Russian offensive operations across the front line in Ukraine have intensified just as Washington is pushing for a truce, CNN reported on April 9, citing Ukraine's General Staff and soldiers.
The news comes as Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 9 that Moscow's new spring offensive "has actually already begun."
For over a week, Russian forces have been conducting more aggressive maneuvers in multiple regions, particularly south of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast — a critical logistics hub situated roughly 70 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of Russian-occupied Donetsk.
Syrskyi earlier claimed that despite renewed pressure, Russia is "stalling" in the Pokrovsk sector and failing to achieve major territorial gains. He previously said 7,000 Russian troops were killed near Pokrovsk in January alone.
A Ukrainian reconnaissance officer deployed in the area told CNN that Moscow has been moving in reinforcements and equipment to prepare for expanded attacks.
The Lyman sector, located in northern Donetsk Oblast, has also seen escalating clashes. Ukrainian troops there are heavily outnumbered, sometimes by a ratio of 10 to 1, according to Anastasia Blyshchyk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade.
Russian forces are pushing from the east, aiming to capture key logistical routes linking Lyman with the rest of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The second region remains almost entirely under Russian occupation, with Ukrainian forces holding only a few small settlements.
Combat data analyzed by CNN confirms a surge in Russian activity across the front line over the past two weeks.
Peter Eitel
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned in March that Russia is preparing for new assaults on the northeastern Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts after Moscow's rapid advances in Kursk Oblast.
Despite efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to mediate a ceasefire, Russia rejected a U.S.-Ukraine proposal for a full 30-day truce, continuing its onslaught to seize more land before potential peace talks.
Data from the battlefield monitoring group DeepState shows that Moscow captured only 133 square kilometers (50 square miles) in March, the lowest monthly gain since June 2024.
Still, pressure is building again. Fighting has surged at the end of the month, especially in Donetsk Oblast, where Russian forces are testing Ukraine's defenses.
Zelensky said on Jan. 15 that Ukraine's military consists of 880,000 soldiers, tasked with defending the entire country against 600,000 Russian troops concentrated in different areas.
Presidential Office Deputy Head Pavlo Palisa said on April 3 that Moscow plans to increase its grouping by 150,000 more soldiers in 2025, equivalent to around 15 motorized infantry divisions.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
