Ukraine's Offensive Just Slammed Into Russia's Offensive

The southeastern battlefield is a chaotic mess

When Russian communications collapsed in early February, Ukrainian forces along one of Ukraine’s most vulnerable sectors—where Dnipropetrovsk Oblast meets Zaporizhzhia Oblast in the southeast—swiftly counterattacked.

But now the Russians are countercounterattacking. The front line is in flux as Ukrainian troops push east while, a short distance away, Russian troops push in the opposite direction. At stake: the free city of Zaporizhzhia, 45 miles to the west.

Ukrainian commanders are hoping for the best and planning for the worst. They’ve extended their counteroffensive toward villages east of the free town of Pokrovs’ke that the Russians once considered safely under their control. At the same time, however, they’re preparing new defensive positions halfway to Zaporizhzhia city just in case the Russians break through.