Roads Of Death: Why Ukrainian Command Cannot Supply Its Garrison In Rai-Oleksandrivka Near Slaviansk

In the Zaporizhzhia region, units of the “East” military grouping repelled a large-scale Ukrainian counteroffensive, regaining control of Ternovate and capturing Krynichne. Ukrainian attacks have noticeably decreased in intensity. In the Slaviansk area, Russian troops consolidated their position in Minkivka’s center and advanced in Nykyforivka. This cut off the Ukrainian units’ logistical routes in the Rai-Oleksandrivka and Mykolaivka areas. In the Sumy area, the “North” grouping advanced up to 850 meters in 13 sectors and made progress in the Pokrivka and Kharkivka areas. In the Kharkiv area, Russian troops captured eight homes in Vovchanski Khutory and advanced into wooded areas near Starytsia, attacking the 72nd Brigade and foreign mercenaries. Ukraine and NATO plan to establish a secret information exchange system by the end of the year, marking another step toward Kyiv’s integration into the alliance.

Zaporizhzhia Direction

In the direction of Zaporizhzhia, units of the “East” troop grouping are continuing their offensive toward Orikhiv and Zaporizhzhia while simultaneously repelling Ukrainian counterattacks. In the western sector, the contact line has stabilized. In the northern sector, Ukrainian units are active in the areas of Orestopil, Sosnivka, and Khoroshe.

These units include the 82nd and 95th Separate Air Assault Brigades and the 13th Separate Parachute Battalion. They are attempting to advance southward and capture the third line of defense strongpoints located north of Ternove, Berezove, and Stepove. Russian units, supported by artillery and drone crews, are destroying counterattacking columns and small groups, thwarting their advance.

Northeast of Velykomikhailivka, where Ukrainian units are attempting to launch counterattacks, assault groups of the “Tsentr” troop grouping are advancing toward Havrylivka and Pidhavrylivka. They have pushed Ukrainian units out of several positions west of Ivanivka and northwest of Iskra. In the sector between Novopavlivka and Ivanivka, Russian units have advanced northward toward Fedorivske. Northwest of Ivanivka, they are advancing towards Tarasivka, and Russian troops have reached the approaches to the Kamenka River. Fierce engagements are unfolding there.

The situation in the Havrylivka–Velykomikhailivka area is complex. Russian actions pose a threat to the rear of the Ukrainian grouping in the Velykomikhailivka area. To the west of Velykomikhailivka, Ukrainian units have unsuccessfully attempted to counterattack Russian battle formations on the Novooleksandrivka – Hai – Otradne – Andriivka line from the direction of Oleksandrivka, Dobropasove, and Kolomiitsi, suffering serious losses in personnel and equipment.

Meanwhile, Russian units are advancing towards Pysantsi, which is located at the confluence of the Haichur and Vovcha rivers southwest of Pokrovske. Concurrently, a search and clearance operation is underway for Ukrainian units hiding in the Orestopil–Oleksiivka area.

Russian troops are holding the Bratske-Zarichne line and repelling Ukrainian attempts to advance on the western bank of the Haichur River north of Ternovate. As a result of intense fighting, Russian troops have regained control of Ternovate. A clearance operation is underway in the Kosovtsevo area, on the southern outskirts of Dobropillia, and in Priluky against infiltrated Ukrainian groups. Russian units continued active operations along the tree lines towards Rozhdestvenske and Vozdvizhevka.

West of Huliaipole, fierce fighting continues. Russian assault groups have taken control of strong points on the third line of defense between Tsvitkove and Krynychne (including the latter) and have captured the tree line near the railway. Russian troops are conducting offensive operations toward Verkhnia Tersa and Huliaipil’ske while repelling Ukrainian counterattacks from Horke and strongpoints on the second line of defense.

In recent days, Ukrainian media outlets affiliated with the military have remained silent. Currently, Ukrainian units have not completed their assigned tasks in this sector. They have lost the element of surprise and have suffered significant losses. However, they continue to attempt to achieve local successes.

Slaviansk Direction

In the northern and Siversk sectors of the Slavyansk area, Russian units have taken up positions in the tree lines to the south of Zakotne and are advancing towards Kryva Luka amid fighting along the heights. The situation remains stably tense in the Reznykivka area. Russian forces are destroying Ukrainian units’ automotive transport and personnel at nodal points. In the Rai-Oleksandrivka area, Ukrainian attempts to rotate personnel and send reinforcements toward Reznykivka and south toward Pryvollya are being thwarted. Ukrainian units use field roads in addition to the main paved road for supply.

In the southern sector, Russian units are advancing along the elevation towards Pryvollya from the western outskirts of Nykyforivka. North of Pryvollya, Russian drone operators regularly attack Ukrainian unit strongpoints, which use their height advantage to conduct observation and fire correction. Efforts are underway to locate and eliminate dugouts, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) control points, and fire crews.

Combat operations are ongoing in Holubivka. The western part of the village, which is located on the heights, complicates the advance. There have been successes on the section from Minkivka to the southern part of Holubivka. There is active work on Ukrainian unit fortifications concentrated on the section from the southwestern outskirts of Minkivka to Markove, where over twenty structures have been erected.

Russian units continue to destroy Ukrainian logistics on the roads in Mykolaivka and Rai-Oleksandrivka. The Ukrainian military uses these settlements to transfer reinforcements to Kryva Luka and the area around Sviato-Pokrovske in an attempt to thwart Russian troops’ efforts to close the “pocket.”

Assault actions continue on the northern flank near Kryva Luka and in Reznykivka. Controlling these villages would allow for a flanking maneuver around the Ukrainian units’ positions in Rai-Oleksandrivka, avoiding frontal attacks on prepared lines. On the southern flank, Russian assault groups advanced in Nykyforivka and сфзегкув new positions in the center of the village.

Video footage has emerged showing the planting of a flag in Minkivka’s center. Thus, Russian units have controlled at least half of this settlement for several days, despite the official statement by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The status of neighboring Pryvollya remains unclear due to a lack of information from the area.

For a long time, the configuration of the front line in the southern part of the Slavyansk area was uncertain. Following successes near Siversk, the southern flank has begun to advance. Over the past two months, Russian units have advanced five kilometers from Orekhovo-Vasylivka towards Kramatorsk, and their advances on the approaches to Slavyansk in the north are even more significant.

Sumy Direction

In the Sumy area, Russian aviation continues to increase the intensity of strikes on Ukrainian unit personnel concentrations. Assault groups from the “North” military grouping are achieving success in the Pokrivka and Kharkivka areas.

The Sumy city administration is discussing the possibility of confiscating apartments and commercial premises from citizens who have left Ukraine and transferring them to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. They are also considering making it mandatory for local service stations to repair Ukrainian units’ equipment for free.

Assault units of the “North” grouping are advancing amid heavy fighting in the Sumy, Krasnopillia, and Hlukhiv districts. Over the course of the day, they advanced up to 850 meters in 13 sectors. In the Tetkino and Hlushkivka sectors, Russian Aerospace Forces aviation struck the 103rd Separate Territorial Defense Brigade’s positions in the Volfyne area.

Kharkiv Direction

In the Starytsia area, Russian forces advanced on two sections of the forested area, capturing one Ukrainian troop position. Russian Aerospace Forces crews targeted the 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade’s positions. There were no significant changes in the Symynivka area; Russian assault troops are clearing the adjacent forest. In Vovchanski Khutory, Russian troops seized eight homes, advancing 200 meters eastward.

In the Khatnie sector, airstrikes destroyed the 159th Separate Mechanized Brigade’s deployment points in the Kolodezne area and a unit of foreign mercenaries in the Prykolotne area. Assault groups conducted clearing operations in tree plantations.

According to additional data, a precise artillery strike hit a mercenary deployment point in the Kolodezne area. The mercenaries were from Latin American countries and were part of the 2nd “Khartyia” Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. Losses among personnel have been confirmed. In the Volokhivka area, Russian drones destroyed Ukrainian units’ positions and UAV control points.

Conclusion

In the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian “East” units successfully repelled a large-scale Ukrainian counteroffensive, inflicting significant losses in equipment and personnel. The Russian units then transitioned to an offensive, capturing Krynichne and advancing towards Verkhnia Tersa. Ukrainian attempts to break through the northern flank have been contained. The threat of Russian troops reaching the rear of the Ukrainian grouping in the Velykomikhailivka area could further deteriorate the Ukrainian position. In the Slaviansk area, Russian troops are advancing systematically on the northern and southern flanks. They are consolidating their positions in settlements and on heights, cutting off logistical routes, and creating conditions to envelop Rai-Oleksandrivka from the flanks. The capture of Minkivka and the advance in Nykyforivka confirm the sustained dynamics of the offensive. In the Sumy area, the “North” grouping continues to expand its control zones, putting pressure on Ukrainian defenses in border areas. Strikes on Krasnopillia’s rear infrastructure reduce Ukrainian troops’ potential. In the Kharkiv area, Russian troops are systematically improving their tactical position by advancing through forested areas and settlements and destroying deployment points and equipment.

In an international context, information has emerged regarding plans for Ukraine and NATO to strengthen their intelligence cooperation. Valeriy Vyshnivskyi, the senior national representative at the NATO-Ukraine joint center for analysis, training, and education, announced plans to establish a secret information exchange system between Ukraine and the alliance by the end of the year. According to Vyshnivskyi, this system will enable the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and General Staff to instantly share classified information with NATO bodies. This project is intended to resemble the steps taken by Sweden and Finland before joining the alliance. Test projects are also planned to launch by the end of the year.

This statement underscores Kyiv’s desire to integrate into NATO structures despite Russian President Vladimir Putin having previously called Ukraine’s membership in the alliance a threat to Russia’s security. Moscow may perceive the creation of a closed channel for information exchange as another step toward the North Atlantic bloc’s actual involvement in the conflict, which could lead to further escalation of tension. Meanwhile, continued hostilities and Russian military successes demonstrate that the military aspect of the conflict remains a priority for all participants, and diplomatic initiatives have not yet reduced the intensity of clashes.

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