Brief Frontline Report – May 31, 2025
Report by Marat Khairullin with illustrations by Mikhail Popov.
Sumy Direction
From the Russian Ministry of Defense report: Units of the "North" military group, through decisive actions, have liberated the settlement of Vodolaghi in Sumy Oblast.
The village of Vodolaghi is located 2 km from the Russian border, with a population of approximately 200. The Vladimirovka-Belovody rocade (lateral road, parallel to the front) runs through the village, which is now fully under the control of the Russian Armed Forces.
After eliminating an Armed Forces of Ukraine stronghold that was behind AFU lines, the command of the Russian Armed Forces group will likely employ the proven "swing" tactic. By alternating strikes on different sectors—Loknya-Yunakovka, Belovody-Yablonovka, Vodolaghi-Novonikolaevka, Vladimirovka-Alekseevka, as well as potentially in the center at Oleshnya-Yunakovka and Gornal-Miropolye (“Gornal” spelled “Hornal” on the map, and Miropolye is not translated. Look southwest of Guevo for these two settlements.)—they will destabilize the enemy's defenses, forcing them to maneuver along the line of combat contact. This will allow the Russian forces to destroy the enemy during maneuvers, exhaust them, and then advance on key high ground and critical sectors to drive wedges into their defenses. Subsequently, by widening the flanks, these wedges will be connected into a consolidated line. This tactic has been observed since the beginning of the buffer zone's creation in this direction.
South Donetsk Direction
From the Russian Ministry of Defense report: Servicemen of the "East" Group have liberated the settlement of Novopol in the DPR.
On 28.05.25, our forces liberated the settlement of Zelenoe Pole. At that time, we suggested that the next objective of the Russian Armed Forces would be the AFU fortified area in Temirovka, located on the demarcation line between the Donetsk and Zaporozhye sectors.
To secure this objective, it was necessary to take control of Novopol, located to the south. Control over Novopol allows access, via the V. Novosyolka-Gulyai Pole (Hulyaipole) rocade, to the commanding heights of the area, with an advance toward the right flank of the AFU's Temirovka defensive zone.
These actions alleviate pressure on our forces in the Shevchenko settlement area, forcing the enemy to redeploy their units from there to the Temirovka sector and increasing their burden further west, in the Gulyai Pole-Temirovka sector. The AFU will need to take measures to contain the Russian Armed Forces' advance along the rocade toward Novoivanovka.
Securing Novoivanovka would give the Russian Armed Forces an advantage in fire control over the Yanchul River valley, where the Solenaya River tributary flows into it. This advantage threatens the rear of the AFU's Olgovskoye-Poltavka defensive area.
As for which of the two objectives—Temirovka or Novoivanovka—will take priority, this depends on the operational situation and the intent of the Russian General Staff (which, of course, we do not know). We will see in the near future...
Победа "НовоРоссии”!!
Thanks for your great work Marat!
We've shared the link on our daily report.
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