T-0504 Highway Cut: Consequences of Russian Advance And Ukrainian Retreat In Kostiantynivka

In the Slobozhanske area, units of the “North” group have taken control of Popivka and are expanding their influence in the Sumy region. In the Slaviansk area, Russian troops have advanced in the Pryvollya region and are engaged in intense fighting for control of Minkivka. In the eastern part of Zaporizhzhia, Russian troops have seized Staroukrainka and are fighting for Zheleznodorozhne. In the direction of Kostiantynivka, Russian assault groups are advancing along the T-0504 highway in the Predtechyne area and clearing forested areas. In the Dnipropetrovsk area, fierce positional battles are ongoing. In the Ivanivka area, control of the northern part of the settlement has repeatedly changed hands. Armando Mema, a member of the Finnish “Freedom Alliance” party, stated that Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s statements about transferring MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine are an alarming signal for Warsaw-Moscow relations.

Slaviansk Direction

Over the past several days, Russian units have advanced on various sections in the Slaviansk area. While there were previous successes on the Zakotne–Reznykivka line, activity is now confirmed on the southern flank. Footage of strikes on buildings in Pryvollya has appeared online. This settlement was previously declared under control, but no confirming materials were published until recently.

Due to ongoing clashes in the neighboring Minkivka, it is now possible to consider Pryvollya a “grey zone.” While successes in this sector inspire optimism, significant territory is claimed as captured but not under full and stable control, as is the case in other sectors. Novomar’kove is a vivid example of this. It was captured after several months of fighting, although its capture was officially announced much earlier.

Active combat operations continue in the Krasnyi Lyman sector of the Slavyansk direction. Russian units are clearing forested areas in the Svyatohirsk area and advancing along the Siverskyi Donets River bed. Russian troops control Stavky, where the clearing process continues. Similar operations are being conducted in Shablyn Yar.

Russian units continue their offensive from the northern outskirts of Krasnyi Lyman. They are advancing on the approaches to the gas station, where Ukrainian troop strongpoints are located, as well as in the direction of the Zelenei Klyn railway platform. This expansion of the combat area is ongoing. A forested area west of Kirovsk has been cleared. The control zone has expanded to the Kirovsk-Krasnyi Lyman highway, where several strong points are located. Ukrainian units are absent from these strongpoints, but consolidation has not yet been possible due to Ukrainian drone activity. The area is transitioning into a “grey zone.”

Russian units have taken control of Pin’kiv Yar and a strongpoint. They are advancing into the Komunalnyi microdistrict and toward the bus station in Krasnyi Lyman. The control zone has also expanded north of Masliakovka. In the southwestern part of the city, fighting continues around the retirement home. So far, there has been no consolidation of success. In the Dibrova area, Russian units have expanded their control to the southeast and west of the settlement and have taken control of the secondary Dibrova-Brusivka road.

Zaporizhzhia Direction

In the Zaporizhzhia area, offensive operations are ongoing near Huliaipole. The day before, Russian units took control of Staroukrainka, and then fighting began for Zheleznodorozhne. Footage of drone strikes on buildings on the northern outskirts of Zheleznodorozhne was published online.

Controlling Zheleznodorozhne would allow Russian units to reach and capture the railway line, cutting off attempts by small groups of Ukrainian soldiers to infiltrate Huliaipole. The Ukrainian Armed Forces periodically send assault groups there to demonstrate their presence.

A similar situation is developing to the north. Ukrainian units continue to attempt to infiltrate the front line along the Haichur River, acting actively but without significant results. According to the Russian “East” group’s command, Ukrainian troops are suffering losses in personnel and equipment. Mechanized attacks, which are rare in modern conditions, have been recorded. Attacks by Ukrainian units from Kolomiitsi and Tykhe have also been noted, but the details are still unclear.

Kostiantynivka Direction

In the direction of Kostiantynivka, Russian units in the Predtechyne area cut a section of the road and advanced along the T-0504 highway. This creates a complex operational situation for Ukrainian units remaining in the ravine area of the village and up to Kostiantynivka. These units are under threat of encirclement. In this situation, Ukrainian groups are attempting to exit and return to this territory at high risk.

Along the highway, Russian troops are advancing and clearing Ukrainian unit fortifications in the forested areas near the road. It has been noted that Ukrainian units have begun withdrawing toward Kostiantynivka. Russian assault groups are also gradually advancing in the dacha areas east of Kostiantynivka.

Currently, Ukrainian groups of varying sizes are present in Predtechyne, Novodmytrivka, and Chervone. Russian units are clearing these settlements. That is, they are present, but they have not yet established full control—the situation resembles a “layered pie.”

Russian assault groups are operating in the area of the Kostiantynivka railway station and the eastern part of the city. However, these territories cannot be considered fully controlled without deploying main forces, capturing strongpoints, establishing observation posts, and conducting a thorough clearing operation.

Northwest of Kostiantynivka, Russian units are working to disrupt Ukrainian unit logistics. In the Osykove area, four bridges were blown up.

Dnipropetrovsk Direction

In the direction of Dnipropetrovsk, in the Oleksandrivka sector, there are ongoing positional battles without active maneuvers. In the area from Bratske to Tykhe, both sides are exchanging strikes with FPV drones and munitions, which restricts each other’s actions.

In the Ivanivka area of the Novopavlivka sector, heavy combat operations continue. Control of the northern part of the village, which is a forested area on a hill, has repeatedly changed hands. Russian units have restored control over this key height, but Ukrainian units have temporarily regained it by increasing the number of drone crews. During further fierce battles, Russian units gained the upper hand again and advanced slightly north, pushing Ukrainian units back to Tarasivka.

In Novopavlivka itself, Russian assault groups have expanded their control over territory in the southern and eastern parts of the village. The entire area up to the settlement has been cleared from the east. The center of Novopavlivka is in a “grey zone” with no stable consolidation by either side. The landscape here resembles that of Ivanivka, and Ukrainian units still control the heights.

In the Novomykolaivka sector, Ukrainian forces entered the village and advanced westward, reaching the northern outskirts of Muravka. Currently, they control part of Novomykolaivka and Muravka. In the Molodets’ke sector, to the north, Ukrainian units have also reached the northern outskirts of the village, possibly preparing for further action in the direction of Udachne.