Russia deploys new Starlink-powered drone near Ukraine's Pokrovsk
Russian forces use a new Starlink-equipped drone near Pokrovsk (photo: Getty Images)
Russian forces near Pokrovsk have begun using the new BM-35 drone powered by Starlink. It is similar to the Shahed drone but smaller in size, Yevhen Lasiichuk, Brigadier General, commander of Ukraine's 7th Air Assault Corps, told RBC-Ukraine in an interview.
According to him, Ukrainian forces still hold the northern outskirts of Pokrovsk.
"Despite the fact that the enemy has its largest grouping of forces on this axis - the Center grouping of forces. It is carrying out missions with units of the 41st and 51st Armies. It is also trying to employ Rubicon UAV units," Lasiichuk said.
He noted that this section of the front has become a testing ground for such units. All the latest systems are used there, if not every day, then very frequently.
"The BM-35 drone was recently spotted here. It is a new system, similar to the Shahed, but smaller in size. This drone attempted to strike our equipment at a fairly long distance, almost deep in the rear, while using Starlink communication systems," the commander of the 7th Corps added.
Russia's offensive has stalled
According to analysts, Russia's spring-summer ground offensive has effectively stalled.
The advance of Russian forces is measured in tens of meters per day, making it one of the slowest offensives in military history over the past century (its pace is comparable to the Battle of the Somme during World War I):
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Near Kostiantynivka: an average of 50 meters per day.
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Around Pokrovsk: about 70 meters per day.
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Around Sloviansk: 90 meters per day.
At the same time, in the spring of 2026, Russia's territorial control in Ukraine began to shrink.
In April and May, Russian forces lost more territory than they managed to capture, resulting in a net loss of about 400 square kilometers. These were Russia's first monthly net territorial losses since August 2024.
After failing to break through toward Sloviansk, the enemy shifted its focus to the Donetsk region. Kostiantynivka has now become the main objective of Russia's spring-summer offensive campaign.
Commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' 19th Army Corps, Brigadier General Oleksandr Bakulin, said that the Russian command is conducting a separate information campaign around Kostiantynivka.
According to him, Russian commanders have already reported the alleged capture of the city and are trying to find confirmation of those claims directly on the ground.
