Russia's war on Ukraine. 17.03.25
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance toward the Sudzha border checkpoint along the H07 Yunakivka - Sudzha highway, move north of Gogolevka, west of Kurilovka, and north of Guevo, attacked near Kurilovka and Guevo. The enemy advanced on the western outskirts of Basivka in Sumy Oblast, attempted to push southwest of Zhuravka.
On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces attacked near Vovchansk.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance near Fiholivka, Krasne Pershe, and Kamyanka, attacked in the direction of Kupyansk, near Kutkivka, Petrivka, Petropavlivka, Zahryzove, Bohuslavka, Lozova, Kopanka, Nadiia, and Novoyehorivka. They attempted to establish pontoon crossings near Dvorichna, attempted to remotely mine Ukrainian Defense Forces’ logistical routes at night.
Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced south of Nadiia.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces continued fighting for Novolyubivka, attacked in the direction of Zelena Dolyna, near Balka Zhuravka, Ivanivka, Yampolivka, and Kolodyazi.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces attempted to advance southwest of Siversk, reach Vasyukivka, clear the area west of Sakko i Vantsetti, attacked near Bilohorivka, Hryhorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Ivano-Dariivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces attacked near Chasiv Yar and Orikhovo-Vasylivka.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces attacked near Toretsk, in the direction of Kostyantynivka, near Druzhba and Sukha Balka. The enemy concentrated efforts near the “Toretska” and “Tsentralna” mines.
Ukrainian Defense Forces maintained fire control over nearly all of Toretsk.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces attacked near Tarasivka, Yelyzavetivka, Promin, Svyrydonivka, Novotoretsk, Oleksandropil, Kotlyne, Novooleksandrivka, Uspenivka, Yasynove, Nadiivka, in the direction of Serhiivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces attempted to advance near Rozlyv, attacked near Konstyantynopil, Andriivka, Rozlyv.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Konstyantynopil and Rozlyv.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian forces advanced south of Vesele, attempted to advance near Shevchenkove, attacked near Vesele, Skudne, Vilne Pole, Pryvilne, Novosilka, in the direction of Novopil.
The Defense Forces counterattacked near Burlatske, Shevchenkove, Vilne Pole.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces engaged in battles for Stepove, attempted to advance near Mali Shcherbaky, Shcherbaky, attacked near Zherebyanky, Pyatykhatky, Kamianske.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, Russian forces recently intensified efforts to land troops on Velykyi and Kozatskyi islands and near the Antonivskyi Bridge.
Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed a bridge over the Konka River north of the occupied town of Oleshky with an airstrike.
General conclusion:
The defensive lines of Ukrainian Defense Forces currently lack strategic depth and remain operationally unstable. Russian forces have advanced and halted along the Dnipro River, opposite Kherson, 25 kilometers from Zaporizhzhia, and 30 kilometers from Kharkiv. The enemy is expected to use a ceasefire to prepare for further offensives threatening Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and the "fortress belt" in Donetsk Oblast. Russia is constructing a major highway and railway linking key cities in occupied Ukraine with Russia, consolidating its control over the occupied territories and improving logistical capabilities for potential future offensives in southern Ukraine.
Russian forces unsuccessfully attempted to push the “Siversk” Operational-Tactical Group (OTG) out of Kursk Oblast. Ukrainian troops intensify their defense. The enemy holds air superiority at medium and high altitudes, while Ukrainian Defense Forces dominate at low altitudes.
Ukrainian Defense Forces conduct a campaign to destroy enemy air defense systems, facilitating deeper strikes into Russian territory.
In the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces have stabilized the situation. Enemy logistical routes are overloaded and failing to fully sustain troop supplies.
Russian forces have intensified reconnaissance near Konstyantynopil.
Ukrainian counterattacks are slowing enemy advances in the western part of Donetsk Oblast.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 99 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, the enemy stormed Ukrainian positions 4 times near Vovchansk, Kamyanka, and toward Kutkivka, carried out an airstrike on Udy.
On the Kupyansk direction, the aggressor conducted offensive actions near Petropavlivka, Bohuslavka, Lozova, Zahryzove, in the direction of Kupyansk.
On the Lyman direction, Russian occupiers attacked 9 times near Novoyehorivka, Zelena Dolyna, in the direction of Novomykhailivka and Nove.
On the Siversk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 3 enemy assaults. The occupiers attempted to advance near Bilohorivka and Ivano-Dariivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy stormed Ukrainian positions 3 times near Chasiv Yar and toward Predtechyne.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces attacked 14 times near Toretsk and Druzhba.
On the Pokrovsk direction, the enemy attacked 15 times near Sukha Balka, Zvirove, Yelyzavetivka, Promin, Kotlyne, Novooleksandrivka, Uspenivka, Yasynove, Andriivka. Pokrovsk suffered an airstrike.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces attempted to breach defenses 9 times near Konstyantynopil, Skudne, Shevchenkove. The enemy carried out an airstrike on Novopavlivka.
On the Huliaypole direction, the occupiers attacked near Pryvilne, Vilne Pole, in the direction of Novopil. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled all 6 attacks. The enemy carried out airstrikes on Novopil, Novodarivka, Huliaypole, Shevchenkove.
On the Orikhiv direction, the aggressor attacked 6 times toward Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, and Zherebyanky. Komyshuvakha suffered an airstrike.
On the Prydniprovskyi direction, the enemy did not conduct offensive actions but carried out airstrikes on Olhivka, Tokarivka, Mykolaivka.
On the Kursk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 13 enemy assaults. Additionally, the enemy carried out 11 airstrikes.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Mediterranean Sea: 4 ships, including 3 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 26 cruise missiles.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out strikes with long-range UAVs on targets in Volgograd Oblast, Rostov Oblast, Tula Oblast, and the Yeysk airbase in Krasnodar Krai.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 56th Air Assault Regiment of the 7th Air Assault Division operates near the international border, while the 137th Airborne Regiment of the 106th Airborne Division is engaged near Sudzha.
The 14th Separate SOF Brigade operates near Rozlyv and in the direction of Velyka Novosilka.
The 43rd Separate SOF Company and the 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army advance toward Velyka Novosilka.
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 situation on the Novopavlivka direction may change drastically if the enemy breaks through to the southwest, in the Velykomykhailivka direction, within the operational zone of the enemy's "Vostok (East)" Operational Grouping. Currently, its forces are attempting to advance toward the Donetsk–Zaporizhzhia highway from the south and cut it off in the Komar–Odradne section. This would significantly facilitate the advance of Russian forces on the Novopavlivka direction within the sector of the 90th Tank Division and the 110th, 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 51st Combined Arms Army. To achieve this, the enemy is trying to advance along both the western and eastern banks of the Mokri Yaly River with the forces of the 5th and 36th Combined Arms Armies, as well as the 40th and 336th Separate Marines Brigades, generally moving in the direction of Velyka Novosilka–Komar.
In the near future, the enemy command may shift the main attack direction of the 90th Tank Division toward the Andriivka area (part of the 428th Motorized Rifle Regiment, as well as the 67th and 87th Rifle Regiments). The reinforcement of division units with elements of the 239th or 6th Tank Regiments cannot be ruled out.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 17.03.25
Personnel - almost 895,450 (+1,210);
Tanks – 10,344 (+19);
Armored combat vehicles – 21,489 (+11);
Artillery systems – 24,598 (+37);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,318 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,104 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 40,785 (+101);
Aircraft - 370 (0);
Helicopters – 331 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 29,467 (+54);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 3,121 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
Starting in the evening of March 16, Russian forces had attacked Ukraine with 174 Shahed-type strike UAVs and various types of decoy drones. As of 9:00 AM, 90 strike UAVs have been confirmed shot down, while 70 enemy decoy drones have been lost from radar (without negative consequences). The Russian attack affected Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kyiv Oblasts.
During the night, Russian occupiers attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with drones, damaging infrastructure in the Pavlohrad and Synelnykove districts, causing power supply disruptions. However, no casualties or injuries were reported.
In the Kremenchuk district of Poltava Oblast, emergency power outages were introduced after a Russian drone attack. Due to UAV debris falling, 1,035 household and 41 business consumers were left without electricity. No injuries were reported.
03:20 AM – Chuhuiv District, Chuhuiv Territorial Community, village of Kamiana Yaruha. A Shahed UAV strike caused a fire at a civilian enterprise, engulfing a building over an area of 1,000 square meters.
As a result of the nighttime UAV attack by Russian invaders in Odesa District, an empty warehouse building caught fire, a children's educational institution, a residential building, and a store were damaged, and one person was injured. Additionally, due to damage to the energy infrastructure, about 500 households in Odesa's suburbs were left without electricity.
On the morning of March 17, Russian forces shelled Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast. The attack injured children aged 15, 12, and 8. The occupiers struck a private house where the children were staying.
On the evening of March 17, Russian troops used an FPV drone to strike the village of Ryasne in Kharkiv Oblast, injuring a 69-year-old woman.
In the Dnipro District of Kherson, a 56-year-old man was killed on the evening of March 17 due to a Russian drone attack.
According to the Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, a video is circulating on social media showing a boy who suffered shrapnel wounds due to a Russian drone attack. The boy stated that the invaders opened fire on him and his friends while they were playing outside.
Up to 1.6 million Ukrainian children remain under the control of the aggressor country—they have either been deported to Russia or forced to live under occupation, according to the Head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak. Their Ukrainian identity is being systematically destroyed, they are forced to accept Russian citizenship, their personal data is changed, and they are involved in military organizations and propaganda programs.
According to the Ministry of Defense, the total number of applications to the recruitment centers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has reached 45,657. In the past week alone, 1,086 people have applied. Of the total applicants, 9,379 candidates have already begun the process of enlisting for military service, including 216 last week. The proportion of women applying to recruitment centers remains at 21%. Currently, 49 recruitment centers of the Ukrainian army operate across Ukraine, including one online center.