Russia’s war on Ukraine. 26.05.2024

In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational Group of Forces (OG) “Kharkiv” on the Kharkiv direction, there were 13 engagements. Fighting continues in the areas of Neskuchne and Starytsya.

In the “Khortytsia” Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) operational zone on the Kupyansk direction, there were 14 engagements. The Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully repelled enemy attacks in the areas of Synkivka and Petropavlivka. Near Myasozharivka, Druzhelyubivka, and Nevske, they conducted active operations and achieved success. On the Lyman direction, units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 5 attacks by Russian occupiers in the areas of Terny, Torske, and Serebriansk Forest. On the Siversk direction, the enemy attacked 13 times. The situation remains tense in the area of Bilohorivka, where the enemy is trying to break into the defenses. On the Kramatorsk direction, the Russian aggressor attacked units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces 12 times towards Chasiv Yar, Ivanivske, and Klishchiivka without success. Fighting continues in the area of Andriivka.

In the “Tavriya” OSG operational zone, the enemy conducted 23 intensive attacks with air support on the Pokrovsk direction, attempting to intensify its efforts along almost the entire line of contact. Intense fighting continues in the area of Novooleksandrivka. The Ukrainian Defense Forces work to stabilize the situation. Since the beginning of the day, the situation has been tense on the Kurakhove direction. The invaders attacked 14 times and are trying to advance in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Paraskoviivka, and Vodyane. The Ukrainian Defense Forces are taking urgent measures to stabilize the situation and contain the superior enemy. On the Vremivka direction, the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt to break through the Ukrainian defenses towards Staromayorske. On the Orikhiv direction, the enemy attacked three times and failed in the areas of Robotyne and Novoandriivka.

In the operational zone of the “Odesa” OSG on the Prydniprovskiy direction, the enemy made 9 unsuccessful attempts to push units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces away from Krynky. The Russian invaders failed to achieve success in the course of the battles.

General conclusion: 

• The Ukrainian Defense Forces are pushing Russian troops away from Ukrainian defensive positions in the northern part of Kharkiv Oblast, having completely halted the Russian advance on the Starytsya-Hlyboke direction.
• The enemy is taking steps to retain the tactical initiative on the Kharkiv direction.
• The enemy’s “Sever” Operational Grouping will not have sufficient forces and resources to conduct an offensive operation on Kharkiv even after completing its operational deployment.
• The number of shelling attacks has tripled on the Pokrovsk direction.

Change in the line of contact (LoC):

• There were 110 combat engagements on various fronts.
• On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces retreated from positions near Lyptsi, with the Ukrainian Defense Forces pushing the enemy back to Lukyantsi. The enemy continued assaults near Lyptsi, Neskuchne, Starytsya, Vovchansk, and Tykhe, and repelled Ukrainian counterattacks near Hlyboke.
• On the Kupyansk direction, Russian troops achieved partial success near Petropavlivka and Ivanivka, advanced 1 km south of Berestove, 800 m near Makiivka, and captured a section of the road near Torske. They continued offensives in the areas of Synkivka, Kyslivka, Novoselivka, Stelmakhivka, Novoyehorivka, Druzhelyubivka, and Nevske.
• On the Lyman direction, Russian forces continued offensive actions in the areas of Terny, Yampolivka, Torske, Serebriansk Forest, and Bilohorivka.
• On the Siversk Direction, Russian troops advanced in the areas of Vyimka, Verkhnyokamianske, and Spirne.
• On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces advanced in the areas of Kalynivka, the “Novyi” neighborhood, Ivanivske, Andriivka, Shumy, achieved success near Klishchiivka, and are attempting to enter the “Kanal” neighborhood from the south.
• On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian troops advanced 350 m towards the ponds north of Ocheretyne, achieved success east of Yevhenivka, are clearing Netaylove and Umanske, and continued offensives in the areas of Kalynove, Novooleksandrivka, Solovyove, Sokil, Novopokrovske, Novoselivka Persha, Yasnobrodivka, and Nevelske.
• On the Kurakhove direction, Russian forces advanced within Krasnohorivka, in the area of Paraskoviivka, and 1.5 km south of Kostyantynivka. They continued offensives in the areas of Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, and Volodymyrivka.
• On the Vremivka direction, positional battles continued near Staromayorske.
• On the Orikhiv Direction, Russian troops continued offensives near Robotyne, Novoandriivka, and northwest of Verbove.
• On the Prydniprovskiy direction, Russian forces conducted several unsuccessful assaults on the eastern bank of Kherson Oblast, including near Krynky.
• In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
  • Black Sea: 3 ships.

Changes in the enemy disposition:

• Units of the 153rd Tank Regiment of the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army and the 41st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps are operating on the Kharkiv direction.
• The 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Army Corps is active near Krasnohorivka, and the 39th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 68th Army Corps is operating near Kostyantynivka.
• Units of the 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Combined Arms Army are active near Sokil.

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 “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 26.05.24  

Personnel – almost 501,190 (+1110); 

Tanks 7,662 (+12); 

Armored combat vehicles – 14,803 (+17); 

Artillery systems – 12,953 (+24);

Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,083 (+1);

Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 814 (0);

Vehicles and fuel tanks – 17,639 (+31);

Aircraft – 357 (+1);

Helicopters – 326 (0);

UAV operational and tactical level – 10,425 (+11);

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 11 regions of Ukraine over the past day. A total of 123 towns and villages and 112 infrastructure objects were attacked with various types of weapons. The number of casualties is being updated/clarified.
• During the night of May 26, 2024, Russian occupiers launched a missile and aerial attack on Ukraine, employing 14 air-launched missiles and over three dozen strike UAVs. Ukrainian defense forces successfully intercepted 12 cruise missiles (X-101/X-555) and 31 Shahed-131/136 strike UAVs in the Mykolaiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, and Chernihiv Oblasts.
• In Vinnytsia Oblast, a residential building was hit as a result of the Russian night attack, causing injuries to three people.
• The death toll from the Russian airstrikes on the home improvement hypermarket in Kharkiv on May 25 has risen to 16. According to DNA analysis, the bodies of eight individuals have been identified. Among the deceased are a 12-year-old girl and her mother. Forty-four people were injured. Eight more individuals are still considered missing.
• During the past day, Russian forces killed one civilian resident of Donetsk Oblast and injured five others.
• In the past day, Russian forces shelled 14 towns and villages in Kherson Oblast, injuring four people and causing damage to private houses, critical infrastructure, and industrial facilities.
• On May 26, Russia continued to attack Kharkiv and Kharkiv Oblast. At approximately 14:20, the enemy struck the village of Bohuslavka in the Izium district. An aviation munition hit a private home. A 71-year-old woman was killed, and five others were injured, including boys aged 9 and 12. Another explosion was heard in the city late in the afternoon.
• An explosion was heard in Kyiv after the Ukrainian Air Force reported a takeoff of a Russian MiG-31K from the Savasleyka airfield (Nizhny Novgorod region) and a high-speed target heading towards Kyiv.
• In the temporarily occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Russian occupation authorities have established a procedure to nationalize Ukrainian property. According to the new regulations, properties can be declared “ownerless” if the owner does not re-register them under Russian law or if no utility payments have been made at the address for a year. Property owners now have 30 days to re-register their ownership. Given that many residents who fled the cities will be unable to do this, the Russians will seize their properties.

Centre for Defence Strategies (CDS) is a Ukrainian security think tank. We operate since 2020.

We publish this brief daily. If you would like to subscribe, please send us an email at cds.dailybrief@gmail.com

The CDC Daily Brief is produced with the support of the Kyiv School of Economics https://kse.ua/

Please note, that we subscribe only verified persons and can decline or cancel the subscription at our own discretion

We are an independent, non-government, non-partisan, and non-profit organization. More at www.defence.org.ua

Our Twitter (in English) – https://twitter.com/defence_centre

Our Facebook (in Ukrainian) – https://www.facebook.com/cds.UA

Our brief is for information only and we verify our information to the best possible extent