Large frontline summary 25 February - 3 March 2025
Report by Marat Khairullin with illustrations by Mikhail Popov. (Also some other maps.)
While everyone is observing the turbulence in global politics, the Russian Army continues to liberate our territories. Yes, our country is open to negotiations, as the President has repeatedly stated, but only on our terms. The best reinforcement of our position is the situation on the ground. And on the ground, for the past year and a half, the Russian Armed Forces have been steadily advancing.
Of course, some will inevitably ask: what about the Kursk region? But what have the Ukrainians achieved by starting this reckless adventure? After losing a significant amount of equipment and suffering enormous casualties in manpower (which they once had for better use), while weakening other sections of the front, they now find themselves in a situation where they cannot stay, nor can they leave. The decision of where to place the comma in this dilemma is entirely out of their hands.
Recently, Pogrebki, Orlovka, Marievka, Novaya Sorochina, and the Nikolsky farmstead have been liberated. Our forces have secured positions in Lebedevka, with prospects of advancing towards Kazachya Loknya, which would disrupt logistics for the territories north of it.
Assault operations have begun in the area of Malaya Loknya, which was approached from the north and west. Gradually, the main supply route for the Ukrainians, Yunakovka-Sudzha, is coming under fire control. The Russian Armed Forces are approaching this route not only within the Kursk region but also in the Sumy region, where they entered after liberating Sverdlikovo and advancing through the adjacent forest area towards the settlement of Novenkoe. Additionally, the enemy has been pushed out of the settlement of Zhuravka in the Sumy Oblast. The expansion of our control along the borders is forcing the enemy to redistribute their forces, stretching them thin.
On the Kupyansk front, the Russian Armed Forces continue to expand the bridgehead in the area of Topoli (Topoly), creating conditions for further advancement into the enemy's defensive depth. In the areas of Figolovka and Dvurechnaya, the enemy is pulling up reserves, attempting to hold their positions. From the direction of Kutkovka, the AFU attempted counterattacks, but it was our fighters who achieved progress during their repulsion. It is in the Kutkovka area that the enemy had established fortifications after our forces formed bridgeheads on the right bank of the Oskol, which are now being dismantled by our troops.
Russian Army units have also reached the outskirts of Kondrashovka (Kondrashevka), through which a key route north of Kupyansk passes. In the Golubovka (Holubovka) area, the forested area on the left bank of the Oskol is being cleared. (Both are north of Kupyansk on the map below.)
All of this collectively poses a threat not only to Kupyansk itself but also to the rear of the AFU's Kharkov grouping.
Fighting continues in the area of Stepovaya Novosyolka, where the tree lines north of the settlement have been cleared. The zone of control has been expanded in the Zagryzovo area.
On the Liman front, recent advances have been made in the Makeevka area, expanding control north of the settlement. Efforts are underway to push the enemy out of strongholds in the direction of Grekovka (Hrekovka, northwest of Makeevka on the map below). Novolyubovka has been liberated, allowing the bridgeheads on the right bank of the Zherebets River to be connected into a single whole. Consolidation of positions and control over supply routes in the Novosadovoe and Kolodezi (Kolodyazi) areas is ongoing, limiting the enemy's maneuverability. Additionally, progress has been made towards the settlement of Mirnoye, capturing several enemy strongholds.
In the Yampolovka area, control has been established over the adjacent nature reserve, and the enemy is being pushed out of the nearby Yampolovsky forest. According to some reports, the AFU is already withdrawing its forces from there towards the Torskoye area. Thus, pressure is mounting on the Torskoye-Zarechnoye fortified area, which covers the approach to Liman and plays a significant role in the stability of the AFU in the Kremensky forests.
In the near future, the defensive nodes of Pokrovsk, Chasov Yar-Konstantinovka, and Slavyansk-Kramatorsk are likely to be split.
The Russian Armed Forces are attempting to gain control over the Tarasovka-Romanovka section, launching strikes from Tarasovka and west of Leonidovka. Most likely, our forces will advance towards the southern borders of Konstantinovka from two sides, isolating the Toretsk sector from other defensive nodes.
On the Pokrovsk front, heavy fighting is ongoing in the Kotlino (Kotlyne) and Udachnoe areas. Our troops are reorganizing the defensive line and pulling up reserves to prevent further enemy advances, as the enemy is transferring the remnants of their elite units to this direction. Despite some local successes by the enemy near Pokrovsk itself, the overall situation for them is becoming critical. Our forces continue to exert pressure on the southern sector towards Novopavlovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), as well as in the Andreevka-Alekseevka-Konstantinopol area. The 114th Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces took control of the settlement of Andreevka, installing a flag in the settlement to confirm this.
In the Velikaya Novosyolka (Velyka Novosilka) sector, Burlatskoe and Skudnoe have been taken. Reports are coming in about the clearing of Privolnoye and the retreat of the AFU to Volnoye Pole.
West of Burlatskoe, our troops have advanced, clearing enemy strongpoints in the fields and creating opportunities to approach Volnoye Pole not only from Privolnoye but also from the north, outflanking the defensive structures and securing the flank for further advances towards the key logistics hub of Shevchenko.
The offensive is also developing northward along the Mokrye Yaly River towards the settlement of Veseloe. On the eastern bank of the river, fighting is ongoing in the vicinity of the Dneproenergiya settlement.
Looking ahead, this movement is also directed towards Novopavlovka in the Dnepropetrovsk region. Most likely, with a further advance towards the settlement of Mezhevaya, as part of the encirclement of the Pokrovsk-Mirnograd agglomeration.
In addition, the Zaporozhye front along the Lugovoe (Luhovoe)-Nesteryanka line appears to be coming to life.
Appreciate all your efforts, Marat and Mikhail!
No sleep till Slavyansk!