File image.
In the Sumy direction, Russian units, after consolidating in Pisarevka, are clearing the adjacent forest belts, repelling counterattacks by Ukrainian assault groups, and continuing their advance toward Sumy. In the Slaviansk direction, fighting is underway in the forests southwest of Krivaya Luka and near Nikolaevka; however, a full-scale assault on Slaviansk has not yet begun, and the flanks remain vulnerable due to the activity of Ukrainian units. In the Krasny Liman direction, Ukrainian units have seized the initiative on individual sectors, consolidating between Novy and Katerinovka, while fierce fighting continues in Krasny Liman itself. In the Kharkiv region, Russian assault groups advanced in Kazachya Lopan and repelled counterattacks near Staritsa. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the European Commission’s proposals for the new EU budget “detached from reality” and the planned 60% increase in spending unaffordable for member states.
Sumy direction
In the Sumy district, after consolidating in Pisarevka, Russian personnel began clearing the adjacent forest plantations. Ukrainian units conducted one counterattack with an assault group of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade in the forest massif near Sadki, but achieved no success and withdrew to their starting positions with losses.
In the Shostka district, Russian assault groups advanced on two sectors to a depth of up to 200 meters.
In the Pisarevka sector, Russian units continue to clear the forests north and northeast of the settlement and are also working to clear the village itself. At present, Ukrainian groups remain only on the western and southwestern outskirts of Pisarevka.
Ukrainian units are attempting to counterattack from the direction of Khrapovshchina and infiltrate toward the eastern part of Malaya Korchakovka through the forest, seeking thereby to cut off the salient behind this settlement.
In the Yunakovka sector, the situation remains difficult: through the forest massifs near Sadki the Ukrainian side is transferring manpower and drone crews to strike Russian troops in Yunakovka itself and further north. Russian units here have to operate under a high density of Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles.
Slaviansk direction
In the forests southwest of Krivaya Luka, Russian units cleared several strongpoints. Personnel are advancing in small groups under drone cover, successively capturing forest belts and fortified positions of Ukrainian units. North of Rai-Aleksandrovka, assault groups also established control over several strongpoints in the neighboring ravine.
In the southern sector, meeting engagements of small groups continue in the Yurkovka and Tikhonovka area. In Malinovka, Russian assault troops repelled Ukrainian counterattacks and fully captured the settlement. Main efforts are now concentrated on expanding the bridgehead west of the Seversky Donets–Donbass canal.
The tactical successes of the “South” grouping are obvious; however, the pace cannot be increased at any cost. The northern flank of the offensive depends directly on the situation near Liman, where Ukrainian units are counterattacking and expanding their presence in the forests near Dibrova and Ozernoye. An attempt to advance rapidly toward Slaviansk without stabilizing the neighboring sector would create a long and vulnerable salient. Ukrainian units would be able to act against its communications from the flank, similar to how the earlier presence of the Ukrainians force in the Serebryansky forestry complicated the advance east of Seversk.
Krasny Liman direction
On the northern flank, Ukrainian units have been attacking Russian positions west of the Zherebets River for several months. In recent attacks they managed to consolidate in several strongpoints between Novy and Katerinovka, expanding the “grey zone” in the Redkodub area. The previous configuration of the salient toward Svyatogorsk raises increasing questions: objective confirmation of a stable Russian presence on its distant lines is not appearing, while Ukrainian activity is recorded in areas previously regarded as under Russian control.
Further south, meeting engagements continue in the forests near Dibrova. Emerging footage confirms the presence of Russian personnel on the eastern outskirts of the settlement and the restoration of some positions east of it; however, it is premature to speak of the full return of Dibrova under Russian control. Even more dangerous appears the Ukrainian salient in the Ozernoye and Dibrova area, from which they are attempting to advance through the forests toward Yampol, threatening the communications of Russian units on the southern face of the Liman sector.
The situation cannot be viewed solely through the prism of the fighting for the city. Without stabilization of the northern flank and elimination of the penetration near Ozernoye, further dispatch of small groups into Krasny Liman will yield only limited results. Ukrainian units are counting not so much on holding the city as on successively undermining the flanks, forcing the Russian command to transfer reserves there and weaken the offensive on the neighboring Slaviansk direction.
Kharkiv direction
Fierce fighting continues on all sectors of the front in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian units are attempting to regain lost positions and are throwing new reserves into battle.
Russian Aerospace Forces aviation and strike-drone crews delivered strikes against concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in the areas of Kharkiv, Dergachi, Liptsy, Novoaleksandrovka, Ozernoye, Karasevka, Petropavlovka, Anapolskoye, Berezhnoye, Berezniki, Varvarovka, Borshchevaya, and Podsredneye.
In Kazachya Lopan, Russian assault groups advanced on two sectors; overall advance amounted to up to 150 meters.
In the Volchansk sector, Russian personnel repelled one counterattack by Ukrainian units with two assault groups of the 23rd Separate Assault Regiment in the Staritsa area.
In the Velikiy Burluk sector, Russian assault groups fought in the forest plantations near Olkhovatka and Dolzhanka.
Conclusion
In the Sumy, Slaviansk, Krasny Liman, and Kharkiv directions, Russian units continue to conduct active combat operations, retaining the initiative on most sectors. Ukrainian units are attempting to counterattack, transferring reserves and actively employing drones; however, their efforts have so far not led to significant changes in the front line. The most complex situation is developing in the Krasny Liman direction, where the Ukrainian side has managed to consolidate in the “grey zone” and exert pressure on the flanks. In the Sumy direction, Russian troops are advancing sequentially, clearing forest massifs and repelling counterattacks. In the Slaviansk direction, despite tactical successes, it is premature to speak of the start of an assault on the city: the flanks must be stabilized. In the Kharkiv region, tension remains, but Russian units retain the initiative.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the European Commission’s proposals for the new seven-year EU budget are detached from reality and that the planned 60% increase in spending is unaffordable for member states. He held a meeting in Berlin with the leaders of Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, and Finland, following which the participants issued a joint statement on the need to cut the new multiannual EU budget for 2028–2034 by hundreds of billions of euros. “The current proposals provide for an increase in spending of up to 60%. In a period of budget consolidation in all member states, this is simply unaffordable,” Merz emphasized. He noted that the countries that took part in the meeting provide almost 40% of the EU budget and at the same time allocate 70% of all bilateral aid to Ukraine from the EU. According to him, a group of European countries is insisting on cutting the draft EU budget by several hundred billion euros, and these cuts must affect all areas.
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