Russia's war on Ukraine. 17.01.25
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, the Operational-Tactical Group (OTG) "Siversk" advanced from the international border to the center of Uspenovka.
Russian forces advanced north and northeast of Makhnovka, but "Siversk" OTG counterattacked.
On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces unsuccessfully attacked near Vovchansk and Tykhe.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance toward Petropavlivka and northwest of Makiivka. They attacked near Kindrashivka, Topoli, Pishchane, Novoplatonivka, Nova Kruhlyakivka, Zelenyi Hai, Zahryzove, Kopanky, Makiivka, Novoyehorivka, Hrekivka, Novoserhiyivka, and Tverdokhlibove.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces attacked near Terny, Kolodyazi, Zarichne, and in the Serebriansk Forest area. They also conducted artillery strikes on Yampolivka.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces advanced in the vicinity of Hryhorivka, Verkhnokamianske, and Ivano-Dariivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces advanced within the refractory materials plant and attacked in Chasiv Yar, near Predtechyne, Stupochky, and Bila Hora. The enemy uses the pipelines of the "Siverskyi Donets–Donbas" canal to accumulate forces and advance deeper into Chasiv Yar during foggy weather.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces made slight advances in the northern part of Toretsk and attacked near Toretsk, Krymske, Dyliivka, Shcherbynivka, and Leonidivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces attempt to advance on the southwestern outskirts of Zvirove, have conducted assaults near Yelyzavetivka, and advanced east, northeast, and north from Kotlyne. They attacked near Kotlyne, Udachne, eastern Novoserhiyivka, and near Myroliubivka, Baranivka, Yelyzavetivka, Promin, Lysivka, Novyi Trud, Shevchenkove, Zelenyi Hai, Zvirove, Udachne, Kotlyne, and Uspenivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked northwest of Zvirove and near Kotlyne, preventing the enemy from completing the capture of Uspenivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces made minor advances south and southeast of Rozlyv and attacked Ulakly from two directions. They advanced near Petropavlivka, Stari Terny, Dachne, Andriivka, Konstyantynopil, Zelenivka, and Yantarne, and struck the bridge near Konstyantynopil.
On the Vremivka direction, Russian forces entered Vremivka and made minor advances along Shyroka Street and Heroiv Street on the southern outskirts of Vremivka. The enemy attacked near Velyka Novosilka, Novyi Komar, and Neskuchne.
General conclusion:
Enemy attacks near Baranivka are aimed at eliminating the Ukrainian Defense Forces' bridgehead between Pokrovsk and Toretsk.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 141 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kupyansk direction, the number of combat engagements has reached 8. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled enemy attacks in the areas of Petropavlivka, Holubivka, Zahryzove, and Pishchane.
On the Lyman direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces halted 13 enemy attacks. The invaders focused their main efforts near Kopanky, Novoserhiyivka, Hrekivka, Zelenyi Hai, Makiivka, Zelena Dolyna, Torske, Novoplatonivka, Terny, and Zarichne.
On the Siversk direction, the enemy launched 5 attacks in the areas of Bilohorivka, Verkhnokamianske, and Ivano-Dariivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped 7 Russian attempts to advance near Pryvillya, Bila Hora, Hryhorivka, and Chasiv Yar.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy tried to advance 14 times in the areas of Krymske, Leonidivka, Toretsk, and Shcherbynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 53 attacks. The enemy displayed the highest activity near Zelene Pole, Yelyzavetivka, Myroliubivka, Vodyane Druhe, Promin, Lysivka, Novyi Trud, Pokrovsk, Shevchenko, Zvirove, Kotlyne, Uspenivka, Slovyanka, Petropavlivka, Andriivka, Ulakly, Kurakhove, Dachne, and Yantarne.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy. In the areas of Konstyantynopil, Velyka Novosilka, and Vremivka, the occupiers made 11 attempts to break through Ukrainian defensive lines.
On the Orikhiv direction, the enemy unsuccessfully attacked the settlement of Novodanylivka.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, the enemy made 4 unsuccessful attempts to capture Ukrainian defensive positions.
On the Kursk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces continue their operation. The enemy conducted 20 assaults on Ukrainian positions and carried out 9 airstrikes.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Mediterranean Sea: 7 ships, including 2 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 22 cruise missiles.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 78th "Sever-Akhmat" Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Army, along with the 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Army, operate near Chasiv Yar.
The 24th Separate SOF Brigade and the 35th and 74th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 41st Army are active on the Pokrovsk direction, with the 74th Brigade concentrated in Lysivka.
The 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Army is operating near Ulakli and Dachne.
Possible operation situation developments:
The enemy command's plan for the Southwestern Theater of Military Operations during the winter campaign of 2025 may include an operation to capture Pokrovsk and the final occupation of Toretsk, Chasiv Yar, and Vovchansk. Another possible course of action could be the occupation of Kupyansk or simultaneous actions in several directions.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the "Khortytsia" OSG units will be forced to retreat to the Kostyantynivka area if the enemy reaches the Chervone–Stupochky line and simultaneously launches an offensive northward at the junction of its 41st and 51st Combined Arms Armies from the Novooleksandrivka–Arkhanhelske line, advancing to the Yablunivka–Oleksandro-Kalynove line on the Toretsk direction.
The enemy’s offensive on Pokrovsk may proceed according to two main scenarios:
A breakthrough to the city from the south and the gradual expulsion of Ukrainian Defense Forces from the city due to numerical superiority in forces and means (the enemy's tactics in Chasiv Yar).
A deep encirclement of Pokrovsk from the south, cutting the road to Mezhova, regrouping part of the 2nd Combined Arms Army's forces, encircling the city from the north as well, cutting the T0504 road to Kostyantynivka.
The 36th, 57th, and the 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades, advancing from the south towards Sukhyi Yaly and Yantarne, might simultaneously, together with the actions of the 51st and 8th Combined Arms Armies, once again attempt to break through in the direction of Zelenivka – Ulakly and further towards Konstyantynopil.
On the Vremivka direction, the 5th Combined Arms Army will attempt to bypass the "Khortytsia" OSG’s defense zone in the area of Velyka Novosilka – Vremivka – Neskuchne from the west, expand its section of control over the Velyka Novosilka – Uspenivka road between Novosilka and Vremivka, and actively broaden the penetration toward Neskuchne and Novosilka.
Russian operational losses from 24.02.22 to 17.01.25
Personnel - almost 815,820 (+1,670);
Tanks 9,803 (+12);
Armored combat vehicles – 20,381 (+13);
Artillery systems – 22,019 (+4);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,262 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,046 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 34,256 (+124);
Aircraft - 369 (0);
Helicopters – 331 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 22,566 (+63);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 3,049 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of January 17, 2025, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 50 Shahed attack drones along with decoy UAVs. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down 33 enemy drones. Enemy attack drones struck enterprises in Odesa Oblast, and falling debris from downed UAVs damaged buildings of institutions, private enterprises, and households in Kharkiv, Cherkasy, and Kyiv Oblasts. One UAV exited Ukrainian airspace towards Romania.
Overnight on January 17, Russian forces used attack drones to target port infrastructure in the Izmail District of Odesa Oblast. While there were no casualties, buildings were damaged.
On the night of January 17, debris from downed Russian drones injured a 13-year-old boy in a village in Kyiv Oblast. The debris also caused a fire in a café-store and an adjoining boiler room, which spread over an area of about 200 square meters.
In the morning of January 17, Russian invaders’ UAVs attacked Antonivka in Kherson Oblast, killing a man at a public transport stop.
In the afternoon of January 17, Russians launched a ballistic strike on Kryvyi Rih. The attack damaged an educational institution and residential areas. Four people were killed, and 14 were injured, including five who were hospitalized.
The Defense Council of Sumy Oblast has intensified the evacuation of residents from communities in Sumy Oblast where there is a risk of sabotage group activity.
Russian occupying forces on the border of Chernihiv and Sumy oblasts have been conducting "wave-like" shelling lasting several days. However, logistical problems for the enemy and strikes by Ukrainian Armed Forces deep into Russian territory are beginning to have an effect, said Vadym Mysnyk, spokesperson for the Operational-Tactical Grouping "Siversk."
This winter, Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine's energy system, massively employing ballistic weapons and cluster munitions. According to Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, this approach inflicts far greater damage and complicates recovery efforts. Of the 1,750 rockets and drones used to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure in 20214, 900 have been launched during this heating season since November 17, 2024.
As of 2025, in occupied Crimea, there are no schools left where Ukrainian is taught as the language of instruction. Most Ukrainian-language classes have been eliminated by Russian occupiers, reports the Crimean Tatar Resource Center.