Military Overview: Russia's Flanking Strikes And Ukrainian Counterattacks in Sumy RegionSouth Front

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The ongoing Russian summer offensive has prepared extremely unpleasant surprises for the AFU command: Ukranian bridgehead in the Kursk region has been practically destroyed, Volchansk, forgotten by military analysts for many months, has reminded itself of the defeat of the Kiev’s nazi battalion, and the Southern Donetsk direction is clearly ‘cracking at the seams’. The only stable node of Ukrainian defense remains near Toretsk.

In the Sumy direction, the Russian grouping is trying to break the AFU’s defensive orders with dissecting strikes. The main directions are Kondratovka, Alekseevka, Varachino, Yablonovka and Yunakovka. The Ukranian troops, in turn, are attempting to carry out counterattacks. Thus, in the battles near Alekseevka, the participation of the ‘Rhinos Group’, a special unit of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (not previously seen in this direction), was noted. In addition, AFU’s units are also seeking to regain lost positions in Tetkino. Aviation, artillery and unmanned aerial vehicles are being actively used.

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When 1,500kg bombs hit: This is what Russian air dominance looks like in Sumy region

Ukrainian forces come under fire during troop rotation as Russian multiple rocket launchers strike near Shostka

For the first time in a long while, Russian units have advanced in Vovchansk (Kharkiv direction). After methodical fire preparation on the southern bank of the Vovcha River, they managed to cross the water obstacle and entrenched themselves in the southern part of the settlement. Of critical importance for the RAF was the destruction of a fortified area held by the nazi formation ‘Kraken’ on the premises of the Vovchansk Oil Extraction Plant, which served as a key defensive node for the AFU in the city. The facility’s territory has been fully secured, with clearing operations ongoing under active support from aviation, artillery, and UAV operators suppressing enemy counterattacks.

In the Velykyi Burluk direction, the AFU launched several unsuccessful counterattacks using redeployed reserves. Russian forces advanced in wooded areas near the village of Melove and are consolidating their positions.

Russian forces repelled a counterattack and eliminated an AFU assault group

Ukrainian units continue to hold a pocket near Toretsk in the Kostiantynivka direction. The RAF are actively attacking on the flanks (Dyleivka and Dachne from the east; Katerynivka, Leonidivka, and Shcherbynivka from the west), yet no significant advances have been reported. The UAF’s resilience in this sector allows them to prepare defensive positions around Kostiantynivka. Meanwhile, the situation near Oleksandro-Kalynove and Yablunivka is described as critical for Ukrainian forces, with a tendency to deteriorate. Notable successes have been achieved by the Russian ‘Typhoon’ unit (Center for advanced drone technologies ‘Rubicon’).

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The new air war: Russian fpv-drones successfully targeting Ukraine’s makeshift heavy UAVs

Russian forces in the Pokrovsk direction appear to be continuing their operational plan to encircle the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad agglomeration. After crossing the Kazennyi Torets river and establishing control over Razino, they proceeded to advance strictly westward rather than southward, avoiding heavy fighting in the direction of Myrnohrad. Meanwhile, the AFU have managed to establish stable defenses on the western flank. Despite this, Russian forces were reported to have made advancements near Udachnoye and Novoukrainka

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Russian drone teams demonstrate growing tactical precision in Pokrovsk sector

In an effort to stabilize the situation in the Novopavlivka direction, Ukrainian forces are conducting counterattacks. This includes assault operations by National Guard units on the western outskirts of Novosergeevka. Russian units continue working to create conditions for advancing toward Novopavlivka—over the past 24 hours, they have made attempts to establish control in the Kotlyarivka area to create a bridgehead.

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In the Southern Donetsk direction, the Russian ‘Vostok’ grouping continues to build on its successes, advancing primarily along the highway H-15. Assault elements of the Russian Armed Forces’ 36th Motorized Rifle Brigade have secured Novokhatske. This marks the sixth settlement captured by them in this area over the past month: the breakthrough began with Zaporizhia (Donbas—not to be confused with the capital of Zaporizhzhia region), followed by Yalta, Perebudove, Chervona Zirka, Poddubne, and Tolstoy. According to the Russian MoD, approximately 100 structures have been cleared of Ukrainian forces, with the ‘Vostok’ troop grouping advancing over a total area exceeding six square kilometers. During the fighting, roughly a company’s worth of Ukrainian servicemen were eliminated.

Thus, it looks like the Russian Armed Forces commanders are trying to disperse their efforts in several directions that are not always geographically connected (Southern Donetsk, Toretsk and Sumy). This is an attempt to probe the weakest points in the Ukrainian defense.

In the current conditions, Moscow will probably not be able to achieve full control over the territory of Donbass in the short term. This is evidenced by the rather low rates of advance and the AFU’s control over key population centers, which are at the same time major defense nodes.

In this context, it seems logical to seek to break through the Ukrainian defensive lines in areas that are less prepared in terms of engineering. Such areas are currently likely to include the Southern Donetsk and Sumy directions. The latter, in addition to its image importance, is of military significance for the Russian Armed Forces: the destruction of a large AFU group (its manpower and equipment) will make it possible to reduce the military potential of the Ukrainian state in the conditions of protracted mobilization, which the society does not approve of.

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