Russian forces continue advancing in eastern Ukraine with documented territorial gains of 82 km² in May 2026, particularly near Pokrovsk and in the South Donetsk direction. Russia deployed Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missiles against Ukraine on May 24, 2026, while Ukrainian drones attacked five Russian vessels in the Sea of Azov, killing five crew members and destroying 174 elements of Russian air defense systems year-to-date. Both sides report sustained combat casualties and strikes on civilian areas across multiple Ukrainian regions.