Brief Frontline Report – June 25, 2025

Report by Marat Khairullin with illustrations by Mikhail Popov.

From the Russian Ministry of Defense report: Units of the "East" Group, through decisive actions, have liberated the settlement of Yalta in the Donetsk People's Republic. (Marked by a Russian flag on the map.)

ЛБС=Line of Combat Contact

The Russian Armed Forces continue to destroy the forward defensive node of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the interfluve between the Volchya and Mokrye Yaly rivers. Following the liberation of the village of Yalta, only one AFU stronghold remains in this triangle—the village of Zvezda (Ukrainia: Zirka).

ЛБС=Line of Combat Contact. Продвижение после предыдущей сводки=Progress since the previous summary. Граница областей=Oblast Border*.

The destruction of this node will significantly facilitate the task of expanding the bridgehead on the left bank of the Mokrye Yaly River (Мокрые Ялы - in blue text next to Zvezda) advancing Russian Armed Forces units to the line Mirnoye (K. Marx) - Tolstoy. (Note: In this case, the left bank is the west bank, as the Mokrye Yaly flows north into the Volchya.)

Simultaneously, strong pressure is being applied to the enemy from the north (the settlement of Novosergeevka has been half cleared) and from the south, toward the settlements of Shevchenko-Maliyevka-Voskresenka.

The enemy, recognizing the danger of the situation, attempted to counterattack in the area of Perestroika and from Voskresenka toward the village of Fyodorovka (Fedorovka). They were halted, partially destroyed, and forced to retreat to their initial positions.

In the first half of June, the Russian Armed Forces actively pushed forward on the right flank of the Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) sector of the Donetsk direction, while the second half of June has seen significant successes on the left flank of this sector.

The Russian "meat grinder," operating in "demilitarization" mode, is methodically and inexorably grinding the AFU into the very substance that proves useful in agriculture.

Translation Note: When Russian is written by hand, the "г" (when typed) looks like a backward "S," and the "и" looks like our "u." Also, the typed Russian "т" looks like a western "m" when it is written by hand. Lastly, the "д" turns into something that looks like a "d." Hopefully, this helps if some of the symbols seem unfamiliar to you!

Here's a bit of extra info for the Substack subscribers. Some have asked about the labels on the “flags” with numbers and letters. Those are referencing the locations of military units. If you are curious:

- ОА – combined arms army,
- гв. – Guards (This is an honorary title given to units who have shown distinction in duty.),
- о. – separate (independent),
- бр. – brigade,
- д. – division,
- п. – regiment,
- б. – battalion,
- м. – motorized,
- мс. (mid-text) – motor rifle (motorized infantry),
- мп. (end of text) – naval infantry (marines),
- ш. – assault,
- ег. – jäger (light infantry),
- мс – motor rifle (motorized rifle),
- с. – rifle,
- дш. – air assault,
- вд. – airborne,
- пд. – parachute assault,
- ТрО. – territorial defense,
- СпН. – special purpose (Spetsnaz),
- ОсН – special designation...

Examples:
- 32 омсбр – 32nd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade,
- 117 гв. вдп – 117th Guards Airborne Regiment,
- 3 мб 150 омбр – 3rd Mechanized Battalion, 150th Separate Mechanized Brigade,
- 355 обрмп – 355th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade,
- 150 омпбр – 150th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade.

Unit type flags (shapes indicate unit size):
- Triangular – battalion,
- Rectangular – regiment,
- Pennant (slanted rectangle) – brigade,
- M-shaped flag – division.