Main points
- Ukrainian troops have advanced in the north of the Kharkiv region and in the Hulyaipil direction, while Russian forces are only imitating successes, including by raising flags in Volokhivka.
- Russian troops continue limited offensive operations in several directions, but Ukrainian counterattacks do not allow them to change the front line, leading to positional battles.
ISW Front Review for May 20 / Channel 24 Collage
The situation on the front remains difficult and tense, but the Ukrainian military maintains its advantage in certain areas. In particular, the Defense Forces have recently advanced in the north of the Kharkiv region, as well as in the Kupyansk and Hulyaypil directions.
This is stated in a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Where has the map of the front changed?
According to geolocation video recordings from May 19, the Ukrainian military is holding positions in southern Synelnyky and western Lyman, northeast of Kharkiv .
The presence of Ukrainian forces in Synelnykovo and Lyman suggests that Russian forces likely infiltrated around Ukrainian positions in southern Synelnykovo and western Lyman, rather than capturing them.
– experts add.
In the north of Kharkiv region, the occupiers conducted an infiltration mission. Geolocation videos published on May 19 show five Russian servicemen raising flags in the south of Volokhovka (northeast of Kharkiv). At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of the aggressor country claims that its troops have captured this settlement. However, ISW analysts believe that such “raising flags” are only part of the Kremlin's information campaign aimed at exaggerating Russian successes and creating the impression that the front line is moving, although the facts do not confirm this.
In the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces recently penetrated the Kurylivka area southeast of Kupyansk. Geolocation footage released on May 17-18 shows fighting in the central and southern parts of the settlement, with Ukrainian troops striking Russian positions and Russian forces likely trying to gain a foothold in the area.
Interestingly, a Kremlin-linked Russian military blogger admitted on May 19 that videos purporting to show Russian military personnel operating in Borova since May 18 were fake. According to him, the dissemination of such manipulative “evidence” only devalues the real successes of Russian forces.
Attempts by Russian forces to conduct infiltration operations have been recorded in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area . Geolocation footage shows fighting in the Molocharky area north of Kostyantynivka, where Ukrainian forces were striking identified Russian positions. At the same time, other video footage shows attacks by Russian forces on Ukrainian positions in Kostyantynivka itself, in areas that may have previously been under their control.
Analysts write that Russian troops continue to create conditions for possible offensive actions northeast of Kostyantynivka. The Ukrainian brigade in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka area reported on May 19 that the enemy was pulling up reserves at night, accumulating assault groups, and organizing logistics using vehicles near Chasovye Yar.
Ukrainian troops, according to geolocation videos from May 18, have recently advanced towards Hulyaipol , in particular in the northern part of the settlement of Zelene. At the same time, the same materials record Russian shelling of Ukrainian positions in the area northeast of Hulyaipol, where, according to Russian sources, their units may have previously been located.
In which directions has the front line not changed?
ISW analysts reported that enemy troops continued their offensive attempts in the north of Sumy region on May 19, but were unsuccessful.
Also on May 19, the enemy army continued to storm Ukrainian positions in the Slavyansk direction , but no advances were recorded.
The commander of a Ukrainian battalion in the Lymansk direction reported on May 19 that Russian troops are increasingly using Molniya drones and using them for ambushes. According to him, this is significantly complicating Ukrainian logistics in the area of combat operations.
On Tuesday, Russian forces carried out limited ground attacks in the Dobropillya area , but failed to advance. They also continued their offensive in the Pokrovske direction , but were stopped by Ukrainian counterattacks, which did not allow them to change the front line.
On May 19, Russian troops continued limited offensive operations in the Novopavlovsk and Oleksandrivsk directions . However, they failed to advance.
On the same day, Russian forces continued limited ground attacks in western Zaporizhia Oblast , but failed to advance. According to ISW, Ukrainian forces conducted counterattacks that restrained enemy offensives in the area.
A similar situation exists in the Kherson direction .
How the front has changed in recent days: see ISW maps
Important! Military serviceman, political scientist Kirill Sazonov noted on Channel 24 that the most difficult problems for Russian troops are currently observed in the Donetsk region and Zaporizhia. According to him, loud statements about offensives do not correspond to the real situation on the battlefield. At the front, Russian troops have actually lost the ability to advance quickly, as combat operations are increasingly moving into a format of attrition. Due to the significant area of destruction, assault units suffer losses even before they can develop any success. In fact, the sides are stuck in positional battles, because the wide “kill zone” significantly complicates any attempts to advance forward.
What is known about the enemy's losses?
As of May 20, 2026, Russia has lost about 1,352,070 personnel, 11,943 tanks, and 1,388 air defense systems. While over the past 24 hours, the Defense Forces have eliminated 920 Russians, 3 tanks, and 2 air defense systems.
Deputy Head of the President's Office, Brigadier General Pavlo Palisa, in a comment to Channel 24, reported that for the first time since 2023, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are reconquering more territories than they are losing. While enemy troops have doubled their losses per occupied square kilometer compared to last year.
As a result of effective strikes by Ukrainian troops on important Russian facilities, Russia has lost about 10% of its oil refining. This has forced Russian oil companies to stop drilling. At the same time, due to complex pressure, Russia's state revenue deficit has exceeded annual plans in five months, and some regions are effectively bankrupt.