Russia’s war on Ukraine. 25.05.2024

In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational Group of Forces (OG) “Kharkiv” on the Kharkiv direction, there were 13 combat engagements with Russian invaders. Ten attacks were repelled in the areas of Lyptsi, Tykhe, and Vovchansk. Fighting continues near Starytsya, with the situation under control. Additionally, Ukrainian defenders are pushing the enemy back from the front line through assault actions, achieving success in certain areas.

In the “Khortytsia” Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) operational zone on the Kupyansk direction, the enemy attempted 17 times to displace the Ukrainian Defense Forces units from their positions. Combat actions occurred in the areas of Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Ivanivka, Stelmakhivka, Novoyehorivka, Druzhelyubivka, and Nevske. Fighting continues near Novoyehorivka, Petropavlivka, and Ivanivka. The enemy has partial success in two latter areas, with the situation being tense. The Ukrainian Defense Forces are taking active measures to stabilize the situation. On the Lyman direction, three enemy attempts to advance in the areas of Terny and the Serebriansk Forest were repelled. On the Siversk direction, the number of aggressor attacks increased to 5 by evening. The Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped two enemy assaults in the areas of Bilohorivka and Spirne. Fighting continues near Spirne, with the invaders having no success. On the Kramatorsk direction, a total of 13 enemy attempts to approach Chasiv Yar were repelled. Fighting continues in the Andriivka area. The situation is tense but controlled.

In the “Tavriya” OSG operational zone, on the Pokrovsk direction, Russian occupiers continued attempts to break into the defense from the area of Ocheretyne, with partial success east of Yevhenivka. Overall, 15 combat engagements took place. The Ukrainian Defense Forces are taking active measures to restore the lost positions. On the Kurakhove direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces units repelled enemy attacks near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, and Paraskoviivka. The situation remains most tense south of Kostyantynivka and south of Volodymyrivka. Overall, there were 8 combat engagements. The situation is under the control of the Defense Forces. On the Vremivka direction, the situation did not undergo significant changes, with 2 combat engagements taking place. On the Orikhiv direction, Russian invaders made an unsuccessful attempt to advance towards Novodanylivka.

In the operational zone of the “Odesa” OSG on the Prydniprovskiy direction, the enemy made 3 unsuccessful attempts to push back the Ukrainian Defense Forces in the area of Krynky on the left bank of the Dnipro River.

General conclusion: 

• Over the past 4-5 days, the enemy has concentrated a significant number of reserve formations in the northern Kharkiv Oblast. Up to 20 reserve battalions have been deployed into battle. The lifespan of such formations on the battlefield is 5-7 days. For example, the 1855th Separate Rifle Battalion reinforced the 25th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 6th Combined Arms Army and was completely destroyed within six days.
• The enemy has pushed the Ukrainian Defense Forces out of Klishchiivka, creating a tactical situation similar to a year ago when the Ukrainian Defense Forces held positions on the commanding heights directly west and south of the village.
• Russian forces have paused their strikes on Ukrainian targets using Shahed-136/131 drones but employ a large number of reconnaissance drones over Kharkiv, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts to support ballistic missile strikes.
• The situation in Sumy Oblast remains stable. In response to the increase in enemy troop numbers along the borders with Chernihiv and Sumy Oblasts, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are deploying reserves to the area. Currently, Russia does not have enough forces near the border to launch offensive operations in Sumy Oblast.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):

• There were 90 combat engagements on various fronts.
• On the Kharkiv direction, the 82nd Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked from the east and recaptured the northeastern part of Vovchansk. The enemy held administrative territory around Kindergarten No. 6, advanced to the destroyed bridge over the Vovcha River southeast of Tykhe, and continued assaults near Starytsya and Tykhe.
• Russian forces advanced 100-500 meters towards Lyptsi, continued assaults near Hlyboke and the eastern side of the Travyanske Reservoir.
• On the Kupyansk direction, enemy assaults from Lyman Pershyi towards Synkivka were repelled by the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
• Russian troops advanced within the eastern part of Berestove and north of the village, achieving minor successes along the forest strip east of Stelmakhivka, gaining tactical success near Ivanivka, advancing southeast of Ivanivka, and securing the eastern outskirts of the village.
• On the Lyman direction, the enemy’s Air and Space Forces delivered FAB glide bomb airstrikes on the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in Torske. The enemy also launched MLRS strikes on Lyman. The 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled a Russian attack in this area, skillfully combining minefields and DPICM cluster munitions fire.
• Russian forces advanced into the forest strips east of Makiivka, continued offensive actions in the areas of Nevske, Torske, Terny, Serebriansk Forestry, and Bilohorivka. Units of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army are attacking Ukrainian positions east of Terny and southeast of Novosadove, while the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army is attempting to break Ukrainian defenses near Makiivka.
• On the Siversk Direction, Russian assault groups penetrated the eastern approaches to the ruins of Bilohorivka but suffered such losses that they failed to achieve their objective. The enemy assaulted Spirne from the east and south, advanced along the railway line south of the village, and continued attacks in the Vyimka and Ivano-Dariivka areas. The enemy’s Air and Space Forces conducted bomb strikes on Siversk.
• On the Kramatorsk direction, following days of aerial and fire strikes, the 103rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division and the 11th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade of the enemy attacked the “Kanal” neighborhood from north to south. The National Police of Ukraine’s combined assault brigade “Lut” repelled this attack, inflicting significant losses on the enemy, destroying up to 10 armored fighting vehicles. The enemy is attempting to create a bridgehead in the underground section of the “Siversky Donets-Donbas” canal. The 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division is engaged in combat near Ivanivske.
• The 3rd Motorized Rifle Division, 72nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army Corps, 200th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 14th Army Corps, 217th Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division, 88th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Army Corps, and 83rd Separate Airborne Assault Brigade have completely displaced the Ukrainian Defense Forces from Klishchiivka, advancing near Andriivka.
• On the Pokrovsk direction, the enemy’s 27th, 35th, 132nd, 30th, and 55th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades launched a massive offensive on Kalynove and Novooleksandrivka and assaulted Umanske. Russian troops advanced north of Ocheretyne, pushing Ukrainian forces back from the ponds directly north of the village, advanced northeast of Sokol, southwest of Umanske, and continued offensives in the areas of Novoselivka Persha, Prohres, Novopokrovske, and Netaylove.
• On the Kurakhove direction, in Krasnohorivka, the enemy advanced to the western part of the village, but all attacks north of the Tsentralna Road were repelled.
• Russian troops advanced southwest of Novomykhailivka, further southwest of the village, and attacked near Heorhiivka, Paraskoviivka, and Kostyantynivka.
• On the Vremivka direction, after two days of bombardments and artillery shelling, the enemy attacked in small groups from the 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division on motorcycles towards Staromayorske and Urozhaine, advancing to the center of the first village but were stopped at the southern outskirts of the second.
• On the Orikhiv Direction, the 70th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army displaced Defense Forces units from Robotyne to the heights along its northern and eastern outskirts. The enemy attacked northwest of Verbove.
• On the Prydniprovskiy direction, the Ukrainian Defense Forces maintain a tactical bridgehead in Krynky.
• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
  • Black Sea: 1 ship.
  • Mediterranean Sea: 1 ship, including 1 “Kalibr” sea launched cruise missile carrier. The total salvo is 16 cruise missiles.

Escalation indicators:

• The enemy is increasing the number of its troops to 50,000-75,000 along the state border on the Siversk direction.

Possible operation situation developments:

• On the Sumy direction, the enemy grouping is stationed in concentration areas. The 128th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 44th Army Corps is concentrating in the Graivoron area (information is being verified). Sudzha – Sumy and Graivoron – Velyka Pysarivka could be the likely directions of its actions.
• The Russian military command may redeploy the 7th and 76th Air Assault Divisions from the Robotyne area to the Luhansk, Kherson Oblasts in Ukraine or Kursk Oblast in Russia.
• The enemy will continue their attempts to penetrate the urban area of Vovchansk and advance west of the city along both banks of the Siversky Donets River, particularly in the Buhruvatka area.
• The “Center” Operational Grouping command is focused on executing the following operational plan: to establish conditions for the blockade and encirclement of the Kurakhove area or to create advantageous circumstances for launching an offensive operation to encircle “Tavriya” OSG’s defense in Toretsk area from the south.
• The enemy’s “Vostok” Operational Grouping is gearing up for active operations on the southern flank of the Kurakhove-Vuhledar bulge of the Ukrainian Defense Forces in coordination with the left flank of the “Yug” Operational Grouping, which is currently attempting to break through towards Kurakhove through Hryhorivka and Paraskoviivka-Kostyantynivka along the Vovcha and Sukhi Yaly Rivers.
• The enemy’s capture of Keramik, Novokalynove, and Arkhanhelske, along with their breakthrough east of Novooleksandrivka and the displacement of the “Tavriya” OSG from this area, does not secure the flanks of the 30th and 35th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 41st Combined Arms Army. The situation requires the enemy’s “Tsentr” Operational Grouping to advance to the Sokol-Novopokrovske line and clear the area between Novooleksandrivka and Arkhanhelske.
• Expect counterattacks from “Tavriya” OSG in the Sokil-Ocheretyne direction, which poses a threat of defeating the 35th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Combined Arms Army and the 433rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Combined Arms Army, advancing on Novooleksandrivka.

Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 25.05.24  

Personnel – almost 500,080 (+1140); 

Tanks 7,650 (+15); 

Armored combat vehicles – 14,786 (+11); 

Artillery systems – 12,929 (+27);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,082 (+2);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 814 (+1);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 17,608 (+39);

Aircraft – 356 (0);

Helicopters – 326 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 10,414 (+14);

Intercepted cruise missiles – 2,209 (0);

Boats/ships – 28 (0).

Humanitarian+general:

• According to information provided by the Situation Center of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian forces shelled 10 regions of Ukraine over the past day. A total of 104 towns and villages and 106 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. The number of casualties is being updated/clarified.
• In Ukraine, as a result of the war, 2021 children are considered missing.
• On May 24th, Russian forces killed 3 residents of Donetsk Oblast. Additionally, two more individuals in the region were wounded. Since the beginning of the full scale invasion, the region has recorded 1,972 fatalities and 4,917 injuries.
• Kharkiv is under regular Russian bombardment. On May 25th, around 1:00 AM, Russian forces launched four missile strikes on Kharkiv and the Kharkiv district. According to preliminary information, the Russian army used “S-300” ballistic missiles in the attack.
• In the afternoon of May 25, Russian forces struck the “Epicenter” home improvement hypermarket in a residential area of Kharkiv, resulting in at least 2 fatalities and 25 injuries.
• In the evening of May 25th, the Russian Federation’s army struck Central Park in Kharkiv.
• During the day on May 25, the Russian army struck Kupyansk-Vuzlovyy railway junction. At least five people were injured.
• On Sunday, May 26, energy providers do not anticipate consumption restrictions for any consumers in all regions of Ukraine.
• In Melitopol, the occupying “administration” is trying to seize the homes of those who temporarily leave the city, according to the resistance group “Yellow Ribbon.” The occupiers are monitoring residents who are away from the city for more than a month. They are then compiling lists of absent individuals, whose property the occupiers intend to transfer to the occupation administration.

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