Russia's war on Ukraine. 28.04.25
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces continue a defensive operation in Kursk Oblast.
Russian forces continue clearing operations near Hornal and Oleshnia, advanced along the C191503 highway north of Loknia.
On the Belgorod direction, Russian forces attempted to advance southwest of Demidovka. Fighting continued near Popovka. The enemy suffered significant losses: the 128th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 44th Army Corps and a battalion of the 155th Separate Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet were withdrawn for combat capability restoration. Chechen units "Akhmat" and the battalion of the 88th Reconnaissance-Assault Brigade "Española" failed to accomplish their tactical tasks due to heavy losses.
The 225th, 33rd, Separate Assault Regiment, a consolidated rifle battalion of the Air Force, and the 414th Separate Brigade of Unmanned Aircraft Systems control the border sanitary zone near the villages of Popovka and Demidovka.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces advanced toward Doroshivka, attacked near Mala Shapkivka, Krasne Pershe, Zahryzove, Nova Kruhlyakivka, Nadiia, Kopanky, Novoserhiyivka, Olhivka, and attempted to advance toward Hrekivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces advanced to the southwestern outskirts of Zahryzove.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces advanced near Nove and Torske, continued attacks toward Lypove, Novomykhailivka, Ridkodub, Yampolivka, Kolodiazi, Novyi Myr, and Zelena Dolyna.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces attacked near Bilohorivka, Hryhorivka, and Verkhnyokamianske.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces advanced south of Ozaryanivka, attempted to advance within the center of Chasiv Yar and on the northern outskirts of Stupochky, and attacked near Predtechyne, Bila Hora, and Kurdyumivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Stupochky.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces advanced to the railway line in the northeast of Shcherbynivka and in the center of Berezivka, and attacked near Toretsk, Krymske, Dachne, Dyliivka, Druzhba, Leonidivka, Sukha Balka, and Yelyzavetivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked southwest of Toretsk, near Novospaske, Shcherbynivka, Zelenyi Pole, and Berezivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces attacked near Promin, Myroliubivka, Novotoretske, Lysivka, Dachenske, Kotlyne, and Udachne. In the Lysivka area, forward units of the 27th Motorized Rifle Division of the 2nd Combined Arms Army managed to improve their forward positions toward Lysivka – Sukhy Yar; similar attempts toward Dachenske – Chunyshyne were unsuccessful. The 27th Motorized Rifle Division, the 30th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 2nd Combined Arms Army, and the 74th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Combined Arms Army conducted assault operations to regain lost positions in the Novotroitske – Shevchenko and Vovche – Pishchane directions, achieving partial success. In the area of Kotlyne, Udachne, Solone, and Uspenivka, the 15th and 55th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades and the 433rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 27th Motorized Rifle Division fought with varying success to hold industrial zones in Kotlyne and Udachne and attempted to restore positions in the Solone – Udachne and Novovasylivka – Uspenivka directions. The enemy managed to consolidate positions in the industrial zones and partially push back the forward units of Ukrainian Defense Forces toward Solone but failed to regain control over Kotlyne, Uspenivka, and Udachne. Forward units of the 90th Tank Division, reinforced by units of the 51st Combined Arms Army, the 201st Military Base, and the 137th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, continue persistent attacks toward Nadiivka – Kotlyarivka and Sribne – Troitske, attempting to reach the administrative border between Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts. The enemy captured Nadiivka, advanced northeast of it, and advanced in the area of Preobrazhenka farmstead. The attempt to break through to Kotlyarivka and toward Troitske was repelled by Ukrainian Defense Forces. Using elements of the 90th Tank Division, 110th and 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades, the enemy continues efforts to capture Andriivka and the area north of it.
Over the past week, north of Mykolaivka, Ukrainian Defense Forces' forward units, through counterattacks, pushed the enemy northwest and northeast of the village.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces attempted to advance between Uspenivka and Novooleksandrivka, south of Bahatyr, and attacked near Novopavlivka, Uspenivka, Novooleksandrivka, Novoserhiyivka, Kotlyarivka, Preobrazhenka, Bohdanivka, Troitske, Konstyantynopil, Andriivka, Oleksiivka, Rozlyv, Bahatyr, and Odradne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Bahatyr and Odradne.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian forces attacked near Vesele, Vilne Pole, Pryvilne, and Dniproenerhiya.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked northeast of Dniproenerhiya.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces attacked near Mala Tokmachka, Stepove, and Mali Shcherbaky.
General conclusion:
On the Pokrovsk direction, a high intensity of combat operations persists.
In the area from Lozuvatske to Mykolaivka, the enemy was forced to shift to active defense; in the area from Lysivka to Uspenivka, the enemy continues its offensive, aiming to restore the positions of its forward units south and southwest of Pokrovsk. It had lost the positions due to the counterattacks of Ukrainian Defense Forces.
The 90th Tank Division of the 41st Combined Arms Army, operating in the sector from Vasylivka to Andriivka, has resumed attempts to break through to the administrative border of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk Oblasts and to push back the forward units of Ukrainian Defense Forces to the line of Oleksiivka–Troitske. The division advances at an extremely low pace and suffers excessive losses.
In the area southwest of Pokrovsk — a key area for the development of the "Tsentr (Center)" Operational Grouping’s offensive — the enemy has become bogged down in meeting engagements and is simultaneously forced to hold previously occupied positions between Uspenivka and Shevchenko, while also containing an evident threat to the flanks of its tactical group that broke through toward Kotlyne.
Due to problems with the combat effectiveness of its forward units, the command of the "Tsentr (Center)" Operational Grouping has been forced to shift from the broader objective of enveloping Pokrovsk to a limited tactical task: to straighten the front line south of Pokrovsk, between the city and the Vovcha River, within the sector of the 90th Tank Division’s offensive.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 168 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, the enemy attacked six times in the areas of Vovchansk, Krasne Pershe, and Mala Shapkivka.
On the Kupyansk direction, three enemy attacks took place. The enemy’s assault actions near Nova Kruhlyakivka, Petropavlivka, and Zahryzove were stopped.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 20 times, attempting to break into Ukrainian defenses near Nadiia, Nove, Ridkodub, Kolodiazi, Yampolivka, Myrne, and toward Novyi Myr.
On the Siversk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped two enemy offensive actions toward Verkhnyokamianske.
On the Kramatorsk direction, 16 engagements were recorded near Chasiv Yar, Andriivka, Kurdyumivka, and in the directions of Mayske, Stupochky, and Bila Hora.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy conducted nine attacks in the areas of Ozaryanivka, Dachne, Dyliivka, Shcherbynivka, and Toretsk.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 64 enemy assault actions were stopped near Yelyzavetivka, Lysivka, Kotlyne, Udachne, Novoserhiyivka, Kotlyarivka, Stara Mykolaivka, Nova Poltavka, Troitske, Novooleksandrivka, Novopavlivka, Bohdanivka, Andriivka, Bahatyr, Nadiivka, and toward Oleksiivka, Pokrovsk, and Malynivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the enemy conducted 13 attacks near Konstyantynopil, Pryvilne, Vilne Pole, and toward Odradne.
On the Orikhiv direction, the occupiers attempted to advance once near Lobkove.
On the Prydniprovske direction, the enemy made an unsuccessful attempt to advance.
Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to restrain the enemy on the Kursk direction. The enemy carried out seven airstrikes. Ukrainian defenders repelled 23 enemy assault actions.
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 6 cruise missiles.
Mediterranean Sea: 3 ships, including 1 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 8 cruise missiles.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the "Kremniy-El" plant in Bryansk, and targets in 11 regions of the Russian Federation.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The core of the enemy's "Tsentr (Center)" Operational Grouping consists of the forces of the 2nd Combined Arms Army (433rd, 506th, 589th Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 27th Motorized Rifle Division, 15th, 30th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades) and the 41st Combined Arms Army (6th, 80th, 239th Tank Regiments, 228th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 90th Tank Division, 35th, 55th, 74th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades), reinforced by parts and formations of the 51st Combined Arms Army (110th, 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades, elements of separate rifle regiments and battalions of the mobilization reserve). Additionally, the 137th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and units of the 201st Military Base have been regrouped towards the Pokrovsk direction. The "Tsentr (Center)" Operational Grouping numbers up to 75-76 thousand military personnel, 350-360 tanks, 645-650 armored combat vehicles, 646 guns and mortars, about 200 multiple launch rocket systems, and 6-12 Iskander operational-tactical missile system launchers.
The 51st Airborne Regiment of the 106th Airborne Division and the 11th Separate Air Assault Brigade operate near Oleshnia.
The 155th Separate Marines Brigade of the Pacific Fleet operates in the area of Popovka.
The 217th Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division operates near Chasiv Yar. The 1442nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps operates near Stupochky.
The 346th Separate SOF Brigade operates near Shcherbynivka, the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army is active near Stara Mykolaivka, and the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army is engaged near Sukha Balka.
The 74th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 41st Combined Arms Army operates on the Pokrovsk direction.
The 14th Separate SOF Brigade operates near Odradne.
The 70th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division and the 503rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 19th Motorized Rifle Division of the 58th Combined Arms Army operate towards Orikhiv.
The 328th Airborne Regiment of the 104th Airborne Division operates on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River.
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. Russian forces may attempt to advance near Kupyansk, Lyman, Novopavlivka, or toward the city of Zaporizhzhia. The Pokrovsk direction is viewed by Ukraine’s military-political leadership as the absolute priority for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Additionally, Russian forces intend to create a buffer zone in the north of Sumy Oblast and pose a threat to the city of Sumy in the coming months.
In Sumy Oblast, key enemy objectives that could provide stability to a buffer zone may include the heights between Yunakivka and Khrapivshchyna, the wooded area to the northeast of Sumy from Radkivka to Mohrytsya, and the Psel River. Based on this, the enemy’s operational tasks in this direction may include taking control of the area of Bilovody – Loknia – Yunakivka – Yablunivka, seizing at least the eastern part of the wooded area west of Mohrytsya, and reaching the line of Velyka Rybytsya – Myropillya along the Psel River. The enemy may also attempt to break through from the border toward Vorozhba and Bilopillya and cut off the operational lateral route between Sumy and Novhorod-Siverskyi. The implementation of such a plan would require the enemy command to covertly deploy a strike force in the area of Tiotkino.
A replacement of the airborne forces and naval infantry units with troops of the 14th and 44th Army Corps is expected soon. The highly mobile component of the Russian Armed Forces will be redeployed to Donbas or to Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
On the Kupyansk direction, the command of the enemy's "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping will abandon active operations on its flanks and resume the offensive along the Svatove–Kupyansk road in the offensive zone of the 47th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army. To this end, it is concentrating forces in the area of Kyslivka – Zatyshne – Nova Tarasivka – Tabaiivka and has already redeployed one motorized rifle regiment each from the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division and the 4th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army to the Lyman direction. The enemy will demonstrate readiness to launch a frontal push against the "Khortytsia" OSG, thereby attempting to mislead the command of "Khortytsia" OSG regarding the true intent of its actions, aiming to complicate the maneuvering of OSG reserves simultaneously across two operational zones — in front of both the 6th Combined Arms Army and the 1st Tank Army of the enemy.
On the Lyman direction, the command of the enemy’s "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping will exert efforts to collapse the defense of "Khortytsia" OSG in front of the 3rd Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army. To achieve this, the 144th Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army will attempt at any cost to break through in a northwesterly direction from its bridgehead on the Chornyi Zherebets River to link up with the 4th Tank Division of the 1st Tank Army. The enemy will attempt to advance toward Karlivka from Nove and toward Drobysheve from Kolodyazi, seeking to reach and entrench along the Karlivka – Shandryholove – Drobysheve line, while simultaneously intensifying its offensive near Torske and advancing on Lyman from the east. The forward elements of the 25th Combined Arms Army will, in the near future, attempt to simultaneously force the Chornyi Zherebets River as close as possible to Zarichne and break through to its eastern part on the opposite bank of the river. The enemy command’s operational intent includes using the Oskil River as a flank cover for a further advance on Lyman and Sloviansk, as evidenced by intensive attacks from the bridgehead on the Chornyi Zherebets River in a northwesterly direction toward Borova and the shift of the main strike axis of the 20th Combined Arms Army from Lyman to Borova.
The command of the enemy’s 3rd Combined Arms Army on the Siversk direction will create favorable conditions for the further seizure of the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk agglomeration during the summer campaign. For this, its forces will attempt to break through to the northern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River between Yampil and Hryhorivka, and from the southeast direction—toward Siversk.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the command of the enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping and the 3rd Army, in particular, may soon change the direction of their main strike and shift it to the north of Chasiv Yar, launching an offensive on both sides of the Bakhmut–Sloviansk road along the Orikhovo-Vasylivka–Minkivka and Blahodatne–Pryvillya directions, which would allow them to break through to the forward approaches of Sloviansk directly from the southeast and create a real threat to the “Siversk” Operational Tactical Grouping (OTG) of Ukrainian Defense Forces by executing a deep flanking maneuver on its right flank. If the enemy manages to achieve operational surprise in these directions and advance to tactical depth, the situation in the Kolodyazi–Hryhorivka sector on the Lyman direction could radically deteriorate for the “Khortytsia” OSG.
The command of the enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping will continue its offensive on the Toretsk direction with two tactical groups — one in the Toretsk area (main group), and another in the Vozdvyzhenka area (group on a secondary direction). The first group will attempt a breakthrough toward Pleshchiivka, bypassing the Kleban-Byk reservoir from the east; the second will push toward the Novoolenivka area, bypassing the reservoir from the west along the Pokrovsk–Bakhmut highway. The enemy will attempt to outflank the prepared “Khortytsia” OSG defenses from the east, along lines based on a cascade of small reservoirs and ponds along the Bychok River, generally in the Toretsk–Kostyantynivka direction, aiming to reach the intermediate line Pleshchiivka–Bila Hora. Its forward units will attempt to advance through Shcherbynivka toward Pleshchiivka and along the Dachne–Dyliivka railway. In the near future, the enemy will focus on seizing Shcherbynivka and Novospaske. If unsuccessful, the main axis of the attack may shift to the zone of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division near Vozdvyzhenka, or the enemy may focus on dismantling the “Khortytsia” OSG’s defenses along the Siverskyi Donets–Donbas canal, advancing from south to north.
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.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 28.04.25
Personnel - almost 949,800 (+1,160);
Tanks – 10,723 (+4);
Armored combat vehicles – 22,338 (+13);
Artillery systems – 27,038 (+31);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,373 (0);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,145 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 46,292 (+105);
Aircraft - 370 (0);
Helicopters – 335 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 33,4083 (+72);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 3,196 (0)
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of April 27, Russia launched nearly 150 strike drones against Ukraine. Since March 11 — when the United States proposed a complete and unconditional ceasefire during negotiations in Saudi Arabia — Russian forces have dropped almost eight and a half thousand aerial bombs, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated.
During the night of April 28, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with 166 Shahed-type strike drones and various types of decoy UAVs. As of 5:00 p.m., 40 strike drones had been confirmed shot down. Another 74 enemy decoy drones were lost without causing any damage. As a result of the Russian attack, Kharkiv, Donetsk, Sumy, and Cherkasy Oblasts suffered damage.
At 4:00 a.m. on April 28, Russian troops shelled the private sector of the settlement of Novoeconomichne in Pokrovsky district. A married couple, aged 76 and 78, were killed, and a 47-year-old local man died from injuries sustained during the attack. All the victims were inside their homes at the time.
In Sumy Oblast, Russian drones attacked the Shostka community, damaging residential houses, a kindergarten, and vehicles.
In Cherkasy Oblast, a Russian drone strike left part of the regional center and nearby villages without gas supply. Gas service was restored by the evening.
In Kharkiv Oblast, a Russian drone attack on the village of Mokra Rokytna severely damaged an agricultural enterprise. Around 3:00 a.m., a calf barn, an administrative building, three cow sheds, two warehouses, and a vehicle were destroyed. The farm had 281 dairy cows; at least 100 were killed during the strike. The exact number of losses will be known once the debris is cleared. This was the second attack on the enterprise; it had been rebuilt after a previous strike in February 2024.
In the evening of April 28, a man was wounded in the Dnipro district of Kherson after an explosive device was dropped from a Russian drone. Earlier that day, four civilians were injured in Kherson Oblast — the enemy shelled the settlement of Komyshany with artillery and attacked the settlement of Bilozerka with drones.
Over the past day, Russian forces launched nearly 100 strikes on 30 settlements in Sumy Oblast, killing one person.
Four more children — three boys and a girl aged 10 to 17 — were evacuated from the temporarily occupied territory of Kherson Oblast. Among them was a boy who had been forcibly taken to a Russian military enlistment office, registered as a conscript, and even assigned a military specialty.
According to Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, the Russian military is expected to continue increasing troop numbers and units in temporarily occupied Crimea, fearing its potential loss.