Russia's war on Ukraine. 28.03.25
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, the 51st and 137th Airborne Regiments of the 106th Airborne Division captured Gogolevka and the Sudzha checkpoint. The enemy also advanced on the northeastern outskirts of Basivka, attempted to advance southwest of Gogolevka, north of Guevo, toward Oleshnia, and to capture positions near Volodymyrivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces maintain positions in Oleshnia and Hornal, continue combat operations near Gogolevka, Oleshnia, Volodymyrivka, Veselivka, Zhuravka, and Basivka, and counterattacked from Guevo.
On the Belgorod direction, Russian forces advanced within Demydivka and to the west of the village. Fighting continues in Demydivka and Popovka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces continue operations near Grafovka and Prilesie, striking bridges in Grafovka and Annovka.
On the Kharkiv direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled an assault in Vovchansk and counterattacked.
Russian troops use basements, tunnels, sewer networks, and heating pipelines to move infantry before assaults and store ammunition. The enemy constantly attacks on the Vovchansk direction.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces attacked near Dvorichna, Holubivka, Petropavlivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Pishchane, Zahryzove, Bohuslavka, Nova Kruhlyakivka, Nadiia, Kopanky, and Novoserhiyivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces made a slight advance toward Borova.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces advanced southeast of Novyi, attempted to advance near Myrne, north of Novolyubivka, in Katerynivka, and attacked near Yampolivka, Kolodyazi, Myrne, Nove, Novomykhailivka, Olkhivka, Torske, Zarichne, and Dronivka.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces launched an offensive near Bilohorivka, Hryhorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, and Ivano-Dariivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces attacked near Chasiv Yar, Ozaryanivka, in the direction of Predtechyne, and near Bila Hora.
On the Toretsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced in central Oleksandropil.
Russian forces advanced north of Toretsk, in the center, and along Sormovska Street in the city. The enemy is attempting to clear Panteleymonivka and Oleksandropil and attacked near Dyliivka, Dachne, Krymske, Shcherbynivka, Leonidivka, Panteleymonivka, and Oleksandropil.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces made slight advances northwest of Kotlyne and counterattacked near Yelyzavetivka.
Russian forces advanced along Lenina Street in Lysivka, attempted to advance southwest of Pokrovsk in the forests northwest of Uspenivka, along Stepova Street in Novooleksandrivka, southeast of Bohdanivka, toward Kotlyarivka from Nadiivka, and attacked near Pokrovsk, Tarasivka, in the direction of Malynivka, near Yelyzavetivka, Promin, Vodyane Druhe, Oleksandropil, Sukhy Yar, Vidrodzhennya, Kotlyne, Udachne, Uspenivka, Novoukrainka, Novooleksandrivka, Novoheorhiivka, Nadiivka, Bohdanivka, Troitske, and Preobrazhenka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced to a wind generator southeast of Konstyantynopil and counterattacked near Oleksiivka.
Russian forces advanced north of Andriivka, on the eastern outskirts of Oleksiivka, attempted to advance toward Rozlyv, and attacked near Konstyantynopil.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian forces attempted to advance in Vesele, west of Burlatske, from Pryvilne to Vilne Pole, and near Novosilka, and attacked near Velyka Novosilka and Rivnopil.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Dniproenerhiya.
On the Orikhiv direction, the 19th Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army advanced to the center of Shcherbaky. Russian forces attacked near Lobkove, Mali Shcherbaky, Stepove, and Kamianske. The enemy, actively attacking and utilizing the results of fire strikes, advanced up to 2 kilometers toward the road and the village of Shcherbaky and up to 1.5 kilometers toward Stepove. The command of the 58th Combined Arms Army has concentrated superior forces and assets in this sector.
General conclusion:
The 58th Combined Arms Army conducts positional defense along most of its front, except for the area between Pyatykhatky and north of Dolynka, where its forces have been attempting to advance for nearly two weeks in the directions of Dolynka-Shcherbaky and Pyatykhatky-Stepove. Up to two battalions of the 108th Air Assault Regiment of the 7th Air Assault Division, units of the 503rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 19th Motorized Rifle Division, and up to a battalion of the 70th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division participate in the assaults. The immediate objectives of the enemy’s forward units are to advance toward the Kamianske-Orikhiv highway in the Stepove-Shcherbaky sector and to capture the strongholds of the “Tavriya” Operational and Strategic Group (OSG) near Stepove and Shcherbaky.
On the Orikhiv direction, the enemy is attempting to restore its pre-autumn 2023 positions and cut the Stepove-Shcherbaky supply route in the tactical rear of the “Tavriya” OSG. The enemy has brought the road under fire control and is close to capturing Stepove and Shcherbaky.
The activation of the 58th Combined Arms Army on the Zaporizhzhia direction remains very limited in scale (tactical level).
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 208 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, the enemy attempted six times to break through Ukrainian defensive lines toward Vovchansk and Fyholivka.
On the Kupyansk direction, there were 26 enemy attacks. Assaults were repelled near Stepova Novoselivka, Zahryzove, and in the directions of Petropavlivka, Pishchane, Nova Kruhlyakivka, and Bohuslavka.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 32 times, attempting to penetrate defenses near the settlements of Nadiia, Kolodyazi, Myrne, Yampolivka, and toward Novoserhiyivka, Nove, Olhivka, Dronivka, and Hryhorivka.
On the Siversk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully stopped three enemy attacks near Bilohorivka and Verkhnyokamianske.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the occupiers attacked four times near Chasiv Yar and Predtechyne.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy carried out 24 attacks near Krymske, Ozaryanivka, Kurdyumivka, Toretsk, and in the directions of Dyliivka, Leonidivka, and Shcherbynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 68 enemy assault actions were stopped near Panteleymonivka, Oleksandropil, Vodyane Druhe, Yelyzavetivka, Lysivka, Sukhy Yar, Kotlyne, Udachne, Uspenivka, Preobrazhenka, Andriivka, and toward Malynivka and Novooleksandrivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the enemy carried out 14 attacks near Konstyantynopil, Rozlyv, Skudne, Dniproenerhiya, and Burlatske.
On the Huliaypole direction, nine enemy attacks were stopped near Pryvilne, Novosilka, and toward Vilne Pole.
On the Orikhiv direction, occupation forces stormed Defense Forces positions four times toward Shcherbaky, Lobkove, and Kamianske.
Ukrainian Defense Forces continue operations in Kursk Oblast. The enemy carried out 22 airstrikes and conducted 18 assaults.
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, with a total salvo of 4 missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 4 ships, including 3 cruise missile carriers; the total salvo is 26 cruise missiles.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the Engels airbase near Saratov, Russian Federation. The attack targeted a research institute involved in the development of chemical power sources, the Saratov oil refinery, the electromechanical plant in Voronezh, and facilities in Belgorod, Lipetsk, Rostov, and Tambov Oblasts.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 83rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 69th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army operates in Belgorod Oblast.
The 12th Tank Regiment of the 4th Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army is retreating east of Zelenyi Hai. The 16th Separate SOF Brigade operates near Cherneshchyna.
The 73rd Artillery Brigade of the 25th Combined Arms Army operates in the Serebriansk Forest.
On the Zaporizhzhia and Orikhiv directions, the 58th Combined Arms Army (comprising the 19th and 42nd Motorized Rifle Divisions, the 136th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, the motorized rifle battalion of the 4th Military Base, units of the 100th Separate Reconnaissance Brigade, the 12th Missile Brigade, the 291st Artillery Brigade, the 67th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, the 34th Management Brigade, the 31st Engineer Regiment, and the 40th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Protection Regiment) conducts a defensive operation. It is reinforced by the 108th and 247th Air Assault Regiments of the 7th Air Assault Division, the 47th Motorized Rifle Division of the 18th Combined Arms Army, the 22nd and 45th Separate SOF Brigades, three BARS detachments, and three Akhmat battalions of the Federal Service of National Guard Troops. The main forces of the army operate in the Kamianske-Bilohirya sector. The grouping includes 70,000-72,000 military personnel, up to 320 tanks, 725 armored fighting vehicles, 650 artillery systems and mortars, 120 multiple rocket launchers, and 8-12 Iskander operational-tactical missile system launchers.
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.
The enemy cannot establish a full-fledged buffer zone on the border of Kursk and Sumy Oblasts, so the simplest option may be an invasion of Sumy Oblast by a grouping of 22,000–27,000 military personnel along the Sumy–Sudzha highway within a 35–40 km-wide zone (stretching from Zhuravka to Myropillya). This territory has already been turned into a buffer zone by Ukrainian Defense Forces, which will greatly complicate enemy actions.
Ukrainian Defense Forces may launch an offensive in the direction of Lyman Pershyi – Horobivka – Tavilzhanka, which, if successful, will lead to either the enemy's rapid retreat from the Dvorichna bridgehead or its encirclement there. Such a development would result in the loss of combat capability of the entire enemy's 6th Combined Arms Army.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the envelopment 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.
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 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. To regain the pace of the offensive, the enemy command will likely attempt one of two obvious decisions: shifting its main efforts from the operational zone of the 5th Combined Arms Army to the zone of the 36th Combined Arms Army (along the eastern bank of the Mokri Yaly River) or deploying the reserves of "Vostok (East)" Operational Grouping in the operational zone of the 5th Combined Arms Army. The reserves of "Vostok (East)" Operational Grouping (likely elements of the 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and the 5th Tank Brigade) have limited combat capability, with only one reinforced battalion in each brigade ready for action within 24 hours.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 28.03.25
Personnel - almost 910,750 (+1,860);
Tanks – 10,455 (+17);
Armored combat vehicles – 21,762 (+61);
Artillery systems – 25,387 (+122);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,344 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1119 (+1);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 42,280 (+210);
Aircraft - 370 (0);
Helicopters – 335 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 31,070 (+144);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 3,121 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
More than 2,447 children have been affected in Ukraine as a result of Russia’s full-scale armed aggression. As of the morning of March 28, 2025, according to official information from juvenile prosecutors, 606 children have died, and more than 1,841 have sustained injuries of varying severity.
On the night of March 28, Russian invaders attacked Ukraine with 163 strike UAVs. As of 9:00 AM, 89 strike UAVs have been confirmed shot down. Additionally, 51 enemy drone decoys were lost from radars (without negative consequences). The Russian attack affected Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts.
Due to the overnight enemy drone attack, fires broke out across a total area of 2,500 square meters at civilian sites in industrial zones within the Poltava community. Strikes and falling debris caused damage at six different locations, including warehouse facilities, an administrative building, and a transformer at one of the enterprises. The fire was extinguished, and no casualties were reported.
Russian occupiers continued to attack Dnipropetrovsk Oblast—on the night of March 28, they damaged an infrastructure facility, an agricultural enterprise, and infrastructure in several communities.
One person was injured, residential buildings were damaged, and garages caught fire as a result of a Russian attack on Odesa Oblast on the night of March 28.
During fieldwork near one of the villages in the Zolochiv community, Kharkiv Oblast, a driver of a KAMAZ truck was injured after being struck by an FPV drone.
In the morning, Russian forces attacked a 75-year-old resident of Antonivka, a suburb of Kherson, using a drone—doctors are fighting for his life. Russians also attacked the village of Bilozerka in Kherson Oblast with a drone, injuring a 37-year-old man. In the evening, Russian forces struck Bilozerka in Kherson Oblast again, hitting a house and injuring a 48-year-old man.
Russia launched a combined strike on Naftogaz infrastructure, damaging gas extraction facilities. No casualties were reported. "This is the eighteenth combined attack on the group's infrastructure since the start of the full-scale war and the eighth since the beginning of this year," the group's press service reported.
In Kherson Oblast, three people were killed, and 12 were injured over the past day as a result of Russian aggression.
By September 1, 2025, 140 underground shelters will be built in Ukraine. These shelters will be classified into categories and fully equipped for schoolchildren's educational process.
In the settlement of Krasnopillia, Sumy Oblast, which is suffering from Russian shelling, around 150 people remain. All children from the village and the community have already been evacuated. The secretary of the Krasnopillia village council confirmed that the number of attacks has increased over the past week.
As a result of repatriation efforts, the bodies of 909 fallen defenders have been returned to Ukrainian soil.