8/ Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Oleksandrivka, and Hulyaipole. Russian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk and Hulyaipole.
Read more in the March 6, 2026, Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment:
7/ Russia and Ukraine conducted civilian prisoner and prisoner of war (POW) exchanges on March 5 and 6.
6/ Ukrainian forces continue to liberate territory in southern Ukraine.
5/ The Kremlin continues its wider efforts to prevent Russians from using foreign platforms and virtual private networks (VPNs).
4/ Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly addressed the Kremlin’s recent restrictions against Telegram for the first time and the widespread complaints about battlefield communications issues that ensued.
3/ Ukraine continues to share its expertise and support air defense efforts in countering Iranian Shahed drone strikes in the Middle East.
2/ Russian President Vladimir Putin called on the United States to halt its ongoing military operation in the Middle East while refusing any meaningful ceasefire in Ukraine.
NEW: Russia is reportedly sharing intelligence with Iran to support Iranian attacks against US forces in the Middle East in contrast to the Kremlin’s recent attempts to frame Russia as a potential US ally and US-Russia relations as increasingly friendly. (1/8)
Read more: isw.pub/UkrWar030626
3/ PLA Modernization: The PLAN is likely constructing additional auxiliary oil replenishment vessels and developing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to enhance its ability to operate at longer ranges to improve its A2/AD network in the Pacific during a PLA blockade or invasion of Taiwan.
2/ Iran War: The PRC is unlikely to provide substantive material support to Iran despite strongly condemning US and Israeli operations. The PRC will likely continue to advocate for an end to the conflict to protect its economic and diplomatic interests in the region.
NEW: The PRC is experimenting w/ using aerial drones to transmit false aircraft signals to confuse adversaries’ threat awareness and to disguise malign activities. This cognitive warfare tactic mirrors similar signal spoofing by PRC seaborne vessels around Taiwan & elsewhere. isw.pub/ChinaTaiwanU...
5/ Hezbollah claimed on March 5 that its fighters engaged and shelled Israeli ground forces in Markaba, Khiam, and Wadi al Asafir, Marjaayoun District.
4/ Hezbollah claimed that the group conducted 18 attacks targeting Israel Defense Forces (IDF) positions and forces in northern Israel and southern Lebanon since ISW-CTP’s last data cutoff at 4:00 PM ET.
3/ The combined force has targeted Iranian military infrastructure across multiple provinces, including missile sites, command and control institutions, and naval facilities. The combined force struck a ballistic missile site in Zanjan Province and the Imam Ali Missile Base.
2/ The combined force targeted several law enforcement command and paramilitary facilities, including police stations in Kurdistan and West Azerbaijan Provinces, and two Basij Resistance bases in Tehran Province on March 6.
NEW: The combined force has targeted the Iranian internal security infrastructure on March 6 to degrade the regime’s ability to maintain domestic control. 🧵(1/5)
Iran Update Morning Special Report, March 6, 2026: isw.pub/IranUpdate03...
Other Key Takeaways:
6/ North Korea has celebrated its economic growth since the last congress, likely due to the expansion of trade with Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Full report:
5/ Personnel reshuffles replaced aging officials with younger technocrats and dispersed power centers across the government, reflecting the ongoing consolidation of Kim Jong Un’s authority.
4/ North Korea explicitly rejected South Korean proposals for talks while signaling diplomatic expansion with non-Western-aligned states and its traditional partners.
3/ North Korea’s strategic goals unveiled at the 9th Congress reflect growing regime confidence in its external positioning, economic trajectory, and military capabilities.
2/North Korea’s Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) held the 9th Party Congress between February 19 and 25. The Party Congress elects North Korean leadership and decides policies as the highest decision-making body of North Korea, which operates under a single-party system.
NEW | North Korea’s 9th Party Congress Signals Confidence in Nuclear Deterrence, Rejects Denuclearization and Inter-Korean Talks
Read the Special Report: isw.pub/9thPartyCong...
Key Takeaways: (🧵1/6)
MORE: Kremlin officials are criticizing the United States for military operations against Iran and are using the escalation in the Middle East to set conditions to blame the United States for any future failures in negotiations for a peace in Ukraine. 🧵(1/3) isw.pub/UkrWar030526
NEW: The US & Israeli combined force has advanced to the next phase of their campaign, which will focus on targeting Iranian defense industrial assets, especially missile production facilities. The IDF has continued strikes targeting Iranian ballistic missile infrastructure. isw.pub/IranUpdate03...
3/ The combined forces have continued to strike the IRGC Ground Forces’ special forces and rapid response units in southwestern Iran. The combined force has not yet struck other IRGC or Artesh special forces bases or infrastructure at scale across the country. isw.pub/IranUpdate03...
2/ The combined force continues to conduct airstrikes targeting key internal security sites in and around Tehran City as well as Kurdish-populated areas of northwestern Iran. These targets range from regional Law Enforcement Command (LEC) and IRGC headquarters to local police stations.
NEW: The US & Israeli combined force has advanced to the next phase of their campaign, which will focus on targeting Iranian defense industrial assets, especially missile production facilities. The IDF has continued strikes targeting Iranian ballistic missile infrastructure. isw.pub/IranUpdate03...
3/ Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a routine decree on March 4 marginally increasing the authorized end strength of the Russian military as part of the ongoing Russian military reforms.
isw.pub/UkrWar030526
2/ Other Russian officials are using US military operations against Iran to harshly criticize the United States and rhetorically place Russia and the United States in opposition and discredit US-led negotiations in Ukraine.
