Ukrainian forces have reported making incremental gains in the southern sector of the front, while Russia continues its offensive operations in the eastern Donetsk region, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The U.S.-based think tank's analysis reveals that Ukrainian forces have advanced on the east bank of the Kherson region in the south. Additionally, Ukrainian forces continued their offensive in the Melitopol direction in western Zaporizhzhia, as well as near Bakhmut in the Donetsk oblast.

Geolocated footage from Friday shows Ukrainian forces advancing further south under the Antonivsky (Antonivka) road bridge, approximately 4 miles south of Kherson City and less than 3 miles from the Dnieper River.

Meanwhile, Russian forces have conducted offensive operations along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line, but no advances have been made. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claims to have captured unspecified positions in the Kupyansk direction over the past week.

The ISW's map of the Luhansk oblast shows Russian forces advancing south of Pershotravneve on October 22. Three days later, Moscow made gains northeast of Orlyanka.

The think tank also confirms that Russian forces conducted offensive operations near Bakhmut and made confirmed advances on Thursday. Their map shows that Russian forces captured Vasyukivka, northeast of the city.

In another contested area, the graphic reveals Ukrainian gains north of the rail line near Klishchiivka from October 22, and east of the line near Andriivka a day later. Russia previously launched an offensive in this region. Andriivka serves as a gateway to the occupied city of Donetsk, which has been under Russian control since 2014. Russia has made confirmed advances in the area but at a high cost of troops and equipment.

The ISW's more detailed map around Avdiivka shows Moscow's advances on the waste heap north of the town on October 23. On the following day, Ukrainian forces made gains near Krasnohorivka.

Separately, Ukraine's Air Force reported that its air defenses successfully shot down three out of four Iskander cruise missiles launched at Dnipropetrovsk Oblast overnight from Dzhankoi in Russian-occupied Crimea.

Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, the head of Ukraine's state grid operator Ukrenergo, stated that Moscow's strikes against Ukraine's energy system caused damage to around 70 large facilities last fall and winter. Numerous smaller facilities in front-line areas also suffered damage due to artillery strikes.

In the midst of ongoing conflict, a third round of Ukrainian-backed peace talks commenced in Malta, with representatives from over 50 countries participating. The event has been condemned by Moscow as "a blatantly anti-Russian event". However, Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine's presidential office, sees the talks as a powerful signal that unity is maintained around Ukraine.

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment on the situation but has yet to receive a response.