Russia's war on Ukraine. 03.05.25
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces hold positions in Gornal and the Sviatomikhailovskyi Monastery, and counterattack west of Loknia.
Russian forces continue fighting for Bilovody, attempt to advance from Loknia to Yablunivka, and attack near Volodymyrivka, Vodolaha, Zhuravka, and Loknia.
On the Belgorod direction, fighting continues near Popovka and Demidovka.
On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces attacked near Lyptsi and Vovchansk.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces attacked near Novoosynove, Kolisnykivka, Hlushkivka, Zahryzove, Nova Kruhlyakivka, Nadiia, Serhiivka, Kopanky, and Hrekivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Zapadne and advanced into the northern part of the village.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces tried to advance near Zelena Dolyna, in the center of Lypove, to enter Ridkodub, and attacked near Nove, Novomykhailivka, Kolodiazi, Novyi Myr, Myrne, Yampolivka, Torske, and in the Serebriansk Forest.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces advanced south of Hryhorivka and attacked near Bilohorivka and Verkhnyokamianske.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces attacked near Chasiv Yar, Novomarkove, in the direction of Bila Hora, and near Stupochky.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Stupochky.
On the Toretsk direction, the 33rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Army advanced into Novoolenivka. The 10th Tank Regiment and the 242nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Division are advancing near Oleksandropil, while other elements of the division advanced toward Malynivka. Units of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Army are advancing toward Romanivka. Russian forces continued assaults near Toretsk, Druzhba, Dyliivka, Shcherbynivka, Sukha Balka, Romanivka, Stara Mykolaivka, Vodyane Druhe, Oleksandropil, Malynivka, and Nova Poltavka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked northwest of Vozdvyzhenka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces reached the southern outskirts of Pokrovsk, the line 2 kilometers west of Novoukrainka, the eastern edge of Lysivka, and southeast of Novooleksandrivka. Fighting occurred for Yelyzavetivka and Zvirove, and attacks were carried out on Pokrovsk, near Novotoretske, Malynivka, Myroliubivka, Promin, Sukhyi Yar, Shevchenkove, Dachenske, Chunyshyne, Novoukrainka, Kotlyne, and Udachne.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces tried to advance northwest of Nadiivka and attacked near Novoserhiyivka, Novooleksandrivka, Kotlyarivka, Troitske, Preobrazhenka, Bohdanivka, in the direction of Oleksiivka, and near Andriivka, Konstyantynopil, Rozlyv, and Bahatyr. The 35th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Army retreated from Kotlyarivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Bahatyr.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian forces attacked near Odradne, Rivnopillya, and Pryvilne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked in Vesele.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces advanced northeast of Mali Shcherbaky and attacked near Mala Tokmachka, Stepove, Lobkove, Shcherbaky, and Kamianske.
On the Prydniprovske direction, Russian forces attempt to land on Buhaz Island to create conditions for a crossing of the Dnipro River in its lower course and try to seize a bridgehead near the village of Kizomys.
Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled all attempts.
General conclusion:
On the Kupyansk direction, since April, Russian troops have been building up manpower and equipment to replace losses ahead of renewed offensive operations.
On the Lyman direction, enemy units in the Serebriansk Forest area use thermal camo cloaks during assaults to avoid being spotted by thermal optics.
On the Toretsk direction, the 20th and 150th Motorized Rifle Divisions from the 8th Army have stepped up attacks along the Ukrainian Defense Forces’ foothold southwest of Toretsk. A push on Novoolenivka would let Russian forces move further along the T0504 highway, potentially forcing Ukrainian troops to pull back to avoid being flanked if the enemy breaks through from Novoolenivka and Sukha Balka.
The Pokrovsk direction remains the hottest section of the front.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 139 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 3 enemy assaults in the area of Vovchansk.
On the Kupyansk direction, the enemy attacked 5 times in the areas of Kolisnykivka, Nova Kruhlyakivka, and Zahryzove.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces stormed the positions of Ukrainian Defense Forces 21 times near Nove, Zelena Dolyna, Kolodiazi, Myrne, Serhiivka, Hrekivka, and Kopanky.
On the Siversk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled an enemy assault near Bilohorivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 7 enemy attacks in the area of Chasiv Yar and toward Novomarkove and Bila Hora.
On the Toretsk direction, the occupiers launched 8 assaults on Ukrainian Defense Forces positions near Toretsk, Krymske, Druzhba, and Sukha Balka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, the enemy carried out 53 assault and offensive actions. Russian forces were active in the areas of Vodyane Druhe, Novotoretske, Yelyzavetivka, Lysivka, Dachenske, Shevchenko, Kotlyne, Udachne, Nadiivka, Kotlyarivka, Preobrazhenka, and Andriivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the invaders launched 17 attacks on Ukrainian positions, trying to advance in the areas of Rivnopillya, Pryvilne, Rozlyv, Konstyantynopil, Burlatske, and also toward Odradne and Bahatyr.
On the Huliaypole direction, near Vysoke, Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully repelled 6 enemy attacks.
On the Orikhiv direction, 5 clashes occurred near Shcherbaky, Mala Tokmachka, and Stepove.
On the Kursk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 17 attacks; the enemy conducted 10 airstrikes.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Black Sea: 3 ships, including 3 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 18 cruise missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 3 ships, including 1 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 8 cruise missiles.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out strikes on the military space reconnaissance facility “Zvezda” in Stavropol Krai.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 22nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps operates in Gornal.
The 283rd, 488th, and 1428th Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Army operate near Nove.
The 7th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army operates near Bilohorivka.
The reconnaissance-assault brigade “Sever-V” operates near Chasiv Yar, and the 1442nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps operates near Stupochky.
The 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army operates near Druzhba.
The 24th Separate SOF Brigade and the 255th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Army operate near Pokrovsk and attack Myrnohrad.
The 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Army operates near Novooleksandrivka, the 90th Tank Division of the 41st Army attempts to take control of Nadiivka, the 35th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Army attacks the eastern outskirts of Kotlyarivka, and the 200th Artillery Brigade of the 29th Army operates near Bahatyr.
The 305th Artillery Brigade of the 5th Army operates near Vilne Pole.
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. Russian forces may attempt to advance near Kupyansk, Lyman, Novopavlivka, or toward the city of Zaporizhzhia. The Pokrovsk direction is viewed by Ukraine’s military-political leadership as the absolute priority for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Additionally, Russian forces intend to create a buffer zone in the north of Sumy Oblast and pose a threat to the city of Sumy in the coming months.
In Sumy Oblast, key enemy objectives that could provide stability to a buffer zone may include the heights between Yunakivka and Khrapivshchyna, the wooded area to the northeast of Sumy from Radkivka to Mohrytsya, and the Psel River. Based on this, the enemy’s operational tasks in this direction may include taking control of the area of Bilovody – Loknia – Yunakivka – Yablunivka, seizing at least the eastern part of the wooded area west of Mohrytsya, and reaching the line of Velyka Rybytsya – Myropillya along the Psel River. The enemy may also attempt to break through from the border toward Vorozhba and Bilopillya and cut off the operational lateral route between Sumy and Novhorod-Siverskyi. The implementation of such a plan would require the enemy command to covertly deploy a strike force in the area of Tiotkino.
A replacement of the airborne forces and naval infantry units with troops of the 14th and 44th Army Corps is expected soon. The highly mobile component of the Russian Armed Forces will be redeployed to Donbas or to Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
On the Kupyansk direction, the command of the enemy's "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping will abandon active operations on its flanks and resume the offensive along the Svatove–Kupyansk road in the offensive zone of the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army. To this end, it is concentrating forces in the area of Kyslivka – Zatyshne – Nova Tarasivka – Tabaiivka and has already redeployed one motorized rifle regiment each from the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division and the 4th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army to the Lyman direction. The enemy will demonstrate readiness to launch a frontal push against the "Khortytsia" OSG, thereby attempting to mislead the command of "Khortytsia" OSG regarding the true intent of its actions, aiming to complicate the maneuvering of OSG reserves simultaneously across two operational zones — in front of both the 6th Combined Arms Army and the 1st Tank Army of the enemy.
On the Lyman direction, the command of the enemy’s "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping will exert efforts to collapse the defense of "Khortytsia" OSG in front of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army. To achieve this, the 144th Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army will attempt at any cost to break through in a northwesterly direction from its bridgehead on the Chornyi Zherebets River to link up with the 4th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army. The enemy will attempt to advance toward Karlivka from Nove and toward Drobysheve from Kolodyazi, seeking to reach and entrench along the Karlivka – Shandryholove – Drobysheve line, while simultaneously intensifying its offensive near Torske and advancing on Lyman from the east. The forward elements of the 25th Combined Arms Army will, in the near future, attempt to simultaneously force the Chornyi Zherebets River as close as possible to Zarichne and break through to its eastern part on the opposite bank of the river. The enemy command’s operational intent includes using the Oskil River as a flank cover for a further advance on Lyman and Sloviansk, as evidenced by intensive attacks from the bridgehead on the Chornyi Zherebets River in a northwesterly direction toward Borova and the shift of the main strike axis of the 20th Combined Arms Army from Lyman to Borova.
The command of the enemy’s 3rd Combined Arms Army on the Siversk direction will create favorable conditions for the further seizure of the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk agglomeration during the summer campaign. For this, its forces will attempt to break through to the northern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River between Yampil and Hryhorivka, and from the southeast direction—toward Siversk.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the command of the enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping and the 3rd Army, in particular, may soon change the direction of their main strike and shift it to the north of Chasiv Yar, launching an offensive on both sides of the Bakhmut–Sloviansk road along the Orikhovo-Vasylivka–Minkivka and Blahodatne–Pryvillya directions, which would allow them to break through to the forward approaches of Sloviansk directly from the southeast and create a real threat to the “Siversk” Operational Tactical Grouping (OTG) of Ukrainian Defense Forces by executing a deep flanking maneuver on its right flank. If the enemy manages to achieve operational surprise in these directions and advance to tactical depth, the situation in the Kolodyazi–Hryhorivka sector on the Lyman direction could radically deteriorate for the “Khortytsia” OSG.
The command of the enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping will continue its offensive on the Toretsk direction with two tactical groups — one in the Toretsk area (main group), and another in the Vozdvyzhenka area (group on a secondary direction). The first group will attempt a breakthrough toward Pleshchiivka, bypassing the Kleban-Byk reservoir from the east; the second will push toward the Novoolenivka area, bypassing the reservoir from the west along the Pokrovsk–Bakhmut highway. The enemy will attempt to outflank the prepared “Khortytsia” OSG defenses from the east, along lines based on a cascade of small reservoirs and ponds along the Bychok River, generally in the Toretsk–Kostyantynivka direction, aiming to reach the intermediate line Pleshchiivka–Bila Hora. Its forward units will attempt to advance through Shcherbynivka toward Pleshchiivka and along the Dachne–Dyliivka railway. In the near future, the enemy will focus on seizing Shcherbynivka and Novospaske. If unsuccessful, the main axis of the attack may shift to the zone of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division near Vozdvyzhenka, or the enemy may focus on dismantling the “Khortytsia” OSG’s defenses along the Siverskyi Donets–Donbas canal, advancing from south to north.
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.
In the near future, the command of the “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping will begin regrouping forces and assets in the operational zones of the 5th and 36th Combined Arms Armies and reinforce them with additional troops from other directions.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 03.05.25
Personnel - almost 955,470 (+1,170);
Tanks – 10,745 (+4);
Armored combat vehicles – 22,369 (0);
Artillery systems – 27,234 (+48);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,375 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,153 (+1);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 47,003 (+121);
Aircraft - 370 (0);
Helicopters – 335 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 34,665 (+126);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 3,197 (+1)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of May 3, the enemy attacked Ukraine with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 183 strike UAVs and other types of decoy drones. The downing of 77 strike UAVs has been confirmed; another 73 UAVs are classified as lost. As a result of the enemy attack, Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, and Mykolaiv Oblasts were affected.
On the evening of Friday, May 2, Russian forces launched strike drones at Kharkiv. Ten fires were recorded in four different districts of the city. Forty-six people were injured, including an 11-year-old child. During the attack, the Russian army used strike drones with thermobaric warheads. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia is targeting residential areas, not military objectives. "Russia strikes residential areas precisely when Ukrainians are at home, when they are putting their children to bed," Zelensky said.
In the center of Kherson on Saturday afternoon, May 3, the Russian army dropped explosives from a drone, injuring two civilian women aged 55 and 83. Around 18:30 on the same day, the Russian army struck the center of Kherson again using a drone. According to preliminary information, one person was killed and two others injured.
During the day on May 3, Russian occupiers carried out an airstrike on the building of the fire and rescue unit of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast.
As a result of Russian attacks on Saturday, May 3, at least two residents of Donetsk Oblast were killed. In Myrnohrad, Russian forces killed a 56-year-old man and damaged six private homes. The second victim was a 69-year-old resident of Komar. In Kostyantynivka, one person was injured, and numerous buildings were damaged.
In Sumy Oblast over the past day, Russian forces shelled populated areas nearly 130 times. As a result of the shelling, two civilians were wounded. An airstrike on the Shostka community damaged infrastructure, buildings, and vehicles.
Police evacuated two families with children from a settlement in the Synelnykove district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which is being shelled by Russian forces.
The Russian authorities plan to deport 300 Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia Oblast to Chuvashia. According to the National Resistance Center, under the guise of "vacation," "workshops," and "recovery," the Kremlin is systematically reeducating children, attempting to erase Ukrainian identity and impose Russian narratives. The greatest threat comes during the summer period, when the occupiers massively deport Ukrainian children to remote areas of Russia. Some are returned with altered views, while others disappear into the adoption system, orphanages, or are enrolled in propaganda-driven education programs.
thanks again