The situation 1523 – May 23, 2026

1. Ukrainian forces reportedly conducted a mechanized counterattack in the Borova direction, possibly penetrating up to five kilometers into the Russian defenses.
2. Ukraine’s long-range strike campaign continues to exploit degraded and overstretched Russian air defenses, targeting Russian oil infrastructure and military assets on the night of May 22 to 23.
3. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russia is preparing a combined strike against Kyiv City that could include Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs).
4. Ukrainian forces advanced in the Borova and Hulyaipole direction.
5. Russian forces launched 124 drones toward Ukraine overnight.

The full update of the Russian offensive 1523 is available on UNDERSTANDING WAR.