Russia's war on Ukraine. 28.07.25
Operational situation
On the Northern Slobozhansky direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked east of Tetkino, near Bezsalivka, Andriivka, Kindrativka, Yunakivka, hold separate positions in Ryzhivka and on the southern outskirts of Novyi Put, and under threat of encirclement, forced units of the 155th Separate Marines Brigade of the enemy to retreat from Oleksiivka. The 2nd Motorized Rifle Battalion of the 1443rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 18th Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps holds individual positions in the village and covers the withdrawal. Remnants of the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps, after being defeated in Kindrativka, are being withdrawn for restoration of combat capability.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, Russian troops attacked in the directions of Kozacha Lopan, Khatnie, and near Zakhidne, Vovchansk, Starytsya, Milove, and Chuhunivka.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian troops advanced northeast of Kamyanka, north of Krasne Pershe, north of Myrne, and attacked near Kupyansk, Novovasylivka, Fiholivka, Radkivka, Holubivka, Petropavlivka, Bohuslavka, Zahryzove, Zelene Hay, and Hrekivka.
On the Lyman direction, Russian troops attempted to advance into the Serebriansk Forest area, and attacked in the direction of Shandryholove, near Novyi Myr, Karpivka, Kolodyazi, and Torske.
On the Siversk direction, Russian troops attacked near Siversk, Hryhorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, and advanced northeast of Siversk.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian troops attacked near Chasiv Yar, Stupochky, Bila Hora, Predtechyne, Oleksandro-Shultyne, and in the directions of Mykolaivka, Stinka, Virolyubivka, and Chervone.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian troops advanced west of Poltavka, southeast of Rusyn Yar, and attacked near Toretsk, Novooleksandrivka, Yablunivka, Oleksandro-Kalynove, Katerynivka, and Shcherbynivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, advanced units of the 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army and the 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Battalion broke through to Myroliubivka and Novoekonomichne respectively, continuing to attack in the direction of Myrnohrad. The enemy attempts to entrench in these villages. The army's 132nd and 110th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades are breaking through towards Dobropillya, have reached the Nykanorivka – Zatyhshok line, and their assault groups have broken through to the Shakhove – Dobropillya road. Assault detachments of the 1441st and 1435th Motorized Rifle Regiments captured Zvirove and attempt to penetrate with small infantry groups into the territory of Pokrovsk and consolidate positions in the southwestern quarters of the city. Advanced units of the 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, supported by the 80th Tank Regiment of the 90th Tank Division of the 41st Combined Arms Army, managed to advance north of Oleksiivka. Enemy attacks southwest along the Udachne – Kotlyne line and south of the Solona River are repelled by Ukrainian Defense Forces. The "Donetsk" OTG holds the Muravka – Novomykolayivka line and defends in Udachne and Kotlyne. The 90th Tank Division fully captured Horikhove but cannot advance west of Kotlyarivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian troops advanced northwest of Dachne in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, advanced to the eastern outskirts of Andriivka-Klevtsove, and attacked near Muravka, Horikhove, Oleksiivka, Andriivka, Zaporizhzhia, Komar, Zelene Hay, Piddubne, Tovste, Novokhatske, Voskresenka, Myrne, Maliivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Zelene Pole, Novodarivka, and in the direction of Temyrivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian troops advanced to the southern outskirts of Stepnohirsk. The enemy fights for Plavni and attacked near Kamyanka.
On the Prydniprovske direction, Russian troops attacked near the Antonivskyi Bridge, on Bilohrudyi Island, Zabych Island, and Velykyi Potemkin Island.
General conclusion:
Tactical gains by the enemy northeast of Siversk indicate that Russian troops have reached a line several kilometers from Siversk and may begin an assault on the city in the near future.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the enemy deploys an offensive from Chasiv Yar, attempting to break through to the area north of Kostyantynivka.
The "Tsentr (Center)" Operational Grouping command continues to implement its plan to defeat the "Donetsk" Operational-Tactical Group (OTG) in the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration area and its complete capture. The enemy bypasses the OTG’s defense area from the flanks (from the north, northeast, and southwest) while simultaneously pinning its reserves with frontal attacks from the south towards the city. The "Tsentr (Center)" Operational Grouping delivers the main strike with forces of the 51st Combined Arms Army, another with the 41st Combined Arms Army, and troops of the 2nd Combined Arms Army reinforce them in selected sections.
The enemy has reached a line 7 km from Prymorske and 11 km from Beselyanka. Further advance by 5 km will allow it to reach the range of barrel artillery fire for shelling the city of Zaporizhzhia.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 158 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to constrain the aggressors. The enemy conducted 14 airstrikes.
On the Southern Slobozhansky direction, the aggressor attacked 7 times in the areas of Vovchansk, Zelene, Fiholivka, Zakhidne, and in the direction of Petro-Ivanivka.
On the Kupyansk direction, 6 aggressor attacks took place. Enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Radkivka, Holubivka, and Bohuslavka.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 18 times, attempting to break into the defense in the Hrekivka area and in the directions of Serednie, Hryhorivka, and Shandryholove.
On the Siversk direction, 9 attacks were successfully stopped near Serebrianka, Verkhnyokamianske, Hryhorivka, and in the direction of Siversk.
On the Kramatorsk direction, a combat engagement was recorded near Stupochky.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy conducted 12 attacks in the areas of Oleksandro-Kalynove, Rusyn Yar, Toretsk, Shcherbynivka, and Yablunivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 57 aggressor assault actions were stopped in the areas of Volodymyrivka, Myrnohrad, Novoekonomichne, Razyne, Myroliubivka, Lysivka, Zvirove, Udachne, Horikhove, Oleksiivka, Poltavka, Kotlyne, and also in the directions of Pokrovsk, Bilytske, Novoukrainka, Novopavlivka, Zapovidne, and Rodynske.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the enemy conducted 10 attacks near Zelene Pole, Novodarivka, Piddubne, Myrne, and in the direction of Andriivka-Klevtsove, Temyrivka, and Oleksandrohrad.
On the Prydniprovske direction, the enemy conducted 5 attempts to advance in the direction of Prydniprovske.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces conducted a UAV strike on objects in Leningrad Oblast.
As a result of the strike on July 26, the electrical substation of the Oktyabrsky railway station in Volgograd Oblast was hit. Train movement near Zhutovo station was halted, power supply to military-industrial complex plants in Petrov, Kirov, and Erman, and to Kotelnikovo airbase was disrupted.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
Operators of the 1st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division of the 1st Tank Army's UAVs attack targets within Kharkiv.
The 137th Airborne Regiment of the 106th Airborne Division and the 104th Air Assault Regiment of the 76th Air Assault Division operate near Yunakivka. The "Rubicon" Center for Advanced Unmanned Technologies conducts strikes on Ukrainian positions in Korchakivka.
The "Sheikh Mansur Volunteer Battalion" conducts strikes on Ukrainian positions near Milove.
The 27th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 1st Tank Army continues to operate on the Kupyansk direction.
The 16th Separate SOF Brigade operates in the Serebriansk Forest area.
On the Pokrovsk direction, the enemy "Tsentr (Center)" Operational Grouping operates, consisting of the 2nd (27th Motorized Rifle Division, 15th, 30th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades) and 41st (90th Tank Division, 35th, 55th, and 74th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades) Combined Arms Armies, and the main forces of the 51st Combined Arms Army (5th, 9th, 110th, 114th, and 132nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades) of the "Yug (South)" Operational Grouping. The grouping is reinforced by the 137th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and six mobilization reserve regiments. The total strength of the Operational Grouping is approximately 112,000 military personnel, up to 520 tanks, 700 armored combat vehicles, up to 560 cannons and mortars, and 180 multiple launch rocket systems. A significant amount of weaponry is under repair or in a limited combat-ready state. The "Tsentr (Center)" Operational Grouping, by its combat potential, is the most powerful among the enemy's Operational Groupings deployed as part of the "Combined Grouping of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation on the South-Western Theater of Operations."
The 37th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 36th Combined Arms Army operates near Sichneve, and the 56th Separate SOF Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates near Filiya.
The 108th and 247th Air Assault Regiments of the 7th Air Assault Division operate near Kamyanka.
Possible operation situation developments:
According to the estimates of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the enemy will not be able to achieve the Kremlin's goal of capturing the entire Donetsk Oblast by the end of 2025. The new operational task of the enemy grouping in the theater of military operations is to advance to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and create a buffer zone 10 km deep. Full occupation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts is possible no earlier than February 2028, provided current rates of advancement are maintained. However, if the 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.
On the Northern Slobozhansky direction, the enemy’s “Sever (North)” Operational Grouping is trying to reach the Mala Korchakivka – Nova Sich – Maryinka – Sadky line.
The command of the enemy's "Sever (North)" Operational Grouping in cooperation with the right flank of “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping in the Southern Slobozhansky direction, will attempt to expand its bridgehead northeast of Velykyi Burluk and capture Hatnie before attacking the city. For this purpose, the troops will have to force water obstacles, including the Velykyi Burluk River on the Shevchenkove – Mykhailivka – Velykyi Burluk line. Villages located along the river will become a significant obstacle for Russian troops. The Vovchansk – Velykyi Burluk – Dvorichna line can become a powerful defensive line within Russia's buffer zone in northern Kharkiv Oblast in the medium and long term perspective.
On the Kupyansk direction, the “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping command may intend to cut off the H26 Kupyansk – Shevchenkove highway, thereby complicating Ukrainian logistics and cutting off exit routes from Kupyansk. Further advance westward from the Velyka Shapkivka – Palamarivka – Nechvolodivka line could complicate the future withdrawal of "Starobilsk" Operational-Tactical Group (OTG) units to the line west of Kupyansk along the Kupyanka River. The possible future capture of Kupyansk, which is unlikely in the short term, will create a decision point for the "Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping command: to develop the offensive west of Kupyansk, to advance in the direction of Borova and Lyman, or to transfer some troops to the Kramatorsk, Pokrovsk, or Novopavlivka directions.
On the Lyman direction, the forces of the Russian “Zapad (West)” Operational Grouping will attempt to reach the line of Karlivka – Shandryholove – Drobysheve, while simultaneously advancing near Torske in an effort to enter Lyman from the east. The “Starobilsk” OTG will be forced to withdraw from the area of Kopani – Novoyehorivka – Druzhelyubivka – Cherneshchyna, in response to the enemy’s advance along the southern bank of the Siverskyi Donets River in the direction of Bilohorivka – Serebrianka, within the operational zone of the neighboring 3rd Combined Arms Army of the “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping.
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, attempting to break through to Siversk from the south.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the command of the enemy’s “Yug (South)” Operational Grouping and the 3rd Army may shift the direction of their main strike to the north of Chasiv Yar and launch an offensive on both sides of the Bakhmut–Sloviansk road, along the directions of Orikhovo-Vasylivka–Minkivka and Blahodatne–Pryvillya. This would allow them to break through to the immediate approaches to Sloviansk directly from the southeast and create a real threat of a deep envelopment of the right flank of the “Starobilsk” OTG.
Northeast of Pokrovsk, the enemy will continue attacks with troops of the 51st Combined Arms Army in the direction of Rodynske from both Fedorivka and Razyne, while attempting to break through as close as possible to Dobropillya. In addition, the enemy will continue attacks in the Novoekonomichne – Myrnohrad and Myroliubivka – Myrnohrad directions. If the rates of advance of the 51st Combined Arms Army's assault units do not drastically decrease in the near future, the further fate of Pokrovsk will be decided. To begin the decisive assault on Pokrovsk, the command of the 41st Combined Arms Army only needs to await the 51st Combined Arms Army's troops reaching the city from the east and northeast. A breakthrough by the 51st Combined Arms Army to Dobropillya could significantly complicate the situation for the "Khortytsia" OSG, which will cause an operational-scale crisis on the Pokrovsk and Kramatorsk directions.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the command of the enemy "Vostok (East)" Operational Grouping is trying to capture the area of Havrylivka – Zelenyi Hai – Temyrivka – Novomykolayivka between the Vovcha and Vorona rivers, at the junction of Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. The lines for the armies' immediate objectives may be: for the 5th Combined Arms Army it is the Komyshuvakha – Temyrivka line, and for the 36th and 29th Combined Arms Armies it is the Havrylivka – Novoselivka line. In the near future, continued enemy attacks should be expected in the operational zone of the 29th Combined Arms Army in the direction of Piddubne – Iskra along the Zaporizhzhia – Donetsk highway, and for the 36th Combined Arms Army, an assault on Voskresenka from three directions and a further breakthrough towards Novoselivka should be expected. The Operational Grouping seeks to reach the eastern bank of the Vovcha River in the Novoselivka – Iskra sector as quickly as possible. The 5th Combined Arms Army will try to conduct similar actions further south, on the Vorona River, to capture Temyrivka and advance towards Komyshuvakha.
Russian troops have created conditions for an advance in the direction of Huliaypole, Velykomykhaylivka, and Havrylivka. The “Vostok (East)” Operational Grouping is capable of conducting an offense operation westward through Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts, using the H15 Kurakhove – Zaporizhzhia highway. Enemy troops will have to force the Khaychur, Solona, Verkhnya Tersa, and Vovcha rivers, cross the T0408 Preobrazhennia – Novomykolayivka and T0401 Pokrovsk – Huliaypole highways, and capture several cities the size of Chasiv Yar, which could become a significant problem for the aggressor. A rapid advance of approximately 150 km from positions in Novokhatske to Zaporizhzhia is extremely unlikely, considering the current pace of the enemy's offensive.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 28.07.25
Personnel - almost 1,050 250 (+1,000);
Tanks – 11,061 (+4);
Armored combat vehicles ‒ 23,064 (+1);
Artillery systems – 30,826 (+4);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,450 (+1);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,201 (0);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 56,596 (+103);
Aircraft - 421 (0);
Helicopters – 340 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 48,393 (+235);
Intercepted cruise and other missiles – 3,546 (0);
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of July 28, Russia attacked Ukraine with 331 aerial weapons, including 324 Shahed attack UAVs and decoy drones, 4 Kh-101 cruise missiles, and 3 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles; the main strike was directed at Khmelnytskyi Oblast. Air defense forces destroyed or suppressed 311 targets, including 309 drones and 2 Kh-101 missiles. Hits by two missiles and 15 drones were recorded in three locations, and fragments fell in two. Aeroballistic missiles did not reach their targets.
On the night of July 28, Russian troops attacked Kyiv with attack drones. In the Darnytskyi district, eight people were injured, including a three-year-old child; four were hospitalized. A multi-story building and cars were damaged.
On the night of July 28, Russian troops attacked Kropyvnytskyi with attack drones, as a result of which at least nine explosions occurred in the city; the building of the regional philharmonic, Volodymyr Vynnychenko Central Ukrainian University, office premises, and a State Emergency Service unit, including fire and rescue equipment, were damaged. There were no fatalities or injuries.
On the night of July 28, Russian troops attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with drones and artillery; a 15-year-old girl and a 49-year-old woman were injured. An educational institution, residential buildings, outbuildings, and the power grid were damaged, and a fire broke out. In the Mezheve community, an agricultural enterprise, an administrative building, and a car were damaged, and a fire occurred.
Around 6 AM, in the Krasnopillia community of Sumy Oblast, a Russian drone attacked a 45-year-old man who was leading a cow to pasture. He sustained severe injuries and was hospitalized in critical condition.
During the shelling of the Seredyna-Buda community in Sumy Oblast with multiple launch rocket systems, a 66-year-old man who was in an apartment was injured; he was hospitalized with numerous burns. In the community, a multi-story building and commercial premises were damaged, and a residential building burned down as a result of a direct hit by a guided aerial bomb.
Around 7:00 AM on July 28, Russian troops shelled Dnipro district of Kherson, as a result of which a 48-year-old woman and a 70-year-old man were injured.
In the evening on July 28, Russian troops attacked the village of Velyki Prokhody in Kharkiv Oblast with an FPV drone: around 5:00 PM, the drone hit a car, as a result of which a 75-year-old man was killed, and another man was injured and hospitalized.
Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian Federation invasion, Ukraine has conducted 66 exchanges, with 5,857 citizens released from Russian captivity; over a thousand more prisoners returned as part of the "all for all" exchange under the second round of Istanbul agreements, and the implementation of this case still continues.
On July 28, Ukraine for the first time honors the memory of defenders, participants of volunteer formations, and civilians who were executed, tortured, or died in captivity. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine emphasize that torture, executions, sexual violence, starvation, and lack of medical assistance became systemic practices of the Russian occupiers. They stress that these are war crimes and crimes against humanity, and call on international institutions for action. President Zelenskyy mentioned the killing of Ukrainian prisoners in Olenivka colony in the occupied part of Donetsk Oblast on the night of July 29, 2022, as one of Russia's most heinous crimes.