04/05/2025
Russian troops are trying to advance along almost the entire front line, but mostly without success. The advance of the occupation troops in recent days has been confirmed only in the Torets and Pokrov directions.
However, Ukrainian soldiers were also advancing near Pokrovsk, and the Defense Forces also achieved success in the Chasovy Yar area. The situation and the change in the front line were analyzed by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
Analysts claim that the Russians have made no confirmed advances since April 4 in Kursk and along the border between this Russian region and the Ukrainian Sumy region.
At the same time, Russian military bloggers claimed that Russian troops had allegedly advanced near Guevo, Kursk Oblast (south of Sudzhi) and Oleshnya, Kursk Oblast (southwest of Sudzhi), and repeated claims that Russian troops had captured Basivka, Sumy Oblast (northeast of the city of Sumy).
At the same time, one of the Russian sources reported a Ukrainian counterattack in the direction of Veselivka, Sumy region (north of the city of Sumy).
Units of the Russian 40th Marine Brigade (Pacific Fleet) have been spotted near the international border in the Kursk region.
Russian attacks in the Belgorod region were also fruitless. According to Russian propagandists, fighting took place near Demydivka and Popovka.
At the same time, ISW analysts drew attention to the statement of a representative of one of the Ukrainian border detachments involved in the operation in the Belgorod region that the Russian Federation may launch a large-scale offensive along the entire international border between Russia and Ukraine, including Sumy region. At the same time, the Ukrainian military currently does not notice a significant increase in the number of Russian troops or equipment, which could indicate such intentions.
Border guards also announced continued attempts by Russian DRGs, numbering up to 15 people, to cross the border with Ukraine.
According to ISW observations, units of the Russian special forces unit “Haida” named after Akhmat are operating in the Belgorod region.
The Russians also had no advances in the Kharkiv region.
It is known that on April 2 and 3 they stormed the Vovchansk area, and on April 1 they carried out an unsuccessful assault near Glyboky.
In the latter case, the occupiers hoped that cloudy weather would help them avoid attacks by Ukrainian drones. First, the invaders rode motorcycles towards the Ukrainian positions to distract the Ukrainian forces. Then, Russian assault squads of 6-10 infantrymen tried to attack the Ukrainian positions. However, neither the weather nor the unusual tactics helped the invaders achieve their goal: with the help of UAVs, the Ukrainian soldiers repelled the assault.
Regarding Russian forces in the Kharkiv region, there have recently been reports of the possible presence of units of the 7th Motorized Rifle Regiment (18th Motorized Rifle Division of the 11th Army Corps) near Lyptsy. The same ISW regiment was observed northeast of Kupyansk in December 2024.
In Luhansk Oblast, the Russians recently managed to advance across the Oskil River to southeastern Kamyanka (northeast of Kupyansk), as confirmed by geolocation footage from April 3.
But the statements of Russian military bloggers about the advance of the occupiers to the south of Kamyanka; to the north, northeast and south of Krasny Pershy (northeast of Kupyansk); in the fields northeast of Malaya Shapkivka (northwest of Kupyansk); and in the fields southeast of Hlushkivka (southeast of Kupyansk) are currently unconfirmed. As are their statements about the advance of Russian troops towards Kindrashivka (northwest of Kupyansk).
On April 3 and 4, Russian troops continued offensive operations northeast of Kupyansk in the area of Kamyanka and Figolivka; east of Kupyansk near Petropavlivka; northwest of Kupyansk near Malaya Shapkivka and Kindrashivka; and southeast of Kupyansk near Stepovaya Novoselivka.
The Russians unsuccessfully attempted to advance northeast of Borova near Zagryzove, towards Novaya Kruglyakivka, east of Borova near Nadiya, and southeast of Borova near Novosergiyevka. One Russian blogger acknowledged that Ukrainian forces have stepped up counterattacks in this area and are trying to block the R-07 Svatovo-Kupyansk road.
Russian units of the 4th Tank Division (1st Guards Tank Army) have been spotted on the Raihorodka-Cherneschyna and Pershotravneve-Kopanky lines.
The offensive efforts of the occupiers in the Lyman direction on April 4 also ended without success, although Russian propagandists claimed that Russian forces were advancing north of Lyman in the area of the settlements of Nove and Katerynivka and in the direction of Kolodziav (northeast of Lyman).
Russian forces have continued offensive operations north of the Lyman in the area of Novomykhailivka, Katerynivka, Novye, and Zelenaya Dolyna over the past two days; northeast of the Lyman near Olhivka; and east of the Lyman in the direction of Torske.
Analysts cited Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets, who noted on April 4 that Russian forces had failed to consolidate their recent tactical success northeast of the Lyman in the Makiivka-Katerynivka-Ivanivka area, despite recent breakthroughs in the area, and were now focusing more on cutting off the broad Ukrainian salient between Katerynivka (northeast of the Lyman) and Kopanky (east of Borova).
“Mashovets predicted that units of the 20th Combined Arms Army could soon regroup with units of the 2nd Motorized Rifle Division and the 4th Tank Division (both of the 1st Guards Tank Army) to enter battle near Ivanovka with the aim of advancing north and northwest from positions in the area. A Ukrainian brigade officer operating in the Lyman direction noted that the situation had “changed significantly” and that Russian troops in the area were using infantry groups of varying sizes to attack Ukrainian positions with the support of drones,” ISW noted.
It is known that units of the 254th, 283rd, 488th, and 1428th motorized rifle regiments and the 59th tank regiment (all of the 144th motorized rifle division of the 20th combined arms army) operate in the Lyman direction.
The Russians did not advance in the Siversk direction on April 4 either. Over the past two days, they had attacked near Siversk itself; northeast of Siversk near Bilogorivka; east of Siversk near Verkhnokamyansk; and southeast of Siversk in the direction of Viyimka and Ivano-Daryivka.
But near Chasovy Yar, Ukrainian troops have made progress. Geolocation footage from April 3 confirms the recent advance of Ukrainians towards Dniprovska Street in the southern part of the city.
On April 3 and 4, Russian troops attacked near Chasovy Yar itself and south of the city in the direction of Predtechyny.
Units of the Russian 98th Airborne Division, including the 217th Regiment, are operating near Chasovy Yar. Drone operators of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division (3rd Army Corps) are also operating in the direction.
Units of the 132nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade (51st Combined Arms Army, former 1st Army Corps of the “DPR”) are operating in the Konstantinivka direction (southwest of Chasovy Yar).
Russian troops have managed to achieve success in the Toretsk direction: in the southwestern part of Toretsk, they recently advanced along Sormovskaya Street.
On April 4, Russian sources claimed that Russian troops had captured Alexandropol, while according to ISW estimates, as of April 2, this settlement was already under the control of the occupiers.
Russian forces have recently attacked near Toretsk itself; north of Toretsk near Dachny, Druzhba, Diliivka; northeast of Toretsk near Krymske; and west of Toretsk near Leonidivka and Romanivka.
According to the statement of the “Khortytsia” military unit, the other day Ukrainian soldiers repelled a mechanized assault in the Torets direction, in which the occupiers used at least 5 units of armored vehicles and an unspecified number of motorcycles.
Meanwhile, Mashovets believes that the Russians are currently redeploying in the Torets direction not to further attempt to advance towards Kostyantynivka, but primarily to replace exhausted and incapacitated units of the 51st Army in order to strengthen Russian positions on the left flank of the Russian salient near Elizavetivka.
Ukrainian military sources say that in the Torets direction, the occupiers are currently attacking mainly in small assault groups, without conducting mechanized tank assaults. They are also trying to bypass Ukrainian forces and avoid combat operations during their advance.
Units of the Russian 150th Motorized Rifle Division (8th Army), including its 68th and 163rd Tank Regiments and its 102nd and 103rd Motorized Rifle Regiments, units of the 20th Motorized Rifle Division, including its 242nd and 255th Motorized Rifle Regiments, and the 39th Motorized Rifle Brigade (68th Army Corps) are operating in the Torets direction.
Units of the Russian 132nd Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade (51st Motorized Rifle Brigade) have been spotted directly near Toretsk, while units of the 238th Artillery Brigade (8th Motorized Rifle Brigade), the 346th Special Forces Brigade (Main Directorate of the Russian General Staff), the 77th Motorized Rifle Regiment (probably a restored Soviet unit), and the 174th Reconnaissance Battalion (150th Motorized Rifle Division, 8th Motorized Rifle Brigade) are operating near Diliivka.
Both Russian and Ukrainian forces have recently been advancing in the hottest Pokrov direction.
Thus, Russian sources claimed that Ukrainians had recently made advances in northwestern Kotlyne and southeastern Udachne (both southwest of Pokrovsk).
And geolocation footage from April 4 captures a slight advance of Russian forces in the northern part of Shevchenko, south of Pokrovsk.
Meanwhile, the Russian Defense Ministry, without bothering to provide even minimal evidence, announced that Russian troops had captured Uspenivka (southwest of Pokrovsk). The propagandists were “adding” more “victories.” One of them announced the advance of the occupiers in the eastern part of Lysivka, which is south of Pokrovsk, and another spoke of the advance of the Russians west of Preobrazhenka towards Troitsky, from the south in the Bohdanivka area towards Troitsky, and from the side of Zaporizhzhia towards Troitsky (all southwest of Pokrovsk).
Instead, another Russian military blogger claimed that Ukrainian forces allegedly counterattacked in the Udachne-Kotlyne area.
On April 3 and 4, Russian troops advanced northeast of Pokrovsk near Tarasivka; east of Pokrovsk — Yelizavetivka, Vodyane Druge, Oleksandropil; southeast of Pokrovsk near Sukhoi Yar and Novokalinove; and southwest of Pokrovsk near Udachny, Pishchany, Preobrazhenka, Sribny, Novosergiivka, Nadiivka, Uspenivka, Zvirovoye, Novooleksandrivka, Novoandreivka, Kotlyarivka.
Units of the Russian 90th Tank Division (41st Combined Arms Army) are operating in the Pokrovsk direction, and drone operators of the Russian 33rd Motorized Rifle Regiment (20th Motorized Rifle Division, 8th Army) have been spotted near Tarasivka.
A day passed without any confirmed Russian advances in the Kurakhiv direction.
But there were enough unconfirmed “successes” of the Russian troops, at least in the reports of Russian propagandists.
Thus, military bloggers from the Russian Federation claimed that Russian troops had advanced three kilometers in the Andriyivka area (west of Kurakhovo), and had also advanced in an area up to one kilometer deep and 1.5 kilometers wide near Bagatyr (southwest of Kurakhovo). Some also reported a slight advance of the occupiers west of Rozlyva (southwest of Kurakhovo).
On April 3 and 4, Russian troops advanced west of Kurakhovo near Konstantinopol and Alekseevka and southwest of Kurakhovo near Rozlyv.
“On April 3, a Russian military blogger stated that Russian forces’ fire control over the H-15 Kurakhove – Zaporizhia highway allows Russian forces to effectively disrupt Ukraine’s ground lines of communication (GLOCs) in the area and form a bridgehead for future offensive operations,” ISW added.
Drone operators from the Russian 14th Special Forces Brigade (GRU) have been spotted near Bahatyr, and units from the Russian 15th Motorized Rifle Brigade (2nd Motorized Rifle Brigade) are operating in the Kurakhovo direction.
The Russians also had no confirmed advances in the Velikonovosilkiv direction, where they continued their attacks.
And in the imagination of Russian propagandists, the occupiers (including parts of the Russian 5th Tank Brigade) advanced near Fedorivka and Burlatske (both northwest of Velyka Novoselka) and south of Vilne Pole (west of Velyka Novoselka). One Russian military blogger claimed that Russian forces had advanced to a depth of up to 500 meters and expanded their zone of control in the area from approximately 400 meters to one kilometer near the Vilne Pole-Burlatske area.
On April 3 and 4, Russian troops advanced northwest of Velyka Novoselka near Vesely and west of Velyka Novoselka near Novoselka and Vilny Pole.
It is known that drone operators and units of the Russian 1461st Motorized Rifle Regiment, the 5th Tank Brigade, and the 14th GRU Special Forces Brigade are operating near Vilny Pole.
The Russian offensive operations continued the day before in Zaporizhia as well. Over the past two days, they have concentrated their efforts on offensive operations northwest of Robotyne near Stepovoye, Maly Shcherbaky, and Kamyanske.
Mashovets claims that on the lines Dolinka – Shcherbaki (northwest of Robotyne) and on the line Pyatikhatka – Stepove (northwest of Robotyne) the pace of the offensive of the 58th combined arms army of the Russian Federation has slowed down and Russian troops cannot advance north along the Kamyanske – Orekhov road towards the Stepove – Shcherbaki line (northwest of Robotyne). The Russian 108th Airborne Regiment (7th Division), 503rd Motorized Rifle Regiment (19th Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Army) and 70th Motorized Rifle Regiment (42nd Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Army) are operating there.
“Mashovets reported that the command of the 58th Army of the Russian Federation has transferred several battalions and drone units from the 100th Regional Defense Army to the Zaporizhia direction and is counting on reinforcements from the redeployment of Russian troops operating in the Kursk region. According to him, units of the 108th and 247th Airborne Regiments (both 7th Divisions) have already been redeployed to the west of the Zaporizhia region, and that units of the 56th Airborne Regiment (also 7th Airborne Division) may also be redeployed to strengthen Russian efforts on this sector of the front,” analysts note.
At the same time, Mashovets does not rule out that the occupiers may also transfer one marine brigade to this area – most likely the 155th (Pacific Fleet of the Russian Federation) or the 810th Marine Brigade (Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation).
The enemy’s goal on this sector of the front is to establish control over the tactical heights between Novoandriyivka and Novopavlivka (both northwest of Robotyne) in order to establish fire control on the Orikhiv – Komyshuvakha line (north and northwest of Robotyne).
On the Dnieper direction on April 3 and 4, Russian troops also continued offensive operations, but did not advance.
As a reminder, ISW previously explained what was behind the statements of Putin’s chief negotiator Kirill Dmitriev. In an interview with American media, he made several statements regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war and its end that contradicted the official Kremlin line – and did so with clear intent.
At the same time, Russia continues to prepare – and not at all until the end of the war, analysts say.
“ISW analysts drew attention to the statement of a representative of one of the Ukrainian border detachments involved in the operation in the Belgorod region that the Russian Federation may launch a large-scale offensive along the entire international border between Russia and Ukraine, including Sumy region. At the same time, the Ukrainian military currently does not notice a significant increase in the number of Russian troops or equipment, which could indicate such intentions.”
We’ve heard similar reports a few times before during this war, which turned out to be nothing. I simply can’t imagine the depleted roach army conducting such a large-scale offensive with scooters, donkeys, and Ladas.
“At the same time, Russia continues to prepare – and not at all until the end of the war, analysts say.”
As long as the bloody vampire can extract meat from his crap hole and other crap holes in the third-world, he will continue this war. Even his biggest fan, Trump, won’t stop his bloodletting.