Russian 3rd Combined Arms Army

The Russian 3rd Combined Arms Army is one of the principal army-level formations deployed on the eastern Ukraine front, with elements positioned near Kryva Luka and Zakitne in the Sloviansk axis. ISW assessed on 31 March 2026 that the formation had made no territorial progress since 22 March and assessed Russian forces overall as 'unlikely to seize the Fortress Belt in 2026', as daily engagements across the Pokrovsk axis fell from a peak of 163 to 120 by 30 March.

The 3rd Combined Arms Army has been central to Russia's strategic objective of encircling the twin cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk — the anchor of Ukraine's eastern defence line. Russia took Pokrovsk in December 2025 and has been advancing toward Kostiantynivka as part of a pincer movement. However, the Fortress Belt — a series of Ukrainian defensive positions protecting the Kramatorsk-Sloviansk urban core — has not been breached, and the spring thaw period constrained vehicle movement, reducing assault tempo.

The stalling of 3rd Combined Arms Army is part of a broader pattern. Russia's spring 2026 offensive opened with significant intensity — 619 attacks over four days — but decelerated sharply within six weeks. Mediazona confirmed 206,200 Russian military deaths as of 27 March, up 2,900 in 14 days, indicating the offensive is being sustained at significant cost with diminishing territorial return.