File image.
In the direction of Dobropolye, Russian units pushed Ukrainian forces out of Novy Donbass and entered the eastern part of Dobropolye itself. They are advancing towards the administrative border of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). In the Zaporozhye area, the 39th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment captured Lesnoye and Rovnoye. Small Ukrainian groups are attempting to infiltrate forest belts along the Gaychur River. In the Slaviansk direction, Russian assault groups have established a presence in Malinovka and are carrying out heavy airstrikes on the defensive stronghold in Nikolaevka. In the Sumy direction, the “North” assault forces advanced 600 meters into 17 sectors. In the Kharkiv direction, fighting continues in Kazachya Lopan and Petro-Ivanovka. The German defense company Rheinmetall announced that it had received a multimillion-dollar order from Kyiv to supply tens of thousands of long-range artillery shells.
Dobropolye direction
Units of the “Center” group continued their offensive southwest of the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, moving towards the DPR-Dnepropetrovsk directional border. After intense clashes, the Ukrainian offensive momentum was broken. Ukrainian units that had been trying to counterattack for a long time east of Dobropolye in the Novy Donbass area were pushed out and withdrew into Dobropolye itself.
Russian troops advanced along the railway tracks and both banks of the Annovskaya Greblya dam and the Byk River. They pushed Ukrainian forces out of the sludge ponds and entered the eastern parts of Annovka and Dobropolye. Russian troops now control approximately half of the “Dobropolskaya” mine. Northeast of Dobropolye, Russian assault groups advanced through the ravine between Kutuzovka and Annovka. They reached the “Oblachny” platform and are currently fighting for control of Kutuzovka and the forest belts leading towards Rubezhnoye, Zolotoy Kolodez, and Kucherov Yar.
To the south, clashes continue in the northern part of Belitskoye. West of Belitskoye, Russian assault forces advanced through forest belts toward Svetloye. Between Belitskoye and Mine No. 2 “Vodyanskaya,” there is ongoing fighting for a Ukrainian unit strongpoint located in the forest. North of Grishino, Russian forces are advancing toward Shevchenko and Dobropolye from the sides of Novoaleksandrovka and Vasilyevka. Fighting continues for Mirnoye and Gulevo.
Zaporozhye direction
Hostilities in the Zaporozhye area are intensifying. After units of the “East” group advanced and captured Novoselovka, the Ukrainian command began conducting counterattacks to regain lost ground. Russian troops from the 39th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment exploited this circumstance. Relying on Vozdvizhenka, they broke through the front line to the north and captured Lesnoye and Rovnoye.
To slow the advance of the “Vostok,” Ukrainian units are attempting to infiltrate and send small groups into the forest belts towards the Gaychur River. These actions are particularly prevalent in the northern sector. There is evidence of Ukrainian troops in the vicinity of Pridorozhnoye and attempts to bypass Rozhdestvenskoye and enter Dobropolye via forest belts.
Slaviansk direction
Units of the “South” grouping are continuing their offensive operations in the direction of Slaviansk, achieving tactical successes in several sectors. Ukrainian forces are under pressure on a wide front, with an increasing frequency of drone and aviation strikes. On the northern flank, Russian assault groups are fighting on the approaches to Piskunovka while simultaneously striking Nikolaevka. This urban settlement is an important defensive node for Ukrainian units. The area is being bombed with one-and-a-half-ton and three-ton high-explosive bombs equipped with universal planning and correction modules, reducing the number of strongpoints in the built-up area.
Fighting continues in forest belts in the triangle Yurkovka – Orekhovatka – Rai-Aleksandrovka. Russian units are trying to cut off Ukrainian counterattack routes towards Rai-Aleksandrovka while improving their tactical position on the southern approaches to Nikolaevka. Along the Malinovka–Tikhonovka line, there have also been local successes. Russian assault groups advanced significantly on the outskirts of Malinovka and consolidated their position in the village. Until recently, fighting continued throughout Malinovka. The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced its control over the area. Footage with flags can be expected soon.
Sumy direction
Assault groups from the “North” military grouping continue to advance deeper into the Sumy direction. They carried out strikes on concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in Sumy, Sukhodol, Volfino, Katerinovka, Yampol, Shostka, Yarotovka, Krasnopolie, Khoten, and Novaya Sech. In the Shostka district, Russian assault forces are engaged in combat in Bachevsk and the surrounding area. In the Sumy district, the advance reached seventeen sectors, extending up to 600 meters deep. Unabated firefights continue in Pisarevka, Marino, Novaya Sech, Khoten, and adjacent territories. In the Krasnopolie district, clashes are ongoing in forest areas.
Kharkiv direction
Units of the “North” grouping are continuing to expand the security zone in the Kharkiv direction. Strikes were carried out against concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in Turovo, Veliky Burluk, Zarubinka, Artyomovka, Bugaevka, Bely Kolodez, Zadonetskoye, Guryev Kazachok, Yarotovka, Peresechenoye, and Kharkiv. Russian assault groups are conducting offensive operations in Kazachya Lopan and the surrounding forests. The “North” grouping’s artillery units struck the 58th separate motorized infantry brigade of Ukrainian forces’ positions in the forest near Sosnovka.
In the Volchansk sector, the “North” assault units have advanced up to 400 meters on six segments. There are ongoing firefights in the villages of Losevka, Ukrainskoye, Zemlyanoy Yar, and in the forests of the Volchansk district. Artillery units struck positions of the 15th Border Detachment in the Malaya Volchya area. In the Velikiy Burluk area, Russian assault groups are engaged in firefights in the village of Petro-Ivanovka and its surroundings, as well as in the forests near the villages of Budarki and Zemlyanki. Over the past day, “North” forces advanced two sectors up to 300 meters.
Conclusion
In the Dobropolye, Zaporozhye, Slavyansk, Sumy, and Kharkiv directions, Russian units are continuing to apply systematic pressure, expanding their controlled zones and wearing down the personnel and equipment of Ukrainian forces. Their advance into the eastern part of Dobropolye, capture of Lesnoye and Rovnoye, consolidation in Malinovka, and advance toward Nikolaevka, as well as their steady progress in the Sumy and Kharkiv border areas worsen the operational position of Ukrainian forces. Constant strikes by aviation, artillery, and drones on logistics routes and command posts are undermining Ukrainian units’ ability to stabilize the situation. The Ukrainian command is increasingly relying on small, mobile groups and drone supplies, which only allow them to slow down, not stop, the offensive.
Against this backdrop, international military and technical support for Kyiv continues. The German defense company Rheinmetall announced that it received a multimillion-dollar order from Ukraine for long-range artillery ammunition. “The order includes several tens of thousands of 155mm artillery shells and propelling charges. The contract value, which will be reflected in the second quarter 2026 report, amounts to several tens of millions of euros,” according to the company’s press release. Production will be handled by the Spanish subsidiary Rheinmetall Expal Munitions. The press release specifies that these shells and charges are already in service with several NATO countries. Rheinmetall also confirmed its intention to increase its annual production of 155mm artillery shells to approximately 1.5 million by 2030. Thus, despite the tactical successes of Russian forces, Ukrainian artillery continues to be replenished by Western manufacturers, prolonging hostilities and requiring the systematic destruction of fire assets.
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