Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, said troops regained control of nearly 50 square kilometres in March.
He added last week that Ukraine has recaptured about 480 square kilometres since the end of January. President Volodymyr Zelensky this month described conditions on the front as the best since mid-2025.
Drones have played a central role in the conflict, with both sides investing in their development and in countermeasures.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the new strategy integrates aerial and ground-based unmanned systems with infantry into unified units. Officials say the approach has already delivered results, with Ukrainian forces liberating significant areas since February, particularly in the south.
At the same time, Syrskyi said Russia has intensified its offensive along much of the 1,200 km front line with the onset of spring. The heaviest fighting is concentrated near Pokrovsk and around Oleksandrivka, Kostyantynivka and Lyman.
Meanwhile, Russia said it had captured the village of Vovchansky Chutory in the north-east of the Kharkiv region. Russian military sources report efforts to establish buffer zones along the Kharkiv and Sumy border areas.
Ukraine continues to strike Russian military and industrial targets. It has also stepped up attacks on ports, refineries and fertiliser plants in an effort to curb Moscow’s export revenues as the war in Iran drives up global prices.