Russian attacks on Kramatorsk escalate Ukraine war as Kyiv regains ground

Al JazeeraEN 4 min read 100% complete by John T PsaropoulosMarch 6, 2026 at 11:38 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

In March 2026, the Russia-Ukraine conflict entered its fifth year with escalating Russian attacks on Kramatorsk, a city in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. These attacks, beginning on February 27th, marked the first time Russian forces used tube artillery against the city and its suburbs. Despite Russia's intensified offensive and demands for the surrender of the "fortress belt" of cities including Kramatorsk, Ukraine claims to have regained some territory in February 2026. According to leaked documents, Russia's war plans include seizing unoccupied parts of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as Odesa and parts of Zaporizhia and Dnipro. The conflict continues amid stalled peace talks and a prisoner swap between the two countries.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Kyiv ×230% Luhansk 30% Donetsk region 40% Oleksandr Syrskii 40% Sergey Lavrov 50% Israel 50% Kramatorsk ×250% Iran ×260% Donald Trump ×260% Vladimir Putin ×270% United States 70% Ukraine ×480%

Keywords

russia-ukraine conflict 100% kramatorsk 90% russian offensive 80% prisoner of war (pow) 70% donetsk 60% territorial gains 50% ceasefire 50% war plans 40%