# ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, October 28, 2026

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-10-30 10:00 UTC · Category: World

## Executive Summary
Russia's Defense Ministry reported zero new settlement captures during the first eight days of November, breaking previous reporting patterns.

## Intelligence Brief
During the first eight days of November, Russia's Ministry of Defense and its military groups made no announcements claiming the capture of any additional settlements in Ukraine, according to reporting by Militarnyi and UNITED24 Media. The most recent such announcement was published on October 5, 2026, though specific dates mentioned include October 28, when the Group of Forces North claimed to have captured Alisivka in the Kharkiv region and Barilivka in the Sumy region. Earlier, on October 26, Russia's Ministry of Defense announced the purported capture of the village of Sonyachne in the Zaporizhzhia region by the Group of Forces East. Until this pause, the Russian military department had regularly reported the purported capture of Ukrainian settlements along various sectors of the front line. \n\nMeanwhile, the Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted offensive operations along several sections of the front line and regained control of territory. In October, the Third Army Corps completed the Vivaldi offensive operation in the Lyman sector, an operation that lasted from late May and consisted of four phases. During the final phase, Ukrainian forces regained control of Zelena Dolyna, Lypove, and Kolodiazi in the Donetsk region, alongside an additional 101 km² of territory. Over all four phases of the operation, the Ukrainian Defense Forces regained control of 277 km² of territory and 16 settlements. \n\nConcurrently, Ukraine's Air Assault Forces have been conducting an offensive operation in the Oleksandrivka direction that began on January 29, 2026, covering territory in the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. As of August, Ukrainian units had regained control of more than 745 km² of territory and 26 settlements according to the Air Assault Forces Command. On November 8, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Ukraine had liberated over 800 km² of territory in the Oleksandrivka sector during 2026 through the operations of the Air Assault Forces.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| Spartanat | The situation 1698 – November 14, 2026 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMibEFVX3lxTE9ybHlyaVdqbkFBVElfTktIQV8wX2dGaUxSQzNLTmg2SzZaZkJZMFljUWtoTjFCWVdfd1F0eE5jYk5TMFhMSFhTTlZVdk5aMHZvQzdRNVhBVDctZkZWeWRPa2Jndm5lZ2hudmpLcg?oc=5) |
| POLITICO.eu | Ukraine claims thousands of Russian casualties and a slowing Kremlin advance | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitAFBVV95cUxOWG80VUtNR01nX3UxTU9hbXE5eXhqNkpUN3R6emRaeWNVSDN4enREOW1rQ0xNREFPQ3hNVXBaS3k0S1VzMGZ2bkFlTThfU0cyWmJ0dkU1VjlDQ1JGTHpELVpGTnVpeHh4aGFSMVFRYXBEVjVDM3BMRzdLYmJRNGdmanNJMFdoUWZXTlVkeUcwUWIyb0FfUmo4NUE0SFF3SlNWam5aQUZocGZiSWpoeDhPdERRQlA?oc=5) |
| The Kyiv Independent | Russia's advance in Ukraine has slowed significantly, Air Assault Forces commander says | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitAFBVV95cUxPcTlIOXdIckFDcjVLLUtrMGhOdGowbkJxQi02bGVLZmVzVzZXLV9kbE5RRnRTakJWMjNDeklDQzdtUlJNeVVvbHJ6UzdZc1l5ZHc3bC00SWV4RmVkQmI0Z0V2cDhiUGdFZGNWa0FqRDVEM0RFWHZfX3N1OTdlVmFEdFFwbVdMRE9PTElsY1lfb1RXSVpuMmFtSEllU0pvU3pGRmRIckFld0tBd29PaWdHV3ozcnk?oc=5) |
| Kyiv Post | Russia's Advance Slows 'Very Significantly' as Heavy Losses Undermine Push Along Ukraine's Front | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiS0FVX3lxTE9vclZKQWN0bXBWYlo2eXJpempOUjF0dkV4Y0UxUHdJOFpWalVyTHd4emxURGlabWJjQXhDU3FRdzIyNnVoVU12RzVnWQ?oc=5) |
| Ukrinform | Russian offensive loses momentum as advance on frontline slows significantly – Ukraine’s Air Assault Commander | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi7gFBVV95cUxPNjBrbEJDUEtjTUNxUldiR2I5eXFoT0VGVEdqTnRrTnVPWlRqcmFKQkNGSUY2YnJWbXg5RTV3WldNMURKdTVMN3RqTmE0dWxPMUZHZlU2YURTV2NnamQwX2FFSnZkQWlmZUZHQjhJSk9iTHE2emxDOW5HempCREZQOGxJamVlbkJJZkVtV0pId2ZmaHVRcGVMb0R2RFowbHRYZVhXMXNEXzFqTlN2cDhmOWRHSXlIMUE1ZFF0UVQwNnJ4c3RVUU5NeU5HdGlCSnVjSFdRTVJNMll4eERuSnpVdFRrYy04dDZMWl9Oejhn0gHzAUFVX3lxTFAtM3R2UVVTY0RFMndqQngzdmNNYkJ4TEs3YkZRSXlKZFA1WlVQTkgwQ2t2UUdtZXBNLUh1emxBWEZsTnNzbngxbk5WNGdfNWdqRzRremc3R01iWUx3eTFIMG5td3Z) |
| RBC-Ukraine | Ukraine's Air Assault Forces assess pace of Russian army's advance | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMikgFBVV95cUxQVkVqWHFBZUFNWF9kNXFkM0Z5RFN4Y25OVnpHa1F3NFV6a3diQVMtM0sxNG1CdzdVTVZCVlZSYVpGNlhRbWtFbmwtQVFkMG8zaW0zRFhiQk84Qy0yeXVYV0VUN1FJdGdhR2k0N2xUZzB0a3ppRmcyOWRJdURmbVQ4V2QwN0ZoOFA2SF9IZG9hSzY3QQ?oc=5) |
| Institute for the Study of War | Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 12, 2026 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxOS0ZCNWtnS014SUc5a0VIUWswMkMtaW85LWRaTFdLc1pIRHdtTE5OMG9kNGh6TVF1RE4zTnBuQXc2dG80RHhOdkRkMlZicDhCOG5oZ0pqS0xrcGNwSWg4SlFlV0Q0WXJtTkpfenBwZ0tWX1JCNVdldnJTOHlHQ09oVm5tMXRqY21TbGJLTXN1dzZuRmtidmZfeFhVeHcwTlBOczFrenpfb25aWGVI?oc=5) |
| Ejércitos | Russo-Ukrainian War – Day 1722: The Abu Dhabi negotiations have ultimately failed | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxNRjJaM3E2ZzJPSG9HM0MwQ1hqSEJVLTliWWw5VmVONGlIMnNuM2I1Y2dZekJ0VlkxTk9WTjlmNmpjanNmVk9KWjlkcXhTSHJqT081ZWFveG9HQ2VNU1lwN2RHSERvbjg4RDFHX0ZjUHJoZXJnTHdGSHlfaEFWUHNIbGkzTVBCZzBNMWxySU50LW1RUms1cERJZ2hxV0VfMFFwMGswYl9VOWJOMEZ6?oc=5) |
| Euromaidan Press | Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1722: Russia sends heavier team to Abu Dhabi peace talks, but its negotiators insist on Kremlin’s original war aims | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMihwJBVV95cUxNcXduMnd5Z1FNMUZ4X1JFdTlOczJFR1JPRnFTRHVJcFFMbHlxX0xEa1MtZnJ4a1lFaU1GV25vZDFaVVlwUEhUUHExanRxNlFneEk5OW84R0g5UngxRVk2bkw3MWRXT3FENlhjSVd3VHBKcC13dS1KOWdJS1l3STY1NTU3UTJWalRfMlFzRXJqRXhrUG5rZkcybDFnWHR5ZE93M1J3cVJYdDdVR3RVbGpJZnVGaWpHQzdOZ0pYb2J0RF9XQzBWa0pRemtReG9aVDFzb0lVRWRDMWxWa0hvUmxXdUhvQm44TmplUDl6VG42MTd4SjhxQjdJU2ItcTdYV0tPMERQazRTSQ?oc=5) |
| 24 Канал | "It's a complete stalemate on the front lines": Aussländer on Russia's offensive and the bridges across the Volga | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimgFBVV95cUxPZS1sZHJrNDNpb0lQYl9MOE1hN196ZFhReG1GVzZpcHRtRXExYkV2SVpMQ2w1WGVRSEpUNXZmaU04Y2RxWVJULW9YZmdGU2ljU3lueGRpc2piQ3hsa25xZW8zMWFjYlNhYTRHZndCYXNDYy1ZbXdKWXN1XzZMUjZmOURQcGsxeTF4NkdIOU9KOFNpT0FNMjVoUmJn?oc=5) |
| uatv.ua | Russia Failed Its Plan To Capture Donbas — WSJ | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMickFVX3lxTE9lUmdjTGpVdTNKWHlFRHg2ei1EbmJMSUVnSENWeXY5eGVVT0U1cXlpN2tWN0lxS292MmhQSW4wclVCZ3l2ZWVYdXZJWDdHS012WTRyOE1rN1FNN09MWjFJZU5MOWt4SmxZZ0tuQ1JWZDZhQQ?oc=5) |
| Institute for the Study of War | Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 11, 2026 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMirAFBVV95cUxNbkJQaldRYmhraFQyZG44UzA3NkRXQjd6RkpkQ0FITWJfSG5Ra01Uc2JYamV4WVhkaDlWWi1RUzNFQWRRRERSYUpxNW5ZUXhyWUdzdnpDNlhGam92VEplVTFfWW9TdHNDUThfalVKUndQVGdWdE8wUjdqS3FhbHlfbm1vX3E2YUExM05NNUJZbUNKejJwQ20td1ZzYm5yZjFtZUVvTXQ2QnRVWDZD?oc=5) |
| Radar.am | The Yalta-Potsdam security system is functioning poorly. Medinsky | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiVEFVX3lxTE9iQ3NPUkRlZ1VyS2hzUEFNaW9vckFiZUJmT0FPNW5iUUJJWVRWbS05VDFzUWI4Yk5IMEtyTVV3X0dmRVV0QmRRMUNHTTk5ZGV3VVBUUg?oc=5) |
| Reuters | Russian diplomat says Moscow could conclude non-aggression pacts with NATO member states | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwAFBVV95cUxOOXp1YjFNMWVTN0dFYmJoQ0x6RFU1NjJJeGVCb0FDVlJRSENFRFpRYWxxMmQxTTN4ZUFCWjRGOGdPeDhIOW5SdkYzNUszLWQ2c1pxcXlLdGdjMEVJbWg5Ym1GWTd2al9velFmdUhCWXN0RkVqN3NLRnlKU3lPejRfbzZzRzkwQjVtakxGcXJUcEwzY251RlQxaWRFVnNUemJhdktiMFZsSnk0V01GOV9aT3dHcXlFS0VRSnRCcHRXU2I?oc=5) |
| https://debuglies.com | Abu Dhabi Negotiations and the Struggle to Redesign European Security | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipgFBVV95cUxOQUhTbGZrSjNFQnR2MjlKazEwWWpFQ21LMlZyV1licVRVb3I4NFAzRVAwa00ybmI5alhkcS15T1ZIR2ZNY2F1RE5xSTVZYU1VRHFxM29OZUFCQmJRcjVuSVlDdlUzaG8tNFA1STEwTE5rUVFaZmhITDNRODdDMkpPMWxrZW1yUkhkbEpSZ1RGcWlSQVNiS2huSHVFbXRFMFlrbHNINGN3?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoaiapps.com/trend/2026-10-30/isw-russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-october-28-2026*