Russia's war on Ukraine. 09.03.25
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, the 30th and 1472nd Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps captured Cherkasskoe Porechie, the 22nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division captured Viktorovka and Mykolaivka, units of the 106th Airborne Division captured Lebedevka and are fighting for Kubatkin, Chechen units are fighting for Martynovka. The 9th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 18th Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps and the 34th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 49th Army are advancing near Malaya Loknia, the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps, the 11th Air Assault Brigade and the 177th Separate Marines Battalion of the Caspian Fleet is advancing near Sudzha. The 155th Separate Marines Brigade of the Pacific Fleet is attacking Nikolskiy. The 810th Separate Marines Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet is advancing west of Kurilovka. Enemy units are advancing in the north of Sumy Oblast near Basivka and Novenke. Fighting continues on the line Lebedevka – Kubatkin – Bondarevka.
The enemy is destroying bridges in Kursk Oblast and along the international border, trying to hinder the movement of the "Siversk" Operational-Tactical Group (OTG) from exiting Kursk Oblast into Ukraine. A bridge has been destroyed north of Sudzha on highway H07 Sumy – Sudzha, over the Psel River between Myropillya of Sumy Oblast and Hornal of Kursk Oblast.
OTV "Siversk" holds positions in Sudzha, some of its units are retreating to the city from positions north of Sudzha.
On the Kharkiv direction, Russian troops carried out an offensive near Vovchansk.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Lyptsi.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian troops attempted to advance near Kalynove and Fiholivka, carried out offensive actions towards Kupyansk, Petro-Ivanivka, Krasne Pershe, near Petropavlivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Nova Kruhlyakivka, Zahryzove, Hrekivka, preparing to cross the Oskil River near Synkivka. The leading units of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Army advanced between the Oskil River and Fiholivka along the river and the road to Krasne Pershe. The enemy crossed the Oskil River near the village of Topoli, indicating the intentions of the "Sever (North)" Operational Grouping to expand the bridgehead from Dvorichna to the state border.
Ukrainian Defense Forces periodically counterattack near Kalynove.
On the Lyman direction, Russian troops carried out offensive actions towards Novyi, Zeleny Dolyna, Myrne, Yampolivka, Torske and towards Novomykhailivka.
On the Siversk direction, Russian troops carried out offensive actions in the area of Bilohorivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian troops carried out offensive actions near Chasiv Yar, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bila Hora. The enemy controls 57% of Chasiv Yar.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Chasiv Yar.
On the Toretsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced on Druzhby street in the center of Toretsk and on Budivelnykiv street in its southern part.
Russian troops advanced on Voronezhka street in the western part of Toretsk, carried out offensive actions near Toretsk, near Druzhba, Dachne and Dyliivka.
Shcherbynivka and areas north of Leonidivka are a grey zone.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced along Horkoho street in the southwest of Lysivka, along Kalynova street in the north of Shevchenkove, counterattacked near Uspenivka.
Russian troops advanced on the southeastern outskirts of Udachne, south of Preobrazhenka and south of Zaporizhzhia, trying to retake lost positions in Shevchenkove. The enemy attacked near Pokrovsk, towards Serhiivka, near Nova Poltavka, Tarasivka, Oleksandropil, Yelyzavetivka, Promin, Shevchenkove, Novooleksandrivka, Pishchane, Ulakly, Bohdanivka and Nadiivka. The enemy uses armored vehicles for shelling in the direction of Nadiivka – Kotlyarivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the forces of the 29th Army fight for Konstyantynopil. Russian troops advanced from Rozdolne towards Bahatyr, along the Vovcha River, attacked in the area of Zelenyi Kut, Andriivka, Oleksiivka, Bahatyr and Rozlyv.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked on the southwestern outskirts of Konstyantynopil and pushed back Russian units.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian troops tried to advance south of Pryvilne, attacked near Rozdolne, Dniproenerhiya, Burlatske, Vilne Pole.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Vilne Pole.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian troops carried out offensive actions in the area of Charivne, Stepove, Shcherbaky and Pyatykhatky.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out a raid in the area north of Oleshky.
General conclusion:
Enemy’s 6th Combined Arms Army under the "Sever (North)" Operational Grouping is engaged in heavy fighting on the bridgehead near Dvorichna and Novomlynsk in the Kupyansk sector, pushing to expand its foothold. Securing this objective would give them flexibility in choosing follow-on operations. This is reflected in their simultaneous offensive efforts, not only on the bridgehead north of Kupyansk but also in their breakthrough zone south of the city, near Kruhlyakivka. There, the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army is working to widen its penetration, launching attacks toward Zahryzove and Kolisnykivka.
On the Lyman direction, within the operational zone of the enemy’s 20th Combined Arms Army, forward units of the 3rd and 144th Motorized Rifle Divisions fail to significantly expand their tactical bridgeheads on the Chornyi Zherebets River near Makiivka and Ivanivka. The enemy cannot advance toward Kolodyazi or Hrekivka. The 67th Motorized Rifle Division and the 164th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 25th Combined Arms Army fail to break through the defense of the "Khortytsia" Operational and Strategic Grouping (OSG) on the eastern bank of the Chornyi Zherebets River while advancing from north to south along it toward Terny–Yampolivka–Torske.
The situation in the operational zones of the enemy’s 20th Combined Arms Army and 1st Tank Army within the "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping heavily depends on the actions of the 4th Tank Division and the 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Tank Army in the Svatove–Borova direction. These units fail to achieve success at the Lozova–Pershotravneve line and cannot secure the adjacent flank of both armies. The commanders of the 20th Combined Arms Army and the 1st Tank Army effectively concentrate their forces on opposing directions that are more relevant to them rather than to the joint operation of the "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping: the 1st Tank Army attempts to expand its breakthrough to the Oskil in the Kruhlyakivka area, while the 20th Combined Arms Army operates toward Drobysheve–Lyman. As a result, the adjacent flank weakens, despite continuous attacks by the 4th Tank Division and the 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade toward Lozova–Borivska Andriivka and Pershotravneve–Kopanky.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy’s 98th Airborne Division, suffering very heavy losses, pushes forward units of the "Khortytsia" OSG from the central part of Chasiv Yar and attempts to break through to Dniprovskyi Pond. Attacks north of the city, from Hryhorivka along the Siverskyi Donets–Donbas Canal, yield no significant results for the enemy. Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold the Shevchenko area, Workshop No. 2, and Zemlianky. Fighting for Chasiv Yar remains extremely intense, with the 299th and 331st Airborne Regiments of the 98th Airborne Division, along with units of the enemy’s "Volunteer Assault Corps," showing disregard for their losses and attacking under any conditions despite minimal success. The 217th Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division and the 200th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 14th Army Corps, operating in the northern part of the city and north of it near Hryhorivka, have failed for nearly two months to expand their penetration northward or northwestward beyond the Siverskyi Donets–Donbas Canal. The enemy fails to take full control of the "Novopivnichnyi" neighborhood, break through toward Mykolaivka, encircle the city from the south, or advance toward Stupochky.
On the Pokrovsk direction, positional battles occur along the entire perimeter of the enemy’s tactical penetration between Uspenivka and Shevchenko, southwest of Pokrovsk. Forward enemy units of the 41st and 2nd Combined Arms Armies attempt to regain positions near Kotlyne, Pishchane, Shevchenko, Uspenivka, and Dachenske, which they lost following a series of successful counterattacks by the "Khortytsia" OSG. Initially, the "Khortytsia" OSG halted the enemy’s offensive on the Pokrovsk direction, and now, through a series of counterattacks across multiple sectors and increased fire impact on the tactical rear of the enemy’s "Tsentr (Center)" Operational Grouping, they significantly complicate the enemy’s ability to resume their advance.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 150 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, 5 enemy attacks were repelled in the areas of Vovchansk and Petro-Ivanivka. The enemy carried out airstrikes near Dovzhyk and Kozacha Lopan.
On the Kupyansk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 11 assaults in the areas of Kindrashivka, Lozova, Stepova Novoselivka, Nova Kruhlyakivka and Zahryzove.
On the Lyman direction, Russian invaders attacked Ukrainian positions 23 times near Novomykhailivka, Nove, Myrne, Kolodyazi, Yampolivka and Zelena Dolyna.
On the Kramatorsk direction, 2 combat engagements were recorded near Chasiv Yar and Bila Hora.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces attacked the positions of the Defense Forces 19 times. The main efforts of the offensive were concentrated near Druzhba and Toretsk.
On the Pokrovsk direction, the invading units attempted to break through Ukrainian defense 25 times near Yelyzavetivka, Promin, Andriivka, Oleksandropil, Pokrovsk, Serhiivka, Novooleksandrivka, Bohdanivka, Tarasivka, Lysivka, Zelenyi Kut and Ulakly. Leontovychi came under enemy airstrikes.
Today, on the Novopavlivka direction, the enemy attacked 6 times near Konstyantynopil and Burlatske.
On the Huliaypole direction, the enemy carried out 3 attacks towards Charivne. In addition, the enemy carried out airstrikes on Huliaypole, Voskresenka, Novopil and Zaliznychne.
On the Orikhiv direction, 2 enemy assaults were repelled in the directions of Pyatykhatky, Stepove and Shcherbaky.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, the enemy carried out an airstrike on Kozatske and two missile strikes on the areas of Novoselivka and Bila Krynytsia.
On the Kursk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 30 attacks from Russian invaders. 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: 1 ship, including 1 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 4 cruise missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 4 ships, including 3 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 26 cruise missiles.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out strikes on targets near Taganrog, Korenovo in Kursk Oblast, the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Plant in Lipetsk Oblast, the distillery in Buturlinovka in Voronezh Oblast, and the Ryazan Oil Refinery. Airports in Vladikavkaz and Volgograd were temporarily closed.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 25th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 6th Combined Arms Army and the 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Tank Army operate near Kalynove.
The 7th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army engages near Bilohorivka.
The "Sever-V" Volunteer Reconnaissance and Assault Brigade (Volunteer Assault Corps) and the 215th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the 98th Airborne Division operate near Chasiv Yar.
The 132nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army attacks in the direction of Oleksandro-Kalynove.
The 14th Separate SOF Brigade operates near Kostyantynivka. The 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army and the 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army engage near Oleksiivka and Andriivka.
The 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army operates near Rozdolne.
The "Phobos" UAV detachment of the 18th Combined Arms Army strikes near Oleshky, while the 81st Artillery Regiment of the 70th Motorized Rifle Division of the 18th Combined Arms Army 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.
If enemy forces of the "Sever (North)" Operational Grouping secure and expand their bridgehead in the Dvorichna area, they will be positioned to push further into Kharkiv Oblast, broadening the so-called "sanitary zone." This could be achieved through simultaneous advances toward Velykyi Burluk from the bridgehead and from Vovchansk. Another likely course of action is an offensive against the Kupyansk defense sector of "Khortytsia" OSG, coordinated with the 1st Tank Army of the enemy's "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping.
On the Lyman direction, in the near future, the command of the 25th Combined Arms Army of the enemy's "Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping will attempt to accomplish its immediate task by deploying the 169th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade into the operation and attacking the positions of "Khortytsia" OSG along the Kreminna–Zarichne road toward Torske.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the encirclement 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. To achieve this, the enemy may redeploy additional forces from the 85th or 88th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 3rd Combined Arms Army to this direction from the southern sector.
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.
The command of the enemy’s "Vostok (East)" Operational Grouping will attempt to organize a breakthrough toward Komar on the Huliaypole direction in the near future and advance into the operational rear of "Khortytsia" OSG which is engaged in heavy defensive battles on the Novopavlivka direction.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 09.03.25
Personnel - almost 885,130 (+1,180);
Tanks – 10,274 (+6);
Armored combat vehicles – 21,260 (+14);
Artillery systems – 24,206 (+58);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,310 (+3);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,101 (+2);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 39,933 (+142);
Aircraft - 370 (0);
Helicopters – 331 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 28,362 (+190);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 3,120 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
Over the week, from March 3 to March 9, Ukrainian air defense forces destroyed 700 Russian air attack means. Specifically, the following were destroyed: 25 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 8 Kalibr cruise missiles, 1 Iskander-K cruise missile, 1 X-59 guided air missile, 520 Shahed-type strike UAVs, 39 reconnaissance UAVs, and 106 UAVs of other types.
Over the past week, Russia launched about 1,200 guided aerial bombs, nearly 870 strike drones, and more than 80 missiles of various types at the territory of Ukraine. These weapons contained over 82 thousand foreign components, as reported by President Zelensky.
On the night of March 9, the enemy attacked Ukraine with 119 strike UAVs, 73 of which were successfully shot down. Another 37 were considered lost without causing any damage.
As a result of an enemy attack in Cherkasy Oblast, a business was damaged, and nine drones were shot down in the oblast.
On the night of March 9, Russian forces attacked the critical infrastructure of Zaporizhzhia. The fire at the site of the attack was fully localized by the rescuers at 2 AM. Firefighters fought the flames for five hours. In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, as a result of the attack, nearly 2,000 households were left without gas supply.
In the village of Ivashky in Kharkiv Oblast, two people were killed and one was seriously injured as a result of a strike by an enemy drone on Sunday.
A 16-year-old boy was injured as a result of an enemy drone attack on a house in Bilienke, Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
In the village of Hirske in the Snovska community of Chernihiv Oblast, Russian forces dropped incendiary mixture from a drone onto civilian homes, resulting in the death of a local resident.
On March 9, in Kherson Oblast, Russian forces shelled the region with artillery, mortars, and drones, resulting in eight people being injured. Specifically, in Antonivka, five women and one man were injured of varying degrees from shell explosions that the occupiers dropped from UAVs. One of the victims is in the hospital in critical condition.
On March 9, in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the enemy shelled the Nikopol district, resulting in two people being injured, including an 18-year-old girl.
Over the past day, the Russians carried out 116 attacks in Sumy Oblast, resulting in one person being injured, damage to properties, and a fire in Sumy. A total of 230 explosions were recorded.
In the Kupyansk community in Kharkiv Oblast, 2,900 civilians remain.