Russia's war on Ukraine. 31.05.25
Operational situation
On the Kursk direction, Russian forces attacked in certain areas of Kursk Oblast.
Ukrainian Defense Forces attacked near Tetkino, intensively stormed along the international border in the section between Kursk and Sumy Oblasts.
On the Sumy direction, Russian forces captured Vodolaha, advanced near Volodymyrivka, Kostyantynivka, Oleksiivka, south of Bilovody, north of Yunakivka, attacked near Veselivka, Kostyantynivka, Vodolaha, in the direction of Oleksiivka, near Yunakivka, Loknia, Basivka, and Myropillya.
On the Kharkiv direction, Russian forces unsuccessfully attempted to advance in Vovchansk, attacked near Starytsia.
On the Kupyansk direction, the 121st Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division of the 6th Combined Arms Army is fighting for Kindrashivka. Russian forces attacked near Kindrashivka, Krasne Pershe, Kamyanka, Stepova Novoselivka, Kolisnykivka, Nova Kruhlyakivka, Zahryzove, Kopanky, Hrekivka, and Olkhivka.
On the Lyman direction, Russian forces tried to advance northeast and west of Ridkodub, north and south of Zelena Dolyna, in Torske, to clear the western outskirts of the village, continued assaults near Lypove, Karpivka, Novyi Myr, Hlushchenkove.
Ukrainian Defense Forces hold positions on the southern outskirts of Torske, counterattacked near Ridkodub.
On the Siversk direction, Russian forces continued assaults near Hryhorivka, Verkhnyokamianske, and Ivano-Dariivka.
On the Kramatorsk direction, Russian forces attacked near Chasiv Yar, Bila Hora, Stupochky, Kurdyumivka, in the direction of Predtechyne.
On the Toretsk direction, Russian forces advanced southeast of Dyliivka to road O0519 from the Siverskyi Donets – Donbas canal to the Dyliivka railway station. The enemy attempted to advance north of Druzhba, break through into Poltavka, attacked near Toretsk, in the direction of Nelipivka, Stepanivka, near Zoria, Romanivka, Yablunivka, Rusyn Yar, Popov Yar.
On the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces fight for Shevchenko, attempting to advance north of the settlement, north and south of Myrne, northwest of Yelyzavetivka, attacked near Malynivka, Myroliubivka, in the direction of Koptiove, near Lysivka, Kotlyne, and Udachne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Yelyzavetivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces captured Troitske, advanced northwest of Bahatyr, attacked near Novoserhiyivka, Novomykolayivka, Andriivka, Oleksiivka, Konstyantynopil, Odradne.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Novoukrainka.
On the Huliaypole direction, Russian forces attempted to advance toward Komar, attacked near Vilne Pole, Shevchenkove, Zelene Pole, Novopil, Novodarivka.
Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Novopil, Komar, and Zelene Pole.
On the Orikhiv direction, Russian forces advanced near Mala Tokmachka, Bilohirya, in the direction of Novodanylivka, Shcherbaky, and Stepove.
General conclusion:
On the Sumy direction, the enemy offensive is intensifying. The "Kursk" group of forces is concentrating reserves in the border zone, attempting to break through between Yunakivka and Vodolaha. The group is estimated to consist of 50,000 military personnel.
On the Kupyansk direction, Russian forces test new storm tactics in the Borova area, adapting to weather conditions that complicate the use of drones by Ukrainian Defense Forces.
At the junction of the Pokrovsk and Toretsk directions, the enemy attacks northward along the Bakhmut–Pokrovsk highway, attempts to advance toward Kostyantynivka and launches secondary strikes near Romanivka and Zoria. Progress toward Kostyantynivka in the Kramatorsk direction has been blocked by Ukrainian Defense Forces.
On the Huliaypole direction, active enemy offensive operations in the Orikhiv–Iskra–Zelenе Pole area suggest an attempt to reach the border with Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and complete the occupation of the southern part of Donetsk Oblast.
The enemy persistently advances northward in the Zelenе Pole area and westward near Novosilka, posing a threat of tactical encirclement of Ukrainian Defense Forces units in the area of Rivnopil–Novopil–Novosilka.
The headquarters of the enemy’s 25th Combined Arms Army continues to spread false reports of success on the Lyman direction, while the 3rd Combined Arms Army’s command does the same on the Siversk direction.
Change in the line of contact (LoC):
There were 191 combat engagements on various fronts.
On the Kharkiv direction, the enemy attempted four times to break through Ukrainian defensive lines in the areas of Starytsia, Vovchansk, and Kamyanka.
On the Kupyansk direction, there were 11 Russian attacks. Enemy assault actions were repelled in the areas of Kindrashivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Kolisnykivka, Zahryzove, Zelenyi Hai, and in the direction of Pishchane.
On the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked 29 times, attempting to penetrate Ukrainian defenses in the areas of Hrekivka, Kopanky, Ridkodub, Zelena Dolyna, Torske, and in the directions of Novyi Myr, Bilohorivka, Olhivka, Karpivka.
On the Siversk direction, 11 enemy attacks were successfully stopped towards Hryhorivka, Ivano-Dariivka, and Verkhnyokamianske.
On the Kramatorsk direction, the occupiers attacked twice in the area of Chasiv Yar and near Bila Hora.
On the Toretsk direction, the enemy carried out 11 attacks in the area of Toretsk and in the directions of Dyliivka, Pleshchiivka, and Yablunivka.
On the Pokrovsk direction, 47 enemy assault actions were stopped in the areas of Zoria, Rusyn Yar, Poltavka, Shevchenko Pershe, Myroliubivka, Zvirove, Malynivka, Yelyzavetivka, Lysivka, Novoserhiyivka, Udachne, Andriivka, Muravka, Kotlyarivka, and Oleksiivka.
On the Novopavlivka direction, the enemy carried out 25 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Konstyantynopil, Bahatyr, Odradne, Shevchenko, Novopil, Vilne Pole, Novosilka, Zelene Pole, and in the direction of the settlement of Komar.
On the Orikhiv direction, occupation forces stormed Ukrainian Defense Forces’ positions four times in the area of Stepove and in the direction of Novodanylivka.
On the Prydniprovske direction, our enemy attacks were successfully repelled.
On the Kursk direction, Ukrainian Defense Forces continue the operation. There were 34 combat engagements, and the enemy carried out 14 airstrikes.
In the Black Sea-Azov naval operational area, the enemy naval group on combat duty consists of:
Mediterranean Sea: 3 ships, including 1 cruise missile carrier; the total salvo is 8 cruise missiles.
Supporting operation:
Ukrainian Defense Forces carried out drone strikes on targets in Kursk Oblast, including a fuel depot in Lgov. A missile strike hit the area where the 40th Separate Marine Brigade of the Pacific Fleet was concentrated in Rylsk.
Changes in the enemy disposition:
The 83rd Separate Air Assault Brigade engages in combat near Bilovody. The 25th BARS detachment conducts drone strikes in Zarichne and Sorokyne on the Sumy direction, in Starytsia on the Kharkiv direction, and in Milove, Chuhunivka, and Kolodyazne on the Kupyansk direction.
The 33rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army and the “Rubikon” Center for Advanced Drone Technologies conduct drone strikes near Kostyantynivka. The 346th Separate SOF Brigade operates near Shcherbynivka.
The 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 51st Combined Arms Army operates on the Pokrovsk direction.
The 56th Separate SOF Battalion of the 51st Combined Arms Army is active near Novoserhiyivka, and the 14th Separate SOF Brigade operates near Oleksiivka.
The 143rd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division of the 5th Combined Arms Army operates near Novopil; the 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 127th Motorized Rifle Division is active near Zelenе Pole; the 69th Separate Cover Brigade is engaged in the direction of Velyka Novosilka.
The 38th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th Combined Arms Army operates near Zelenyi Hai.
The 32nd BARS detachment conducts aerial reconnaissance in the direction of Zaporizhzhia.
Possible operation situation developments:
The "Kursk" Group of Forces of the enemy’s "Sever (North)" Operational Grouping will attempt to breach toward the Yunakivka–Sudzha highway, which is currently under their fire control. A follow-on operational objective may involve securing the line of dominant heights in the vicinity of Yunakivka village and establishing a foothold in the border zone to the east, north, and northwest of Yunakivka—primarily along both banks of the Snagost River. Simultaneously, the enemy will seek to advance to the Oleksiivka–Yablunivka line and into the Yunakivka area.
On the Kharkiv direction, the enemy’s military command intends to deploy part of the “Kursk” Grouping of Forces to intensify the offensive operation in the north of Kharkiv Oblast.
On the Kupyansk direction, the command of the enemy's "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping will advance with forces of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division from the bridgehead near Nove toward the high ground near the village of Cherneshchyna, and with forces of the 4th Tank Division, which is advancing on converging directions Raihorodka–Cherneshchyna and Pershotravneve–Kopanky, will attempt to encircle a tactical group of the “Khortytsia” Operational-Strategic Grouping (OSG) defending along the Novoyehorivka–Hrekivka line.
On the Lyman direction, the forces of the "Zapad (West)" Operational Grouping will advance towards the Karlivka – Shandryholove – Drobysheve line while simultaneously advancing near Torske to approach Lyman from the east. The 25th Combined Arms Army will advance in the Dibrova – Yampil direction and in the area of the Serebriansk Forest in order to break through the communication lines of the "Khortytsia" OSG.
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.
On the Toretsk direction, in the near future the enemy will attack Shcherbynivka and Novospaske simultaneously from the south, from the direction of Leonidivka, along both banks of the Kryvyi Torets River.
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.
Russian operational losses from 23.02.22 to 31.05.25
Personnel - almost 987,330 (+1,250);
Tanks – 10,867 (+2);
Armored combat vehicles – 22,652 (+5);
Artillery systems – 28,475 (+54);
Multiple rocket launchers (MLRS) – 1,400 (+2);
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 1,173 (+1);
Vehicles and fuel tanks – 50,198 (+109);
Aircraft - 372 (0);
Helicopters – 336 (0);
UAV operational and tactical level – 38,215 (+145);
Intercepted cruise missiles – 3,265 (0);
Boats/ships – 29 (0).
Humanitarian + general:
On the night of May 31, Russian forces launched 107 Shahed-type strike drones, two unidentified jet-powered drones, two S-300 surface-to-air guided missiles, and three Kh-59/69 air-launched guided missiles on Ukraine. Ukrainian air defenses and electronic warfare units neutralized a total of 72 aerial threats, including 69 drones—39 shot down and 30 suppressed or lost via electronic warfare—and all three Kh-59/69 missiles. The attack primarily targeted Kharkiv, Sumy, and Donetsk Oblasts, with confirmed impacts recorded at 13 locations.
During the night of May 31, Russian forces launched missile strikes on the territory of the Nedryhailiv community in Sumy Oblast. One person was injured.
On the night of May 31, five enemy drones struck a farm in one of the villages of the Romny community in Sumy Oblast. The attack caused fires in farm buildings, killing hundreds of domestic animals and destroying dozens of tons of grain. One of the drones also hit a vehicle delivering bread in the Nedryhailiv community. The driver was injured.
On the night of May 31, a series of explosions occurred in Kharkiv. The Shevchenkivskyi district of the city was hit. There was also a confirmed strike on a manufacturing facility in the Kyivskyi district. Fires broke out at the impact sites, and seven people were injured.
On the night of May 31, the Russian army targeted a civilian enterprise in the city of Izium in Kharkiv Oblast with drones.
Russian forces struck a frontline village in the Polohy district of Zaporizhzhia Oblast with guided aerial bombs (FABs), killing a 9-year-old girl and injuring a 16-year-old boy. The bombs hit residential areas. One house was destroyed, while several others, along with vehicles and outbuildings, were damaged by the blast wave.
Overnight, the occupiers shelled the Dnipro district of Kherson. A 66-year-old man sustained fatal injuries.
In the afternoon, Russian troops launched two guided aerial bomb strikes on the village of Verkhnia Tersa in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. A 52-year-old woman was injured, and fires broke out in private homes.
Russian forces shelled the city of Kupiansk and the village of Vovchanski Khutory in Kharkiv Oblast. One woman was killed, two people were injured, and one man suffered an acute stress reaction.
As of 18:30 on May 31, Russian troops had attacked the Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast about 15 times using drones and artillery. One civilian was injured.
Due to the constant threat to civilian life from ongoing shelling, authorities ordered the mandatory evacuation of residents from 11 more villages in Sumy district.
More than half of the civilians who returned to Ukraine during the prisoner exchange from May 23 to 25 under the "1000 for 1000" format were individuals convicted in Russia of non-war-related criminal offenses. At least 15 of them were prisoners serving sentences in penal colonies in the occupied parts of Kherson and Mykolaiv Oblasts. Another 50 or so were Ukrainian citizens who had been living in Russia and were convicted there in different years. After serving their sentences, Russian authorities were supposed to deport them to Ukraine but instead held them indefinitely in detention centers for foreigners residing illegally in Russia.