Reports of New Territory Liberated as Ukraine Pushes on Southern Front

What happened

The Kyiv Independent reports that, according to the May 29 update from the open-source mapping group Deep State, Ukrainian forces have liberated the village of Novoselivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast from Russian occupation. Additionally, areas near Zelenyi Hai and Tolstoi villages are now contested, signaling continuing frontline activity.

Outside Brief is treating this as a source-led account. Any disputed responsibility, casualty figure or battlefield claim should be read as unconfirmed/hearsay unless confirmed by another reliable source. Deep State’s updates usually lag several days behind actual territorial changes to protect operational security. The renewed attacks are reported to be led by Ukraine's Air Assault Forces, as confirmed by a senior Ukrainian military officer to the Kyiv Independent, although Kyiv has not publicly commented on these specific operations, and the paper is not able to independently verify the territorial gains at this stage.

This region, flat and sparsely populated, was initially seized by Russian troops in autumn 2025, marking the first Russian incursion into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast during the full-scale war. Previous Ukrainian counteroffensive efforts starting in February 2026, helped by disruptions in Starlink satellite internet used by Russian forces, had led to the liberation of over 435 square kilometers in adjacent oblasts, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, the fluid battlefield and drone-saturated environment complicate precise assessments on the ground.

Known from the source

• Deep State map update from May 29 reports that Novoselivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is no longer under Russian occupation.
• Areas around Zelenyi Hai and Tolstoi are reported by Deep State as contested.
• Ukrainian Air Assault Forces reportedly lead the attacks according to a senior Ukrainian military officer.
• The region was first entered by Russian forces in autumn 2025.
• Previous Ukrainian counteroffensive from February 2026 liberated over 435 square kilometers, per President Zelensky’s claim.

What remains unclear

The fighting in this area forms part of a broader push by Ukrainian forces to regain ground along the southern front line, which is strategically significant for controlling access and disrupting Russian positions. Continued advances here would support Kyiv’s overall counteroffensive objectives while demonstrating resilience after prior losses.

What remains unclear: Official confirmation from Kyiv or Ukrainian defense authorities regarding liberation of Novoselivka and contested status of nearby villages. Independent verification of territorial control changes from other open sources or intelligence. Confirmation of the role and scale of Air Assault Forces in the current operations. Ensure attribution is clear throughout regarding claims from Deep State and Ukrainian sources.

Evidence note

Outside Brief has kept this brief source-led and attributed. Claims should be read alongside the original source linked below.

Original source: Kyiv Independent. Open the source.