemptive counteroffensive to disrupt Russian plans to expand their bridgeheads. With recent information that the Russians are gathering significant forces for a renewed assault, this could be another make-or-break moment for the Ukrainian defense.
The Russian military has expanded several bridgeheads across the Zherebets River. It now plans to use them as stepping stones for a larger offensive toward Borova and Lyman in the coming weeks. Their objective is to widen the crossings and bring reinforcements to launch a broader push once conditions allow.
With the spring mud season approaching fast, Russia has little time left to solidify its presence. Adding to the pressure, only one hardened road leads from Svatove, the main Russian logistical hub, toward Borova. If the Russians fail to secure this road and broaden their bridgehead, any serious offensive risks collapsing under logistical strain—especially once the terrain becomes impassable for armored vehicles.
Third assault brigade hits back
Recognizing this, Ukrainian forces have taken the initiative. The Ukrainian Third Army Corps—particularly the Third Assault Brigade—is not waiting for the Russian offensive to gain momentum and materialize. Instead, they acted to deny the Russians the opportunity to transform their fragile foothold into a viable launchpad by destroying the bridgehead before any potential assault.
As you remember, Ukrainian forces have already eliminated a significant portion of Russian artillery in the area, significantly weakening Russian fire support capabilities crucial for their offensive. Now, they are pushing forward in a determined counterattack. Ukrainian troops have begun reclaiming positions along the Third Assault Brigade’s area of responsibility as part of a deliberate effort to squeeze the Russians out.
The bridgehead the Russians hold here is the narrowest along the Zherebets River line—and that makes it the most fragile. By targeting it first, Ukraine can quickly disrupt Russian planning and roll back the line before the enemy gets a chance to exploit its foothold. Once the area is cleared, Ukrainian forces from this sector can be redeployed to bolster defenses elsewhere along the Third Army Corps’ zone, further complicating Russia’s offensive ambitions.
As Ukrainians push toward Raihorodka, they are regaining fire control over the only hardened road in the area—the very one Russians need to move heavy equipment from Svatove to their offensive toward Borova. With the ground near the river turning to mud much earlier than the higher elevations where Ukrainian forces are entrenched, the road becomes even more critical for Russian logistics.
If Ukraine maintains pressure and control in this area, Russia will be unable to move armored vehicles west, and the road will be reduced to a liability—constantly targeted, under fire, and of little use to a stalled Russian effort amidst worsening terrain conditions.
Drones cut deep
Drone warfare has become a defining feature of this war, and Ukraine has proven highly effective in using it—both offensively and defensively. Ukrainians learned that when drone operators are forced to divide their attention between frontline combat and rear-area strikes, their impact is weakened. By focusing their drone operations on the front line now, Ukrainians can push Russians back over the river and stabilize the front.
This will allow Ukrainians to concentrate fully on targeting enemy logistics—just as they have at Pokrovsk, where focused drone attrition is steadily dismantling the Russian Pokrovsk offensive.
This counterattack, therefore, is more than a defensive response. It is a preemptive strike to collapse the foundation of a planned Russian offensive before it even begins. And timing is everything. Russian forces reportedly gathered as many as 30,000 troops for a renewed assault in the Borova-Lyman direction. If Ukraine can derail that buildup now, they will have spoiled Russian plans to advance to the Oskil River with a single decisive campaign.
Overall, Ukraine’s counterattack along the Zherebets River is calculated to sabotage the foundation of Russia’s next offensive before it gets off the ground. Turning the terrain, timing, and firepower advantage squarely in Ukraine’s favor can potentially force the Russian command to change plans for their spring campaign in this direction.
In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.
