On the 1139th day of the war, Russian forces attacked the Kharkiv region six times in the early hours of the morning. Two people were injured, and a block, several houses, and electric transport lines were damaged.
The death toll from the rocket attack launched by Russia on the city of Kryvyi Rih on Friday has risen to 20 dead and 33 injured. Local authorities announced that half of the injured are in critical condition.
Ukraine announced today that the information claiming Russia had occupied a village in the Sumy region, cutting off the supply route to Ukrainian forces fighting in Kursk, is false. A representative of the Ukrainian border police said that Russian attempts to infiltrate small operational groups in this area are "largely thwarted."
Even though the Russian army remains on the offensive, the pace of advancement on the front lines continues to decline, with March seeing the largest drop in the past five months. Data from American and British military analysts confirm a steady reduction in Russian advances, partially explained by the success of Ukrainian operations.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is trying to remain relevant in the ceasefire negotiation process after another week in which Moscow continued its fierce attacks on Ukraine. The American president told journalists that discussions with the Russians are ongoing and he would like them to cease the bombings.
Frontline Situation
- 6 Attacks in Kharkiv - Russian forces attacked the Kharkiv region six times this morning. Two people were injured, and a block, several houses, and electric transport lines were damaged, as reported by Ukrainska Pravda. The first attack targeted a nine-story block in the city of Kupiansk. Several balconies and an apartment caught fire, and two people were injured, announced Oleh Syniehubov, head of the regional military administration. Half an hour later, the Russians bombed the city again, destroying the roofs of five houses, and a third attack destroyed a residence. The Russians then hit the village of Berezivka with a guided bomb and the village of Ivashky with a drone, destroying two houses, several outbuildings, and a power line. The last attack took place in the village of Vuzlovyi in the Kupiansk district, where several houses caught fire.
- Developments in Kryvyi Rih - The death toll from Friday's rocket attack has reached 20 dead and 33 injured, local authorities announced this morning. 29 adults and four children are hospitalized, and 18 adults and two children are in critical condition, wrote Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city's military administration, on Telegram. He added that a humanitarian aid center will be opened today in the Saksahanskyi district, providing construction materials and accepting requests from affected residents for financial support. "All those in need will receive assistance," the official quoted by Ukrainska Pravda stated.
- Russians Claim Occupying a Village, Ukrainians Deny - Russia claimed on March 6 that its forces had captured the village of Basivka in the Sumy region, but the Ukrainian border guard service denied the report, describing it as part of a "disinformation campaign." The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that units from its Sever (North) military group had captured the village located about 29 km northeast of the city of Sumy and near the border with Russia. The Russian state news agency TASS reported that this success could disrupt supply lines to Ukrainian forces still operating in the Kursk region of Russia. Ukrainian officials rejected the information. "Russia continues its disinformation campaign regarding the seizure of settlements in the Sumy region or the penetration of the border," said the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Border Guard, Andrii Demcenko, quoted by Ukrainska Pravda. He confirmed ongoing Russian attempts to send small assault groups across the border towards Novenke-Basivka but said these groups are "largely thwarted" by Ukrainian forces. Basivka remains marked as a "gray area" on the map of the Ukrainian military analysis group DeepState, indicating contested or unclear control.
- Enemy Advances in Kharkiv and Donetsk - Russian troops advanced last night in three localities in eastern Ukraine. Russian activity intensified in the Kupiansk, Pokrovsk, and Novopavlivka sectors, according to DeepState.
- Russians Moving Slower - The pace of the Russian offensive in Ukraine is steadily declining. Russian forces advanced only 143 square kilometers in March 2025, the slowest pace in the past five months, as shown in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to estimates from the British Ministry of Defense, the rate of Russian troop advancement has consistently decreased each month since November 2024. Russian troops captured approximately 1,891 square kilometers of territory in November, 1,018 km in December, 844 km in January 2025, 505 km in February, and only 370 square kilometers in March. ISW noted a similar trend based on geolocated image analysis and satellite data. The slowing pace of land occupation is partially explained by the successful operations of Ukrainian forces. They launched local counterattacks on the Pokrovsk and Toretsk fronts in March, reclaiming lost positions in these areas and contributing to the slowing of the Russian advance, as mentioned by ISW.
Peace Negotiations
- Trump Calls out to Putin - Donald Trump reiterated his call for a ceasefire, urging Vladimir Putin to halt the attacks. "We are in discussions with Russia. We would like them to stop," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. "I don't like the bombing, the bombing continues incessantly, and thousands of young people are killed every week," Trump added. His comments come after Volodymyr Zelensky renewed his call for a decisive response from the United States regarding Russia's ongoing attacks on Ukraine.
- Trump's Peace Efforts, an Epic Failure - Putin is mocking the White House, writes Emilian Isailă in an article published today by Spotmedia. Without making any compromises, the Kremlin has blocked negotiations with the US and is bombing the civilian population in Ukraine. The new American administration's plan has failed, and the president's team has no idea about the next steps in negotiating an end to the conflict. Read the article HERE.
Other Relevant Information
- Zelensky Sends Delegation to the US - Ukraine will send a delegation to Washington in the coming days to begin discussions on a new agreement that would give the United States access to Ukraine's mineral resources. The Ukrainian delegation will include representatives from the Ministries of Economy, Foreign Affairs, Justice, and Finance, said Kiev's Minister of Economy, Iulia Sviridenko, to AP. She mentioned that the new US proposal still includes plans for a joint fund or investment between the two nations. Details HERE.