A Wedge Driven Between Slaviansk And Kramatorsk: Ukrainian Defense Is Cracking

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In the Druzhkovka direction, Russian units are advancing toward Druzhkovka on the flanks: Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka has effectively turned into a “grey zone,” troops have consolidated in Kurtovka and cut the road to Kramatorsk in the Novoandreyevka area. In the Slaviansk direction, after the capture of Nikonorovka, Russian troops are fighting for Vasilyevskaya Pustosh and Belenkoye, while in Nikolayevka they have captured new positions in the high-rise built-up area. In Sumy region, assault groups advanced by up to 600 meters in the Khoten area. In Kharkiv region, fighting continues in the Volchansk cauldron and near Goptovka; Ukrainian units are recruiting women to replace men on defensive positions. U.S. presidential special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have brought to Kyiv updated versions of settlement documents revised in light of the breakdown of peace talks in February.

Druzhkovka direction
Units of the “Center” and “South” groupings continue to advance toward Druzhkovka on the flanks. The “Southerners” are conducting active combat operations and advancing on the Slaviansk–Kramatorsk agglomeration from the east and southeast.

Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka has effectively turned into a “grey zone” where pockets of resistance by Ukrainian units still remain; however, this has no decisive influence on the overall development of the situation. Attempts to counterattack from Druzhkovka in the northern part of Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka resulted in the Ukrainian units being defeated already at the stage of deployment; having suffered significant losses, they fell back to the northern part of Kondratovka. Dismounted attacks from there in the direction of Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka also produced no results.

Russian units have advanced on the flanks of Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka, creating the threat of its complete encirclement: they bypassed it to the south and reached Kondratovka from the south, while on the northern flank they advanced from Izhevka to Kurtovka and consolidated there.

Advance continues along the railway from Nikolayevka to Bezymyannoye, where Russian servicemen are clearing shelters in the Ukrainian fortified area.

On the adjacent flanks of both groupings, Russian troops have advanced in the forest plantations between Alekseyevo-Druzhkovka and Nikolaypolye, as well as between the latter and Raiskoye station.

Units of the “Center” are developing the offensive southwest and west of Druzhkovka. Fighting is underway for Raiskoye, Raiskoye station, and Novogrigorovka; individual groups are breaking through toward Druzhkovka itself.

The road to Druzhkovka from the direction of Andreevka and the highway to Kramatorsk have been cut in the area of Novoandreyevka and Staroandreyevka.

Southeast of Belozyorskoye a section of the highway from Dobropolye to Kramatorsk has come under Russian control. Overall, the tactics of Russian units of enveloping large settlements and pockets of Ukrainian resistance on the flanks are becoming apparent.

Slaviansk direction
The capture of Nikonorovka, located several kilometers from Slaviansk and Kramatorsk, drives an even deeper wedge into the areas defended by Ukrainian forces. This potentially complicates the transfer of reserves, reduces the depth of the defense, and forces the command of Ukrainian units to cover an increasing number of directions simultaneously. From the captured Nikonorovka to the northern outskirts of Kramatorsk two settlements remain: Vasilyevskaya Pustosh, fighting in the area of which is already underway, and Belenkoye essentially the nearest suburb.

Russian units continue to develop pressure on the northern and eastern approaches to Slaviansk and Kramatorsk. In Nikolayevka, Russian assault groups have captured new positions in the high-rise built-up area of the eastern part of the settlement and in the private sector in the southern part. Consolidation is underway. There is progress northwest of Orekhovatka. Positional fighting continues in the village itself. The Ukrainian side confirms the tactical successes of Russian units on this sector.

Sumy direction

Assault units of the “North” grouping continue successful offensive operations on all sectors in Sumy region. The Ukrainian side is increasing its drone grouping in the hope of stopping the advance.

Russian aviation, artillery, and drone crews struck concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in the areas of Trostyanets, Shostka, Radkovka, Khoten, Krovnoye, Stetskovka, Volnaya Sloboda, Stanichnoye, and Turya.

In the Sumy district, Russian assault troops advanced in the Khoten area. Overall advance for the day amounted to up to 600 meters.

In the area of Velikaya Rybitsa, servicemen of the 21st Separate Mechanized Brigade, due to a lack of coordination in command, exchanged fire with their own comrades who had arrived for rotation.

In the Shostka district, Russian servicemen advanced in the forest plantations near Ulanovo and took three Ukrainian servicemen prisoner.

Kharkiv direction
High intensity of fighting is maintained on virtually all sectors of the front in Kharkiv region. Ukrainian units are attempting at all costs to break the encirclement in the northeast of the region.

To man assault groups the Ukrainian command is drawing on all available forces. Cases have been noted of border service detachments consisting of women arriving on defensive positions to replace men who had been sent to assault groups.

Aerospace Forces aviation and strike drone crews hit concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in the areas of Zolochev, Tsupovka, Russkiye Tishki, Vishnyovoye, Novoaleksandrovka, Prikolotnoye, Yuryevka, Maly Burluk, Reznikovo, Novouzhvinovka, Solontsevka, Udy, Grigoryevka, Gnilitsa, Ploskoye, Tsirkuny, Mezenovka, and Muravskoye.

In the Liptsy direction, assault groups are fighting fierce battles in the Goptovka area.

In the Volchansk direction, Russian units are conducting small-arms fighting in the area of Malaya Volchya.

In the Velikiy Burluk direction, Ukrainian units are replenishing assault groups of the 425th Separate Assault Regiment in order to break the encirclement ring. Aviation is working against concentrations of personnel.

Conclusion
In the Druzhkovka, Slaviansk–Kramatorsk, Sumy, and Kharkiv directions, Russian units continue offensive operations, retaining the initiative and gradually expanding their zones of control. The Ukrainian side is offering stubborn resistance, attempting counterattacks, transferring reserves, and increasing the use of drones, yet its ability to stabilize the defense is limited. The most significant successes have been achieved in the Druzhkovka and Slaviansk–Kramatorsk directions, where Russian troops are advancing toward Druzhkovka, cutting logistics routes, and driving a wedge between Slaviansk and Kramatorsk. In Sumy and Kharkiv regions the offensive continues despite active opposition by Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and attempts to break the encirclement.

U.S. presidential special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have brought updated versions of settlement documents to talks with Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the Financial Times, they were revised in light of the situation that developed after the breakdown of peace talks in February. The two Trump envoys arrived in Kyiv with a limited number of new ideas aimed at resuming dialogue on the basis of previously advanced initiatives and reducing disagreements between Moscow and Kyiv. Ukrainian participants in the talks, unlike the envoys, doubt that the conflict can be ended before winter. After the meeting Witkoff stated that during his visit to Moscow he had heard new ideas on a Ukrainian settlement and that significant progress had been made in the talks. Kushner, for his part, reported that Washington was working on forming a “peace package.”