Russia's war on Ukraine. 25.08.25
Operational situation
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Please accept our apologies for the confusion in the “Supporting Operation” and “General Conclusions” sections of the 24.08.25 Digest. The corrected version can now be found at this link Russia's war on Ukraine. 24.08.25
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On the Northern Slobozhansky direction, Russian troops are trying to break through to the southern outskirts of Yunakivka. The 237th Air Assault Regiment of the 76th Air Assault Division attacked the eastern outskirts of the village through open fields, lost up to 80% of its advance units, and is being withdrawn for recovery. Enemy units in Bezsalivka do not have reliable logistics, and their condition is deteriorating. Despite the efforts of the assault units of the 11th and 83rd Separate Air Assault Brigades to capture Varachyne with attacks across the Snagost River from Yablunivka and thus remove the threat to Oleksiivka from the western flank, they have not yet succeeded. Enemy units that have taken up positions in the northern part of the forest north of Sadky have gone on the defensive and are unable to continue the advance southward.
The command of the enemy's “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping has regrouped its troops in the operational zone. The advance and assault units of the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps, and the 155th Separate Marines Brigade have been replaced by the 20th Motorized Rifle Regiment and the 810th Separate Marines Brigade, respectively. The process of replacing the 76th Air Assault Division with the 106th Airborne Division, which is regrouping in the Huliaypole direction, is underway.
Ukrainian Defense Forces neutralized a sabotage and reconnaissance group that was trying to cross the international border near Prokhody. Defense Forces units advanced toward the Zolotarivsky Nature Reserve in the area north of Andriivka, which further complicated the situation for enemy units defending in Oleksiivka. Ukrainian Defense Forces units hold their positions in the center of Yunakivka and in its southern part. A rocket strike hit the command post of the 186th Motorized Rifle Regiment in the Dubrava area of Kursk Oblast.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian troops advanced in the center of Vovchansk, attacked near Zelene, Synelnykove, Ambarne, Khatnie, but did not advance.
Ukrainian Defense Forces destroyed a bridge near Krasnyi Khutir.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian troops attacked near Kupyansk, Zakhidne, Holubivka, Kamyanka, Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Zahryzove, Zelenyi Hay, Hrekivka, Hlushchenkove, in the direction of Olkhivka.
On the Lyman direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces liberated Novomykhailivka.
Russian troops advanced southwest of Dibrova to Dronivka, attacked near Karpivka, Serednie, Shandryholove, Ridkodub, Kolodyaz, Myrne, Stavky, and the Serebriansk Forest.
Assault groups of the 37th and 31st Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 67th Motorized Rifle Division of the 25th Combined Arms Army broke through to the center of Zarichne and consolidated their positions there. The enemy captured Torske. The 164th and 169th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades continue to advance in the Serebriansk Forest toward the confluence of the Chornyi Zherebetx and Siverskyi Donets rivers (in the direction of the village of Dronivka), which significantly complicates the situation for the units of the 3rd Army Corps, which are defending to the east along the bank of the Siverskyi Donets and to the east of Serebrianka. Units of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army and the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army simultaneously break through in the northwestern direction between Serednie and Hlushchenkove in the Karpivka area and in the southwestern direction of Shandryholove - Stavky. The enemy has engaged in battles for Kolodyaz and advanced 1.5 km south of Karpivka to the Nitrius River.
Troops of the 3rd Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces eliminated the enemy's tactical wedge in the direction of Katerynivka - Hlushchenkove, continue to successfully defend Karpivka and Ridkodub, and have driven the enemy out of Hrekivka.
On the Siversk direction, Russian troops attacked Siversk, near Serebrianka, Hryhorivka, Vyimka, Pereyizne.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian troops attacked near Chasiv Yar, Markove, Stupochky, Predtechyne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces hit the command post of the 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army in Soledar.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian troops tried to advance northeast of Rusyn Yar, and attacked near Bila Hora, Kleban-Byk, Katerynivka, Pleshchiivka, Poltavka, Popiv Yar, and Shcherbynivka.
The remnants of the assault groups of the 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army try to defend in the northern part of Shcherbynivka. Several assault groups of the 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, having bypassed the village of Bila Hora from the south, broke into Oleksandro-Shultine and are trying to hold on there in an area of 0.28 square kilometers. Attempts by the advance units of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division (in the direction of Yablunivka - Berestok and Novooleksandrivka - Stepanivka) and the 150th Motorized Rifle Division in the area of Katerynivka and Shcherbynivka have not been successful.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces liberated Mykhailivka, Volodymyrivka, advanced south of Myrne and entered the village, on the northern outskirts of Myrolyubivka, to Malynivka, hold positions in Krasnyi Lyman, south of Myrnohrad, on the northern outskirts of Udachne. The enemy has lost control of positions in Novoekonomichne. Counterattacking from north to south, Ukrainian Defense Forces have successively driven out the enemy's breakthrough assault groups from positions in the area of the Dobropillya - Kramatorsk road, from Zolotyi Kolodyaz, positions south of Vesele, and have cleared most of Kucheriv Yar. Counterattacking in the direction of Ivanivka - Zapovidne, Ukrainian Defense Forces liberated the latter and the hamlet of Nove Shakhove and pushed back several enemy assault groups that had broken through south of Biletske to the Pokrovsk - Dobropillya road in an eastern direction. Several focused counterattacks in the direction of Volodymyrivka - Mayak further complicated the situation for the enemy in general, as there was a threat of envelopment of all enemy units operating north of the Zapovidne - Mayak line.
Russian troops tried to advance within and west of Udachne, around Leontovychi, north of Myrnohrad, east of Sofiivka, attacked near Pokrovsk, Sukhetske, Rodynske, Bilytske, Zatyshok, Zapovidne, Shakhove, Nove Shakhove, Novoekonomichne, Krasnyi Lyman, Mayak, Volodymyrivka, Myrne, Sofiivka, Myrolyubivka, Mykolaivka, Promin, Balahan, Lysivka, Sukhyi Yar, Novoukrainka, Zvirove, Kotlyne, Molodetske.
Advance units of the 1st and 110th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 51st Combined Arms Army, and the 39th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 68th Army Corps, having broken through from the direction of Zatyshok to the area of Sukhetske, attack from there in the direction of Rodynske and toward the road and railway that pass through it to the north. With the same forces, the enemy attacks Rodynske and Krasnyi Lyman from the direction of Razyne and the northern outskirts of Novoekonomichne. So far, the enemy has not been able to capture either Rodynske or Krasnyi Lyman.
Advance units of the 5th and 9th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 51st Combined Arms Army attack in the direction of Malynivka - Novoekonomichne, from the direction of Novotoretske along the Kazennyi Torets River in the direction of Myrolyubivka. The enemy does not fully control either Novoekonomichne or Myrolyubivka. Units of the 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, supported by the 137th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Combined Arms Army and assault groups from the 72nd Separate Combined Arms Brigade, unsuccessfully tried to break through from Hrodivka in the direction of Promin. The 1437th Motorized Rifle Regiment continues its attempts to advance deeper into Pokrovsk from the southwestern direction through Zvirove. The regiment's advance units managed to infiltrate Zvirove and penetrate the city in the area of Pershoho Travnia, Troyandy, and Kyivska Street. The total area of the infiltration zone is about 8 km2. The enemy cannot accumulate forces and means for further advance, as it is forced to constantly fight for the retention of this area with the Pokrovsk garrison. The 15th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Combined Arms Army is engaged in inconclusive battles for Udachne, trying to break through to the north between it and Molodetske.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian troops fighting for Filiya, attacked Novopavlivka, Muravka, Horikhove, Novoukrainka, Dachne, Zelenyi Hay, Ivanivka, Voskresenka, Zaporizke, Novoheorhiivka, Maliivka, Shevchenkove, Komyshuvakha, Vilne Pole, in the direction of Novomykolayivka, trying to advance across open terrain on the Kotlyarivka - Dachne line.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Filiya, liberated Zelenyi Hay.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian troops attacked near Temyrivka, Zelene Pole, Olhivske, Novoyanivka, Malynivka.
On the Orikhiv direction, the 108th and 247th Aire Assault Regiments of the 7th Air Assault Division fight in Stepnohirsk. Russian troops attacked near Plavni, Kamianske.
General conclusion:
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian troops cannot transfer military equipment across the Oskil River to attack northeast of Kupyansk; personnel cross the river in groups of 10-20 people on makeshift boats.
On the Lyman direction, the situation for the 3rd Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces continues to worsen. In the area of the Serebriansk Forest, advanced units of the 25th Combined Arms Army are gradually advancing, simultaneously trying to break through along the Kreminna - Lyman road, with the active assistance of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army, which is advancing northward from a bridgehead on the Chornyi Zherebets River.
On the Toretsk direction, the situation remains difficult for Ukrainian Defense Forces. The enemy made several attempts to infiltrate with small assault groups.
Russian troops launched a massive airstrike on Kramatorsk, using 37 KABs.
The command of the enemy's 51st Combined Arms Army returned to the initial plan to envelop of the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration from the north and northeast, because it is practically impossible develop their previous success on the Dobropillya direction to an operational level. Ukrainian Defense Forces, acting simultaneously from the tip of the enemy's wedge and in the area of its neck, have practically eliminated it completely.
On the Pokrovsk direction, the command of the “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping prepares for the assault on Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad. The 51st Combined Arms Army tries to break through to the area of Shevchenko - Biletske - Rodynske - Hryshyne, which is the direction of the main attack of the “Tsentr (Center)” Operational Grouping. On the left flank, the troops of the 51st Combined Arms Army tries to break through to the outskirts of Myrnohrad from the direction of Hrodivka and through Novoekonomichne. The 2nd Combined Arms Army is accumulating reinforcements and logistical support for the future assault and conducts local tactical actions to improve its initial position. The 41st Combined Arms Army on its right flank also solves a number of tactical tasks within the framework of the general plan of the Pokrovsk offensive operation.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 159 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 10 enemy attacks.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, the enemy assaulted the positions of Ukrainian Defense Forces 5 times near Vovchansk and in the direction of Dvorichanske.
On the Kupyansk direction, there were 10 attacks by the invaders. The enemy's assault actions near Kupyansk, Zakhidne, Holubivka, and Zelenyi Hay were repelled.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 20 times, trying to break through Ukrainian defense near Novyi Myr, Hrekivka, Torske, Ivanivka, Ridkodub, Karpivka, and in the direction of Serednie, Dronivka, Shandryholove, and Serebrianka.
On the Siversk direction, the enemy made 12 attempts to break through in the areas of Serebrianka, Fedorivka, Vyimka, Pereyizne, and in the direction of Siversk.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the occupiers attacked 6 times in the areas of Mayske and Chasiv Yar.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy conducted 5 attacks near Shcherbynivka and Rusyn Yar.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 46 assaults by the aggressor were stopped in the areas of Zatyshok, Nykanorivka, Nove Shakhove, Novoekonomichne, Udachne, Shakhove, Myrolyubivka, Mykolaivka, Sukhetske, Lysivka, Zvirove, and in the direction of Rodynske, Novoukrainka, Chervonyi Lyman, and Pokrovsk.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the enemy carried out 31 attacks near Zelene Pole, Iskra, Vilne Pole, Maliivka, Voskresenka, Shevchenko, Temyrivka — in the direction of Filiya, Novomykolayivka, Novoheorhiivka, and Komyshuvakha.
On the Orikhiv direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled an enemy attack near Prymorske.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces launched drone airstrikes on the Novoshakhtinsk Oil Refinery in Rostov Oblast.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 76th Air Assault Division attacks Yunakivka.
The 344th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army is advancing between Stroyivka and Kamyanka, the 25th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 6th Combined Arms Army and the 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Tank Army have captured Kindrashivka.
The 4th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Combined Arms Army operates in the area of Oleksandro-Shultyne, the 103rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army is active near Katerynivka.
The 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates near Malynivka and Myrne, the 80th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion is engaged near Myrnohrad.
The 36th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 29th Combined Arms Army operates near Oleksandrohrad, the 14th Separate SOF Brigade and the 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army are active near Novoselivka.
The 144th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 40th Army Corps of the 18th Combined Arms Army operates near Korsunka.
Possible operation situation developments:
According to the assessment of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the enemy will not be able to achieve the goal of the so-called special military operation to capture the entire Donetsk Oblast by the end of 2025. Provided current dynamics of combat operations are maintained, the enemy will be able to capture Pokrovsk by autumn, Kostyantynivka and Kupyansk by the end of the year, and reach the close approaches to Zaporizhzhia and the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration by early winter.
The command of the enemy's “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping, in cooperation with the right flank of the “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping, will expand its bridgehead northeast of Velykyi Burluk in the Southern Slobozhansky direction and will try to capture Khatnie.
On the Kupyansk direction, the command of the enemy's “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping will try to envelop the entire Kupyansk defense area of the “Khortytsia” OSG as deeply as possible from the north. The enemy will consolidate on the northern outskirts of Kupyansk and will try to paralyze the logistics support of Ukrainian Defense Forces' units defending in the city itself and east of it. The enemy will break through from the north and northeast to the R-07 Kharkiv–Chuhuiv–Kupyansk highway, attacking in the directions of Radkivka–Kovalivka and Radkivka–Myrne.
On the Lyman direction, the 25th Combined Arms Army will completely capture the Serebriansk Forest as far as the Chorny Zherebets River leading to the withdrawal of troops of the 3rd Army Corps across the river in the direction of Yampil.
On the Siversk direction, the command of the enemy's "Yug (South)" Operational Grouping will attempt to eliminate the Siversk salient held by "Khortytsia" OSG and break through towards the Sloviansk – Kramatorsk agglomeration. The 3rd Combined Arms Army will try to break through to the northern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River between Yampil and Hryhorivka, and from the southeast – toward Siversk. In the near future, the enemy will try to capture Pereyizne and attack Zvanivka along the eastern bank of the Bakhmutka River, trying to break through to Siversk from the south.
On the Toretsk direction, the troops of the 19th Army Corps of Ukrainian Defense Forces will have to leave the Shcherbynivka-Novospaske-Katerynivka-Kleban Byk area, retreat south of the Kleban Byk reservoir, and try to stop the advance of the enemy's 3rd and 8th Combined Arms Armies on the Pleshchiivka – Oleksandro-Shultyne line and go on the defensive in the area of Dovha Balka – Illinivka – Berestok – Stepanivka.
Russian forces will attack in the direction of Oleksiyevo-Druzhkivka and Druzhkivka to cut the Н20 Kostyantynivka-Sloviansk highway and complicate the logistics of Ukrainian Defense Forces in Kostyantynivka, thereby facilitating the capture of the "fortress belt". Russian forces may also try to advance northwest of Chasiv Yar in the direction of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, transferring part of the troops to attack along the E40 Bakhmut – Sloviansk highway for this purpose, thereby creating conditions for an assault on the "fortress belt" from the northeast.
On the Pokrovsk direction, the enemy will develop its success in the area northeast of the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration in the operational zone of the 51st Combined Arms Army. Russian forces will advance from the southwest and northeast in an effort to envelop Pokrovsk and disrupt the logistical routes of the 7th and 9th Army Corps of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The 51st Combined Arms Army will continue to bypass the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration from the north and northeast and will try to advance as deeply as possible to Dobropillya, which will sharply worsen the prospects for the defense of not only Dobropillya and Pokrovsk, but also Druzhkivka and Kostyantynivka. The 2nd Combined Arms Army will then proceed to assault Pokrovsk from the south and southwest.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the command of the enemy's “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping in the operational zones of the 36th and 29th Combined Arms Armies will try to capture the area between the Vovcha and Mokri Yaly rivers and Vorona and Vovcha rivers and reach the borders of the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in the Ivanivka-Temyrivka section.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 25.08.25
Personnel - almost 1,076 940 (+870);
Tanks – 11,130 (+1);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,175 (+8);
Artillery systems – 31,946 (+48);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,472 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,211 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 59,672 (+79);
Aircraft - 422 (0);
Helicopters – 340 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 53,347 (+291);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 3,598 (0);
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
Since the evening of August 24, Russian troops have attacked Ukraine with 104 Shahed-type strike drones and decoy drones of various types. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down or suppressed 76 of them. At the same time, 28 drones were recorded hitting 15 locations, and the wreckage of shot-down devices fell in four places.
On the night of August 25, Russian troops launched a massive drone attack on the Sumy and Romny communities; at least 10 hits were recorded. Fires broke out in residential buildings in the Sumy community. According to preliminary data, there were no casualties, and information about the injured is being clarified.
On August 5, at about 5:00 a.m., the occupiers attacked a private car with a drone that was moving through the territory of the village of Nova Sloboda, Konotop District, Sumy Oblast. The 37-year-old driver died, and the passengers—a 56-year-old woman and her 62-year-old husband—were also wounded.
In Sumy, as a result of the night attack on the Pishchansky community, one of the streets was almost completely destroyed, and five people were injured; in total, as a result of the strikes on the community, there is one dead and nine wounded, and the massive shelling of the oblast lasted for almost a day, causing significant destruction of infrastructure.
On August 25, 2025, between 11:20 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., Russian troops launched an airstrike on Kostyantynivka, dropping five FAB-250 aerial bombs with UMPK modules on a residential area; four people were wounded, two of them in serious condition, and 21 apartment buildings and power lines were damaged.
As a result of the airstrike on the villages of Malokaterynivka and Kushuhum in Zaporizhzhia district, five guided aerial bomb strikes were recorded, the church building was destroyed, and a store and about 70 residential buildings were damaged.
Russian troops shelled the village of Slatyne, Kharkiv Oblast, with multiple-launch rocket systems, as a result of which a local resident was wounded, and private houses, a gas pipeline, and power lines were damaged.
On August 25, 2025, at about 6:30 p.m., Russian troops attacked a prosecutor's office service vehicle with a drone on the Mykolaiv – Kherson highway, as a result of which the 58-year-old driver and the 38-year-old prosecutor were wounded.
In the evening, Russian invaders attacked the Dnipro district of Kherson with a drone, as a result of which a 50-year-old man was injured and hospitalized. They also attacked the village of Antonivka, Kherson Oblast, with a drone in the late afternoon, as a result of which a local resident was injured.
As a result of a Russian drone attack, a 77-year-old man was injured in a village of the Mykolaivska rural community in Sumy Oblast. The man had previously been evacuated to Sumy but returned home to harvest.
According to the Media Freedom Committee of the Verkhovna Rada, 28 Ukrainian journalists and media workers are still in Russian captivity.
Three children aged 6 to 15 from the occupied territories and a young boy whom the Russians had illegally taken first to the temporarily occupied territory and then to Russia were returned to Ukraine. Due to the occupation, the children had been separated from their relatives for a long time, as they could not cross the line of combat engagement.