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In the Slovyansk area, Russian units have advanced in the Zakotne region and expanded their control zone in Reznykivka. There is ongoing fighting for control of key heights. In the Zaporizhzhia area, Russian assault groups have reached the southern part of Zaliznychnyy and are battling for control of an industrial zone. They are also increasing pressure across a broad front. In the Sumy area, the pace of the offensive has increased. A total advance of up to 700 meters has been achieved, and a command post of the 5th Border Group of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS) was hit. In the Kharkiv sector, there have been local successes, including advances in forested areas near Symynivka and Chuhunivka, as well as fighting for control of Grafskoye and Volchanskiy Khutora. Units of the “East” grouping are destroying Ukrainian reserves transferred to the Zaporizhzhia sector. According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the territorial issue remains the only unresolved problem in the negotiations to settle the conflict.
Sloviansk Sector
The operational situation in the Slovyansk sector is characterized by continued offensive actions at the northern and Siversk junctions, where pressure is being exerted on Kryva Luka and Rai-Oleksandrivka. There have been tactical successes in the Zakotne area. Small assault groups are advancing south and consolidating on the captured lines.
In the southern part, Russian troops have advanced in the Pazen area, expanding the zone of tactical control and strengthening the eastern pressure on the Nykyforivka defenses. Russian troops entered the southern part of Nykyforivka, where intense clashes continue.
From the east, the front line has moved closer to the M-03 highway towards Minkivka. In the resulting terrain in the Orekhovo-Vasylivka lowlands, Ukrainian groups have been spotted.
The offensive is advancing towards neighboring Holubivka and beyond. A strongpoint behind Pryvillya complicates the active advancement of units towards Fedorivka Druha.
The control zone southeast of Markove has expanded, and combat operations continue in this area. There is also high intensity of clashes on the outskirts of Maiske and Veroliubivka. Units of the Russian “South” grouping are fighting for control of the high ground on the southwestern outskirts of Zakotne, Kryva Luka, and Reznykivka. Russian troops have advanced in Reznykivka and southward, capturing positions from which Ukrainian assault groups had previously attempted to counterattack units in Reznykivka and Sviato-Pokrovske.
North of Reznykivka, Russian troops are forcing Ukrainian troops out of dominant heights overlooking the village. Advances have been made toward the Velykyi Vovchyi Forest from the east; a dairy farm on the southern outskirts of the village has been captured.
Clashes are occurring in the area around Height 193.4 and the Sorochyi Forest. Southwest of the Babachyi Forest, units have captured heights that dominate the southern part of Nykyforivka, and they continue to fight intensely for this settlement.
Zaporizhzhia Sector
In the Zaporizhzhia sector, Russian “East” units continue to conduct active offensive operations and are putting pressure on a large part of the front. Despite the Ukrainian command’s introduction of additional reserves, the advance continues.
In Terhnuvate, Russian assault groups have driven Ukrainian units westward. There have been clashes on the approaches to Rizdvyanske, Vozdvyzhenka, and Tsvitkove. Attempts are being made to defend strong points of the third defensive line, including Staroukrainka, at all costs.
West of Huliaipole, Russian units have approached Zaliznychnyy from the south. They have captured an industrial zone on the southern outskirts, and fighting is ongoing for its southern part, as well as for strong points belonging to the second defensive line.
Advances have been noted southwest of Huliaipole along the railway line towards Zaliznychnyy, as well as northeast of Zahorne. North of Myrne, Russian forces are pushing Ukrainian fighters out of tree lines towards Huliaipilske and westward towards Bilohiria.
Sumy Sector
In the Sumy sector, Russian units continue to conduct active combat operations. The “North” grouping’s assault groups are accelerating their offensive in the Sumy region.
In the Seredyna-Buda district, a command post belonging to the 5th Border Group of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine was destroyed by combined fire. There are casualties among the officers. The total advance in this sector over the past 24 hours was approximately 700 meters. In the Khylchychi area, a cargo truck carrying fixed-wing strike drones was hit by a precise “Tornado-S” multiple launch rocket system strike.
South of Oleksiivka, positional battles are ongoing. Ukrainian units are constantly attempting counterattacks and periodically infiltrating positions, where they are being destroyed in both small-arms combat and by drone operators.
In the Sumy district, assault groups advanced on seven subsectors, and in the Hlukhiv district, they advanced on three. The total advance amounted to 700 meters. Aviation struck positions in the Volfino area.
Kharkiv Sector
In the Kharkiv sector, the “North” group continues to take offensive action in the Burluk sub-sector. Northal subsectors have seen local successes.
In the Grafskoye area, Russian assault groups have captured about half of the settlement. This was made possible by advances in the Symynivka area. Units also brought an additional part of the forested area under control.
The Ukrainian command is attempting to stabilize the situation by pulling reserves into the forested areas around Rubezhne and Buhaivka, where they hope to delay the Russian advance along the Siverskyi Donets River.
Meanwhile, east of Vovchansk, amid ongoing clashes for Volchanskiy Khutora, another section of the border has become active. Russian assault groups advanced from Mariine towards Zybyne, capturing part of the large Vershyna and Zakazne tracts along the border.
On the eastern flank, advances have been noted in the Chuhunivka area. Northal tree lines were captured there, and according to preliminary data, the Chuhunivka border crossing point was taken. The pace of the advance in the Burluk sub-sector is influenced by difficult weather conditions and the terrain. Major breakthroughs are problematic under conditions of operations by small groups.
The front line in the Dehtiarne area has become active. Reports are coming in about the transfer of demining equipment and additional forces to the Kharkiv region.
Assault groups are advancing in the forests near Starytsia with the support of heavy flamethrower systems working on Ukrainian positions. Heavy fighting continues in Volchanskiy Khutora, where units are advancing in an eastern direction. With artillery support, Northal houses have been captured.
Units are conducting assault operations in Nesterne, Pischane, and Kruhle. Consolidation has been achieved in the village of Nesterne, as confirmed by both sides. Northal positions in the basements of the settlement have been captured.
Dobropillia Salient
In the Sukhetske area of the Dobropillia salient, groups continue to be transferred to Suvorovo, where Ukrainian troops are also present. In the Belytsky area, fighting continues for control of the railway line and the adjacent tree lines, which are used for logistics and transferring reserves.
A similar situation is unfolding near Novyi Donbas, where Russian forces are attempting to advance along the same railway and drive Ukrainian troops out of their fortified positions. The offensive is also being conducted from Novoye Shakhtovo, threatening to split the grouping and further stretch forces in this sector.
Units of the Russian 150th Motorized Rifle Division are fighting in Toretske. The Kazenyi Torets River, to the east, is currently a natural obstacle to assaulting the village from the east.
Conclusion
The operational situation in key sectors remains tense, characterized by ongoing offensive actions of varying intensity. In the Sloviansk sector, efforts are concentrated on consolidating successes near Zakotne and Reznykivka, as well as attempting to break through the deeply echeloned defenses near Nykyforivka and Kryva Luka. There, Ukrainian units are making use of the terrain and drones. In the Zaporizhzhia sector, a methodical advance is noted across a broad front, especially in the Huliaipole area. Ukrainian forces are approaching Zaliznychnyy and have initiated fighting in its southern part, creating pressure on the second defensive line. In the Sumy sector, the pace of the offensive by assault groups with active fire support has increased, leading to tangible tactical advancement and the destruction of a command post. In the Kharkiv sector, local advances continue in the forested areas around Grafskoye, Symynivka, and Chuhunivka despite difficult terrain and weather. The two sides are fighting for control of key heights and settlements in these areas.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the working groups participating in the peace negotiations on the Ukrainian conflict only have the territorial issue left to resolve. “I think there’s only one issue left, which you all know well: the territorial claims,” Rubio said while addressing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He added that the closed format of the negotiations allows the parties to find flexible solutions more easily than public discussion, which creates additional political pressure. At the same time, Washington is actively working to bring Moscow and Kyiv’s positions closer together. However, the Secretary of State claims that the next meeting of the delegations will be bilateral. Although a US presence remains possible, Special Envoy of the US President Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner will not be part of the negotiating group. Regarding security guarantees for Ukraine, Rubio said a general agreement has been reached. It involves deploying a “small contingent” of European troops, primarily French, as well as support from the US. Without US support, the troops would be “useless.”
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