Russia’s war on Ukraine. 25.10.24
- 26.10.2024
- Опубліковано: CDS
- Категорія: DailyBrief
In the operational zone of the Ukrainian Operational Group of Forces (OTG) “Kharkiv” on the Kharkiv direction, the enemy launched 8 assaults near Vovchansk and Starytsia.
In the “Khortytsia” Operational-Strategic Group of Forces (OSG) operational zone on the Kupyansk direction, there were 14 enemy attacks. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled assaults near Holubivka, Pishchane, Lozova, Kruhlyakivka, Novoosynove, Kolisnykivka, and Vyshneve. On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 23 times, attempting to breach Ukrainian positions near Druzhelyubivka, Katerynivka, Hrekivka, Tverdokhlibove, Terny, Zarichne, Torske, and Serebrianka. On the Siversk front, Ukrainian defenders repelled an enemy assault near Vyimka. The occupiers attacked twice on the Kramatorsk direction near Chasiv Yar and Predtechyne.
In the “Tavriya” OSG operational zone, on the Pokrovsk direction,Ukrainian Defense Forces halted 55 enemy assault and offensive actions around Myrolyubivka, Krutyi Yar, Novotoretske, Lysivka, Krasnyi Yar, Mykolaivka, Sukhy Yar, and Mykhailivka. Enemy attacks were primarily concentrated in the direction of Selydove and Promin. On the Kurakhove direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 20 attacks, with the enemy’s most intense efforts focused on advancing near Novodmytrivka, Zoryane, Kreminna Balka, Novomykolayivka, Maksymilianivka, Antonivka, Katerynivka, Kostyantynivka, Novoselydivka, and Hostre. On the Vremivka direction, the enemy launched 8 assaults around Bohoyavlenka and Novoukrainka, actively deploying bomber aviation for strikes. On the Orikhiv direction, supported by aviation, the enemy attacked 4 times near Novodanylivka and Novoandriivka.
In the operational zone of “Odesa” OSG on the Prydniprovskyi direction, occupiers unsuccessfully attempted 3 times to push Ukrainian Defense Forces from their positions.
Operations continue in Kursk Oblast. Russian aircraft conducted 23 airstrikes, and enemy artillery launched over 100 shelling attacks.
On the Volyn and Polissya directions, there are no signs of enemy offensive formations being established.
On the border with Chernihiv and Sumy Oblasts, the enemy actively uses artillery and aviation from Russian territory to strike areas in Ukrainian residential areas.
General conclusion:
- Enemy advances on the Zaporizhzhia direction indicate that Russian military command may soon shift its offensive priorities and initiate a new offensive.
- The “Dnepr” Operational Grouping of the occupying forces has deployed several new brigades in Kherson Oblast, potentially preparing for an offensive on the Zaporizhzhia direction if the situation in Kursk Oblast shifts in favor of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
- On the Kharkiv direction, Russian troops have built substantial fortifications, deeply entrenched in the ground, and are preparing for the winter season.
- The capture of Novosadove enables Russian forces to launch an offensive on the left bank of the Chornyi Zherebets River.
- In the Selydove area, the enemy attacks with infantry assault groups without artillery preparation. These assaults are effective due to the enemy’s numerical advantage. Units with a higher level of combat training secure the results of these assaults. The enemy deployed various types of electronic warfare (EW) systems around the city to counter Ukrainian reconnaissance UAVs, contributing to its advancement along with artillery and air strikes.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
- There were 187 combat engagements on various fronts.
- On the Kursk Direction, “Siversk” OTG holds positions along the railway line south of Novyi Put, has advanced southeast of Korenevo, along the Snagost River north of Daryino, and holds positions in Daryino and Nikolaevo-Daryino. They attacked near Daryino, Obukhovka, Nizhniy Klin, Liubimovka, Zelionyi Put, Novoivanovka, and Plekhovo.
- Russian forces advanced in the area between Sheptukhovka and Khitrovka, west of Tolstyi Lug towards Zelenyi Put, and control the western half of Novoivanovka.
- On the Kharkiv direction, Russian troops continued unsuccessful offensive actions near Vovchansk and Starytsia.
- The “Kharkiv” OTG attacked near Khatyshche.
- On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces strengthened their positions in Kruhlyakivka, advanced west of Kyslivka, and continued offensive actions around Holubivka, Pishchane, Kruhlyakivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Lozova, and Vyshneve, targeting bridges over the Oskil River west of Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi.
- On the Lyman direction, Russian forces captured Novosadove, advanced south of Makiivka, and attacked near Hrekivka, Novomykhailivka, Druzhelyubivka, Katerynivka, Tverdokhlibove, Terny, Torske, Zarichne, and Serebrianka.
- On the Siversk direction, Russian forces advanced along the railway line southeast of Vyimka.
- On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces attacked on the eastern outskirts of Chasiv Yar, near Hryhorivka, Predtechyne, Bila Hora, and Stupochky.
- On the Toretsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces regained lost positions in central Toretsk along Dzerzhynskoho Street.
- Russian forces are fighting on the southern outskirts of Shcherbynivka and attacked near Nelipivka.
- On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces advanced further in the southern and central parts of Selydove and in the fields north of the city.
- Ukrainian Defense Forces are working to prevent the enemy from consolidating their gains, entering urban areas, and attacking the northern and eastern outskirts of Selydove, including from the direction of Mykhailivka. Ukrainian forces conducted a successful counterattack northeast of Selydove near the Novohorodivska Mine No. 1/3.
- The command of the enemy’s “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping redeployed units from the northern flank of the Pokrovsk front to reinforce assaults on Selydove, moving troops to the outskirts of Selydove and prioritizing its capture. Russian forces advanced in fields south of Sukhy Yar, along the railway in the eastern part of Vyshneve, and reached the outskirts of Novodmytrivka. Assault groups from the 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army entered Novoselydivka.
- The enemy continued to advance in the areas of Myrolyubivka, Novotoretske, Promin, Mykhailivka, Krutyi Yar, Sukha Balka, Novodmytrivka, Kreminna Balka, Lysivka, Sukhy Yar, Mykolaivka, Hirnyk, Zoryane, and Krasnyi Yar.
- On the Kurakhove direction, Russian forces attacked near Maksymilianivka, Hostre, and Dalnie.
- On the Vremivka direction, Russian forces made minor advances southeast of Bohoyavlenka and attacked near Antonivka, Katerynivka, Kostyantynivka, Zolota Nyva, and Novoukrainka.
- On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces continued attacks near Novodanylivka.
- On the Prydniprovskyi direction, Russian forces continued attacks on the left bank in Kherson Oblast, though unsuccessfully.
- Ukrainian Defense Forces mine the floodplain of the Dnipro River.
- In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
- Black Sea: 1 ship, including 0 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 0 cruise missiles.
- Mediterranean Sea: 2 ships, 2 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 24 cruise missiles.
- The Russian Black Sea Fleet Command is concerned about the Defense Forces’ capability to strike Black Sea Fleet ships in the port of Novorossiysk in Krasnodar Krai, and the lack of alternative basing options. Several Russian ships have left the Novorossiysk naval base en masse, and the sorting of vessels is underway to limit risks from potential Ukrainian strikes.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
- The first military units of the DPRK Armed Forces arrived in Kursk Oblast on October 23. These units completed training at various military ranges: Baranovsky in Ussuriysk, Primorsky Krai; Donguz in Ulan-Ude, Republic of Buryatia; Yekaterinoslavsky in Katerinoslavka, Amur Oblast; the 248th military range in Knyaze-Volkonsky, Khabarovsk Krai; and the 249th military range in Primorsky Krai. Russian military command coordinated actions with North Korean headquarters for several weeks. North Korea has deployed approximately 12,000 troops, including 500 officers and three generals. The Russian Armed Forces supply ammunition and other personal equipment to North Korean personnel.
- Units of the 116th Separate Brigade of Operative Purpose of the National Guard are active near Khatyshche, and units of the 7th Separate Rifle Regiment of the 11th Army Corps operate near Lyptsi.
- Units of the 433rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Combined Arms Army advance in central Selydove, while the 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Combined Arms Army operates near Mykhailivka.
Possible operation situation developments:
- The command of the enemy’s 25th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade on the Kupyansk direction in the near future will attempt to advance eastward and cut off all roads leading to Synkivka from the south, reach the Oskil River across from the village of Holubivka on the right bank, in order to force the “Khortytsia” OSG forward units defending in the Synkivka area to retreat towards Petropavlivka.
- The command of the enemy’s “Zapad (West”) Operational Grouping will intensify efforts on the Lyman direction to ensure the advance of the 25th Combined Arms Army to the Borova–Lyman line. The goal is to assist in the elimination of the Siversk bridgehead held by the Ukrainian Defense Forces and create favorable conditions for the eventual capture of the Slovyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration by the end of this year.
- The enemy’s military command in the theater of operations within the following 2-3 months will concentrate its efforts on achieving the military-political goal of the Special Military Operation: reaching the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. For this purpose, they will maximize their advance towards Pokrovsk-Pavlohrad, in the direction of the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, and aiming to reach the junction of Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk Oblasts near the village of Temyrivka.
- By the end of this year, the enemy will not only fail to occupy Donetsk Oblast within its administrative borders but also will be unable to seize the “fortress belt” of Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka-Kramatorsk-Slovyansk. The upcoming battle for Pokrovsk will be the climax of the enemy’s offensive operation in the Southwestern Theater of Operations in 2024. October and partially November become the moment of maximum tension for both sides in the entire 2024 campaign.
Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 25.10.24
Personnel – almost 685,910 (+1,630);
Tanks 9,097 (+7);
Armored combat vehicles – 18287 (+33);
Artillery systems – 19,753 (+34);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,238 (+2);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 982 (+1);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 27,365 (+79);
Aircraft – 369 (0);
Helicopters – 329 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 17,670 (+73);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 2625 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
- Overnight on Friday, Russian occupation forces attacked Ukraine with 63 strike drones, of which air defense destroyed 36, while 16 drones went missing off the radars.
- A Russian drone attack on a civilian car traveling near Tomina Balka in Kherson Oblast resulted in the death of a 72-year-old man, while another person was hospitalized. A 35-year-old woman and an 11-year-old boy suffered explosive trauma and shrapnel wounds, and an emergency medical team provided on-site assistance.
- On the morning of October 25, Russian forces shelled the village of Borova in Kharkiv Oblast using a multiple-launch rocket system, killing a 61-year-old woman.
- On October 24, Russian attacks killed five residents of Donetsk Oblast: two in Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka, two in Zelene, and one in Dachne. One person in the region was injured over the day.
- The head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, Ivan Fedorov, urged residents of Zaporizhzhia and the region to prepare for possible winter power outages. According to his forecast, centralized electricity for water pumping stations may be unavailable in Zaporizhzhia. As for heating, cogeneration units will be installed at all major heating plants in Zaporizhzhia and the surrounding region. Schools and hospitals are already equipped with generators to ensure electricity for educational activities and medical services.
- Deputy Minister of Justice Iryna Mudra submitted Ukraine’s instrument of ratification to the UN Secretariat on Friday, marking the country’s full accession to the Rome Statute and enabling its full participation in the International Criminal Court.
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