Ukrainian forces have liberated territory near Novoselivka in the Donetsk region and are continuing clearing operations in several nearby settlements, regaining at least 46 square kilometers (18 square miles) from Russian forces, according to military monitoring group DeepState on Friday, Aug. 29. DeepState said it had confirmed earlier reports by Ukraine’s General Staff about advances on the Oleksandrivka sector of the front.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “Ukraine’s Defense Forces liberated territory near Novoselivka and are conducting clearing operations near Voronne, Sichneve, Piddubne, Tovste, Novokhatske and Zelenyi Hai,” the group wrote. According to DeepState’s assessment, Russian forces lost at least 46 square kilometers of territory as a result of the operation. The reported gains come as Ukrainian troops have increasingly challenged Russian positions across several sectors of the front line after months of largely defensive operations. Recent advances follow disruption of Russian communications The latest advance follows a series of Ukrainian counterattacks that military analysts say have slowed Russian momentum and complicated Moscow’s battlefield operations. In February, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Kyiv recaptured 201 square kilometers (78 square miles) in five days – Kyiv’s fastest territorial gain since the 2023 counteroffensive. The think tank assessed that the gains were likely aided by disruptions to Russian battlefield communications after thousands of Starlink terminals used illegally by Russian forces were disabled.