ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, August 9, 2026

Key Takeaways from the ISW: Russian forces continue experimenting with new technological innovations to restore mechanized maneuver at the tactical level and break out of positional warfare. The Arena-M system alone is currently insufficient to protect Russian mechanized assaults from Ukrainian drones, let alone all of the other weapons that Ukrainian forces use to create the kill zone. Russian forces will likely continue efforts to restore maneuver despite the failure of the late July 2026 Dobropillya mechanized assault. Russian forces continued to heavily target Odesa Oblast on the night of August 8 to 9. Russian forces struck the Mayaki bridge on the M-15 Odesa City-Reni highway connecting southern Ukraine to Moldova and Romania on August 9. Russian forces likely targeted the Mayaki bridge to disrupt Ukrainian grain and other exports via the alternative land corridor that Ukraine has been using since Russian strikes disrupted Ukrainian maritime exports. Russia is reportedly preparing to receive as many as 50,000 North Korean troops. Ukrainian forces continued their long-range suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAS / DEAD) campaign against air defense assets in Russia. Russia launched 202 drones and 17 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic, Onyx anti-ship, and Kh-31P anti-radar missiles against Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Kupyansk and Borova directions. JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. See the original here.