Russian forces have conducted incremental infantry infiltrations and small-unit advances toward Dovha Balka in the Kostyantynivka sector of Donetsk Oblast amid broader efforts to pressure Ukrainian positions along the Donbas front. Ukrainian units, including elements of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade, have responded with drone strikes and defensive actions that disrupted some Russian footholds in the area earlier in 2026. Recent Ukrainian counteroperations under Operation Vivaldi north of Lyman have slowed Russian momentum toward encirclement objectives around the Fortress Belt, redirecting focus to direct assaults near Dobropillya. Continued artillery exchanges, supply constraints, and seasonal weather will shape whether Russian troops consolidate control over the village before any specified resolution date.