Ukraine War Latest: Ukrainian forces liberate 9 eastern settlements as Russian troops face Starlink disruptions

War Ukraine War Latest: Ukrainian forces liberate 9 eastern settlements as Russian troops face Starlink disruptions March 3, 2026 9:35 pm • 6 min read by The Kyiv Independent news desk Ukrainian forces liberate 9 eastern settlements as Russian troops face Starlink disruptions, Ukraine's military says As Ukrainian regions start preparing for next winter, Kyiv lags behind Zelensky floats swapping Patriot missiles for interceptor drones amid increased Iranian Shahed threat At least 337 Ukrainian POWs 'brutally' executed by Russia, Ukraine's ombudsman says Ukraine has liberated nine settlements in the Oleksandrivka sector along the southeastern front line, Ukraine's Air Assault Forces said on March 2 on Facebook. The announcement follows a statement by Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi , who said Ukrainian forces regained more territory in February 2026 than Russia captured during the same period. "Three additional settlements in the area have been fully cleared of Russian troops, while fighting continues for several more," the statement read. The Air Assault Forces said their units are continuing offensive operations, pushing Russian troops out of fortified positions and cutting key supply routes. Become a member – go ad‑free The operation in the Oleksandrivka sector began on Jan. 29, coinciding with the introduction of new restrictions on the use of Starlink terminals by Russian forces. Under the measures, all terminals not registered in Ukraine's state system ceased operating on Ukrainian territory. "This significantly affected the occupiers' situational awareness and complicated unit command and control at the initial stage, but the enemy did not halt its offensive operations and continued to advance," the Air Assault Forces said. The Oleksandrivka sector of the front line lies at the junction of Donetsk , Zaporizhzhia , and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. read also As Ukrainian regions start preparing for next winter, Kyiv lags behind Regional leaders and may...