Ukrainian Forces Near Full Liberation of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast After Recapturing 400 Square Kilometers in February Counter-Offensive

Major General Komarenko confirms the liberation of 400 sq km in Dnipropetrovsk as Ukrainian forces reverse Russia's "buffer zone" on the Oleksandrivsk axis.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 10, 2026, 9:08 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Euromaidan Press

Reclaiming the Eastern Borderlands

Ukrainian military leadership has announced a significant tactical success in the ongoing effort to secure the nation’s interior, with the near-total liberation of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Major General Oleksandr Komarenko, head of the Main Operational Directorate, revealed in a Tuesday briefing that Russian forces have been pushed back to the extreme fringes of the region. While the majority of the province has remained insulated from direct ground combat, a small eastern corridor had fallen under Russian control following advances through neighboring Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia. Currently, only three small settlements remain under occupation as Ukrainian units conduct final clearance operations.

The Mechanics of the 400 Square Kilometer Advance

The recent territorial gains are the result of a concentrated counter-offensive on the Oleksandrivsk axis, situated at the strategic junction of the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. According to Komarenko, Ukrainian forces have recaptured more than 400 square kilometers of territory that was previously utilized by Moscow to establish a "buffer zone." The operation utilized a combination of airborne assault units and mechanized brigades to dislodge entrenched Russian positions. Following the primary advance, specialized teams have been deployed to conduct "sweeps" of the liberated zones to eliminate small, isolated groups of Russian infantry that had attempted to remain behind the new Ukrainian lines.

Reversing the February Territorial Balance

The success of the Oleksandrivsk operation has shifted the broader territorial mathematics of the winter campaign. General Komarenko noted that the ground reclaimed during this specific offensive exceeded the total amount of territory seized by Russian forces across all other sectors during February. This net gain marks a psychological and strategic victory for Kyiv, demonstrating an ability to conduct successful large-scale maneuvers despite the intense pressure on other fronts like Pokrovsk. By dismantling the Russian "buffer zone" in this sector, Ukraine has restored its defensive depth and limited the enemy's ability to launch cross-border raids into the industrial heartland of Dnipropetrovsk.