War update: 286 clashes occur on front lines, most of them in Pokrovsk sector
Over the past 24 hours, on March 17, 286 combat clashes were recorded between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian invaders. The enemy was most active in the Pokrovsk sector, where 72 assaults took place.
According to Ukrinform, this is stated in a Facebook post by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine regarding the situation as of 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18.
The enemy carried out 78 airstrikes, dropping 257 guided bombs. Additionally, Russians deployed 7,466 kamikaze drones and fired 3,722 rounds at populated areas and Ukrainian military positions, including 227 rounds from multiple launch rocket systems.
The Russian army carried out airstrikes, particularly near the settlements of Orestopil, Prosiana, Mechetne, and Ivanivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region; Vozdvyzhivska, Yehorivka, Kopani, Huliaipilske, Zelena Dibrova, Svitla Dolyna, Liubytske, Barvinivka, Lisne, Veselianka, and Orikhiv in the Zaporizhzhia region.
The Air Force, Rocket Forces, and Artillery of the Defense Forces struck three drone control centers and three areas where Russian invaders had concentrated their forces.
Four clashes took place in the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors; the enemy carried out one airstrike using two aerial bombs and conducted 121 shelling attacks, 18 of which involved the use of multiple launch rocket systems.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, Russian forces attempted 13 times to break through Ukrainian defensive lines in the areas of Vovchansk, Starytsia, Lyman, and Pishchane, as well as toward Okhrimivka and Bochkove.
In the Kupiansk sector, the enemy attacked 18 times in the areas of Petropavlivka, Kurylivka, Novoosynove, Hlushkivka, and Novoplatonivka.
In the Lyman sector, Russian forces attacked eight times. In particular, they attempted to breach Ukrainian defenses toward the settlements of Lyman and Chervonyi Stav, as well as in the areas of Kolodiazi and Drobysheve.
In the Sloviansk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled eight attempts by the invaders to advance in the areas of the settlements of Yampil, Platonivka, Zakitne, and toward Rai-Oleksandrivka.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the Defense Forces repelled two Russian assaults in the areas of the settlements of Minkivka and Novomarkove.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, the enemy carried out 46 attacks near the settlements of Kostiantynivka, Oleksandro-Shultyne, Sofiivka, Pleshchiivka, Ivanopillia, Illinivka, Rusyn Yar, Stepanivka, and Novopavlivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled 72 assaults by the Russian Federation’s army in the areas of the settlements of Bilytske, Dorozhnie, Nove Shakhove, Rodynske, Novooleksandrivka, Myrnohrad, Shevchenko, Hryshyne, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Muravka, Novopidhorodne, Molodetske, Novopavlivka, Filiia, and Dachne.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy launched three attacks in the areas around the settlements of Zlahoda, Zelenyi Hai, and Krasnohirske.
In the Huliaipole sector, Russian forces carried out 31 attacks in the areas around Zaliznychne, Huliaipole, Myrne, Olenokostiantynivka, Huliaipole, Zelene, and Dobropillia.
In the Orikhiv sector, two clashes with the enemy occurred near Stepove.
In the Prydniprovske sector, Ukrainian forces repelled one Russian attack.
In the Volyn and Polissia sector, no signs of the Russian army forming offensive groups were detected.
As reported by Ukrinform, the total combat losses of Russian troops from February 24, 2022, to March 18, 2026, in the war against Ukraine amount to approximately 1,282,570 personnel, including 1,710 over the past 24 hours.
Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine