Russia's war on Ukraine. 02.04.25
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, Russian forces advanced east of Oleshnia and are engaged in battles for Guevo, Veselivka, and Volodymyrivka. Fighting continued near Basivka and Zhuravka.
On the Belgorod direction, Russian forces advanced in the center of Demidovka. Fighting continues near Popovka.
On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces attacked toward Lyptsi and near Vovchansk.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces attempt to advance into Kindrashivka and Kotlyarivka, attack near Fyholivka, Kamyanka, Stepova Novoselivka, Petropavlivka, and Pishchane. They are trying to establish pontoon crossings and transfer heavy equipment to the western bank of the Oskil River near Dvorichna. They have intensified guided aerial bomb strikes on Kupyansk, attempting to target Ukrainian Defense Forces troop concentrations and logistical routes in this area.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces advanced northwest of Novolyubivka, southeast of Nove, to the southern outskirts of Katerynivka, and across the Zherebets River to the western bank, initiating attempts to push Ukrainian Defense Forces from their positions on the eastern bank of the Zherebets River.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces are attempting to advance near Hryhorivka, attacking near Serebrianka, Bilohorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, and Ivano-Dariivka
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces attacked near Chasiv Yar, Kurdyumivka, and Predtechyne, attempting to advance northwest and southwest of Novomarkove. Russian forces are trying to move through the area using pipelines.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces attempt to advance near Druzhba, the "Tsentralna" mine, and reach the outskirts of Valentynivka. The enemy attacked near Toretsk, Dyliivka, Shcherbynivka, Panteleymonivka, Oleksandropil, and Valentynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces advanced on the eastern outskirts of Bohdanivka. The 80th Tank Regiment of the 90th Tank Division of the 41st Combined Arms Army advanced near Kotlyarivka. The southern and northwestern outskirts of Uspenivka are a gray zone. The enemy attacked near Pokrovsk, Tarasivka, Oleksandropil, Yelyzavetivka, Vodyane Druhe, Promin, Kalynove, in the direction of Malynivka, near Lysivka, Zelene, Novoukrainka, Kotlyne, Serhiivka, Shevchenkove, Novoserhiyivka, Novooleksandrivka, Preobrazhenka, Uspenivka, Udachne, Sribne, Troitske, and Orikhove.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Shevchenkove and repelled an assault west of Preobrazhenka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces advanced northwest of Andriivka. The 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army captured Rozlyv. The enemy is attempting to advance near Bahatyr and Oleksiivka and attacked near Konstyantynopil.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian forces attempted to advance east of Dniproenerhiya, east and south of Shevchenkove, and attacked near Burlatske, Pryvilne, Vilne Pole, Novosilka, and Novopil. They unsuccessfully stormed Ukrainian Defense Forces positions southeast and east of Skudne.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces attempt to advance near Shcherbaky, Maly Shcherbaky, Lobkove, and Stepove. Encounter battles continue near Kamianske. Units of the 7th Airborne Assault Division advance on the southern outskirts of Lobkove and southwest of Stepova toward Lobkove. The enemy is trying to push Ukrainian forces out of Nesteryanka toward Novoandriivka and attacked near Novodanylivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Stepove and Lobkove.
On the Prydniprovske direction, Russian forces attacked in Kherson Oblast.
General conclusion:
Russian forces have intensified operations near Vovchansk over the past three weeks, having received reinforcements and increased airstrikes using guided aerial bombs on Vovchansk.
Russian forces expand their bridgehead northeast of Lyman to create conditions for the capture of Borova and Lyman in the coming months.
Russian forces leverage a significant manpower advantage (up to 10 to 1 in certain areas) to make progress on the Lyman direction. The Russian military command continuously takes measures to maintain the combat readiness of the frontline units of the 3rd and 144th Motorized Rifle Divisions of the 20th Combined Arms Army.
The enemy attempts to link its bridgehead near Novolyubivka with a smaller bridgehead on the western bank near Makiivka to establish a stable salient for an offensive southeast of Borova.
Further advances toward Borova and Lyman are part of the enemy’s efforts to push Ukrainian Defense Forces from positions on the eastern bank of the Oskil River, seize the western part of Kharkiv Oblast, and create conditions for capturing the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration.
The enemy may use the bridgehead northeast of Lyman for the complete occupation of Luhansk Oblast (approximately 266 square kilometers) to gain leverage in ongoing and future peace negotiations, which is a key motivating factor for them.
Russian forces intensify attacks on the northern flank of Toretsk.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces deliver their main strike east of Pokrovsk, abandoning attempts to encircle the city from the west. They attempt to cut Ukrainian logistics near Pokrovsk, extensively using motorcycles, buggies, and electric scooters to compensate for the shortage of armored fighting vehicles. The enemy has a 5 to 1 advantage on this direction.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 176 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, there were 7 engagements in the areas of Vovchansk, Krasne Pershe, Kamyanka, and Lyptsi.
On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy launched 11 attacks. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled assaults near Pishchane, Stepova Novoselivka, Nova Kruhlyakivka, and Zahryzove.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 17 times, attempting to advance toward Torske, Nove, Myrne, Novomykhailivka, and Zelena Dolyna.
On the Siversk direction, the enemy attacked in the areas of Bilohorivka, Ivano-Dariivka, and toward Verkhnyokamianske and Serebrianka. There were 15 engagements in total.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 3 enemy assaults near Chasiv Yar, Kurdyumivka, and in the direction of Predtechyne.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy conducted 14 attacks in the areas of Leonidivka, Dachne, Shcherbynivka, Toretsk, and toward Dyliivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 64 enemy attacks were repelled near Kalynove, Tarasivka, Berezivka, Zelene, Kotlyne, Oleksandropil, Sribne, Vodyane Druhe, Yelyzavetivka, Lysivka, Udachne, Novooleksandrivka, Andriivka, as well as in the direction of Bohdanivka, Novoserhiyivka, Romanivka, and Pokrovsk.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 8 enemy assaults near Konstyantynopil and Rozlyv.
On the Huliaypole direction, the enemy attacked Ukrainian Defense Forces positions 5 times near Pryvilne and toward Novopil.
On the Orikhiv direction, the invaders launched 5 unsuccessful attacks toward Novodanylivka and Stepove.
On the Prydniprovske direction, the enemy unsuccessfully attacked 4 times.
On the Kursk direction, there were 18 combat engagements, and the enemy carried out 27 airstrikes
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Black Sea: 2 ships, including 2 cruise missile carriers, with a total salvo of 8 missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 4 ships, including 3 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 26 cruise missiles.
Supporting operation:
There were no strikes.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The total number of the "Joint Grouping of Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the Southwestern Theater of Military Operations" ranges from 610,000 to 630,000 personnel. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation has failed to bring the grouping to the planned 730,000-750,000 personnel. The shortfall amounts to at least 100,000 personnel. The military-political leadership of the Russian Federation plans to increase the overall number of its armed forces by approximately 320,000-340,000 personnel this year.
As part of organizational measures, the restructuring of the 3rd and 51st Combined Arms Armies into divisions is planned. Within the 51st Combined Arms Army, the 1st, 110th, and 132nd Motorized Rifle Divisions are to be formed. The 132nd Motorized Rifle Division will be established based on the 1436th Motorized Rifle Regiment of Territorial Troops, the 101st and 109th Separate Rifle Regiments, and the 269th, 270th, and 272nd Separate Rifle Battalions (which will form the 103rd Motorized Rifle Regiment). Given the extremely limited capacity of the Central Command to provide new structures with tanks, air defense combat vehicles, specialized equipment for various branches of the military and services, units under divisional command will be at the "separate battalion" level. This restructuring of the organizational and staffing structure of both armies is carried out solely as an improvement in the command system and will not lead to a significant increase in their numbers or combat capabilities.
The 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 4th Army Corps operates near Guevo.
The 9th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates near Toretsk.
Units of the 238th Artillery Brigade of the 8th Combined Arms Army operate near Zoria.
The 337th Airborne Regiment of the 104th Airborne Division operates on the Kherson direction.
Possible operation situation developments:
The plan for the enemy's spring-summer offensive campaign in the Southwestern Theater of Operations may be as follows: a simultaneous breakthrough towards Kostyantynivka and Druzhkivka from the south and southeast (from the direction of Toretsk and Vozdvyzhenka), as well as from the northeast (from the direction of Chasiv Yar), followed by an advance towards Kramatorsk from the south while simultaneously advancing towards Slovyansk with the forces of the 20th and 25th Combined Arms Armies of the "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping through Lyman.
The enemy cannot establish a full-fledged buffer zone on the border of Kursk and Sumy Oblasts, so the simplest option may be an invasion of Sumy Oblast by a grouping of 22,000–27,000 military personnel along the Sumy–Sudzha highway within a 35–40 km-wide zone (stretching from Zhuravka to Myropillya). This territory has already been turned into a buffer zone by Ukrainian Defense Forces, which will greatly complicate enemy actions.
Russian forces may use the bridgehead northeast of Lyman for the further capture of Borova or Lyman in the coming months. The enemy may focus on advancing from Ivanivka to Kolodyazi in the general direction of Lyman or toward Nove and Katerynivka in the general direction of Borova. Russian forces will attempt to advance east and southeast of Borova to create conditions for an offensive along the Novoserhiyivka – Druzhelyubivka – Novyi Myr line, bypass Ukrainian defenses in these settlements, and advance eastward and toward Borova in the coming months.
Possible enemy courses of action in the Lyman direction may also include attempts to use the expansion of the bridgehead on the western bank of the Zherebets River near Ivanivka for the further capture of Lyman. The enemy may try to advance toward Karlivka from Nove and toward Drobysheve from Kolodyazi, attempting to reach and secure the Karlivka – Shandryholove – Drobysheve line while simultaneously intensifying the offensive near Torske and advancing on Lyman from the east.
Ukrainian Defense Forces may launch an offensive in the direction of Lyman Pershyi – Horobivka – Tavilzhanka, which, if successful, will lead to either the enemy's rapid retreat from the Dvorichna bridgehead or its encirclement there. Such a development would result in the loss of combat capability of the entire enemy's 6th Combined Arms Army.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the envelopment of Chasiv Yar from the south by advancing toward Stupochky will be a priority for the command of the 3rd Combined Arms Army and the 98th Airborne Division of the enemy.
The operational plan of the 8th Combined Arms Army on the Kostyantynivka direction is to envelop the tactical group of the "Khortytsia" OSG, which is defending south of Kostyantynivka between Oleksandropil and Tarasivka from the flanks. The enemy aims to encircle and destroy this group or, if unable to do so, force it to withdraw from the area south of Kostyantynivka in a northwestern direction under the threat of encirclement. The ultimate goal of these actions is a two-pronged breakthrough from the southwest and southeast toward the area of Stepanivka – Berestok – Pleshchiivka – Yablunivka, followed by a simultaneous assault on Kostyantynivka from this area and from the direction of Chasiv Yar. After the reaching the Poltavka–Pleshchiivka line, the enemy’s 3rd Combined Arms Army, reinforced by an airborne forces group, will attempt a rapid breakthrough from the bridgehead on the Siverskyi Donets–Donbas canal in the Chasiv Yar area, advancing from the northeast toward Kostyantynivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, an offensive is expected to begin towards Rozdolne–Odradne or Rozdolne–Bahatyr, carried out by the 57th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 5th Combined Arms Army.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 02.04.25
Personnel - almost 918,180 (+1,410);
Tanks – 10,515 (+10);
Armored combat vehicles – 21,880 (+24);
Artillery systems – 25,576 (+24);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,347 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,123 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 42,687 (+41);
Aircraft - 370 (0);
Helicopters – 335 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 31,505 (+43);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 3,123 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
Starting in the evening of April 1, Russian occupiers had attacked Ukraine with 74 Shahed-type strike UAVs and various types of decoy drones. As of 9:00 AM, 41 strike UAVs have been confirmed shot down. Twenty enemy decoy drones have been lost from radar (without negative consequences). As a result of the Russian attack, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Odesa Oblasts were affected.
On the night of April 2, Russian forces carried out a massive drone attack on the Kholodnohirskyi district of Kharkiv. Local media reported at least 14 explosions. A 48-year-old woman, a 9-month-old boy, and a 40-year-old woman were injured. Consequences included fires in two industrial buildings, with more than 10 private houses damaged nearby.
As a result of the overnight drone attack by Russia on Odesa Oblast, residential and municipal infrastructure was damaged in the villages of Khlibodarske and Radisne.
During the night, a Russian drone attacked vehicles parked near a residential building in a frontline community in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, resulting in the death of one man and injuries to two others.
In the morning, the Kherson Regional Military Administration reported that electric transport in Kherson was out of service due to network damage caused by Russian shelling.
On the morning of April 2, Russian forces dropped explosives from a drone on the Dnipro district of Kherson, injuring two men, aged 35 and 33, with blast trauma and shrapnel wounds to their limbs. Around 5:30 PM on Wednesday, Russian invaders dropped explosives from a drone on a civilian in the Central district of Kherson. The injured 64-year-old was taken to the hospital.
On April 1, Russian forces shelled settlements in Donetsk Oblast 14 times, killing two people and injuring two others. Residential buildings, infrastructure, and administrative buildings were damaged.
On April 2, Russian forces struck an apartment building in Kharkiv with a "Molniya" drone, injuring four people, including a 10-year-old boy.
Around 5:00 PM on April 2, Russian occupation forces attacked Kryvyi Rih, presumably with a ballistic missile. Four people were killed, and 14 were injured, including two children. The enemy struck one of the enterprises, damaging apartment buildings and causing a fire.
Energy workers managed to reconnect consumers who had lost power due to the Russian strike on Kherson the previous day. However, the damage is significant, and specialists are determining how to restore the city's power grid to its normal state.
As of April 2025, there are 48 towns and villages in Sumy Oblast from which all civilian residents have been evacuated.