Comprehensive Battlefront Breakdown: A Strategic Look at Every Front

Today, we will discuss the most interesting developments along the entire front line, focusing on Borova, Liman, Kostiantynivka, and Kurakhove.

Beginning with the Borova sector, Ukrainian forces continued their counteroffensive, making deliberate gains to disrupt Russia’s operational plans for the coming months. 

Russian troops have been attempting to expand a narrow bridgehead across the Zherebets River, intending to use it as a launching pad for an eventual push toward Borova and Lyman. Understanding the value of this position, Ukrainian forces have concentrated efforts on collapsing it before it can be reinforced. Recent footage shows the effective use of drones, artillery, and tanks, to soften up enemy positions and gradually retake ground through heavily supported infantry assaults. 

In response, Russian commanders ordered a hasty all-infantry assault across the entire frontline held by the Ukrainian Third Assault Brigade. With no time to coordinate properly or establish armored support, Russian troops suffered devastating losses. Ukrainian defenders, operating from fortified terrain and with overwhelming drone coverage, eliminated half a battalion in a single day. 

Over a week, Russian losses grew to an entire battalion as repeated attempts to reclaim lost ground were repelled with heavy casualties. FPV drones, aerial surveillance, and artillery worked together to trap and eliminate exposed Russian infantry as they attempted to regroup or retreat.

Switching to Liman, Russian forces have shifted tactics in response to their inability to break through Ukrainian defenses in a direct assault. Unable to outmatch the Third Assault Brigade head-on, they have begun an outflanking maneuver from the south, attempting to push through via their Ivanivka bridgehead. This move is designed to stretch and hit Ukrainian lines from a new axis, but it has come at a steep cost.

To reach Ukrainian positions, Russian troops must first cross the Zherebets River, a task made deadly by limited crossing points and constant Ukrainian fire. Poorly trained Russian soldiers were initially reluctant to charge across these kill zones, leading to a stalled Russian effort. However, in response, Russian commanders began deploying drones as barrier troops, threatening their men with strikes if they refused to move. This intimidation is the only reason Russian units have made limited progress from the bridgehead. Despite this, Russian advances remain costly and unsustainable. The Ukrainians are inflicting the enemy massive casualties, with hundreds of Russian troops lost in recent days and dozens more reportedly eliminated by their own side for disobedience.

In the direction of Kostiantynivka, Russian forces have made minor advances, pushing slightly northward from Avdiivka toward Kalynove, and east of Druzhba, near Toretsk. These movements appear cautious and limited, raising questions about whether they are simply probing Ukrainian lines or setting the stage for a broader offensive aimed at outflanking Ukrainian defenses from the south.

Although Russian plans for a summer push toward Kostiantynivka are well-known, it remains too early to say for sure if the recent movements are part of the first phase of the Russian summer campaign, or a tactical adjustment to bypass Toretsk altogether. Due to difficulties at Toretsk, Russian commanders would likely prefer to go around to meet the deadlines for their summer offensive preparations. However, abandoning their efforts at Toretsk would allow Ukrainians to recapture the town fully, creating a large launching pad for Ukrainian counterattacks into the Russian interior, as Russians will be forced to overstretch their forces for as long as Toretsk stands. 

Switching to Kurakhove, Russian forces continue to struggle in their push toward Kostiantynopil. Following the destruction of a massive, mechanized assault near Andriivka, a second attempt to break through at Kostiantynopil met a similar fate. Despite throwing additional manpower and armor, the results have been devastating, with minimal gains and significant losses.

Meanwhile, the Russian offensive into Rozlyv, though costly, yielded some success, after their troops managed to seize control of the village, while the outer ring of houses remains contested due to Ukrainian fire from surrounding positions. Emboldened by this breakthrough, Russian forces have now launched another assault toward the Donetsk–Zaporizhia highway, aiming to cut off Ukrainian defenders in Kostiantynopil and force a withdrawal. However, this new advance lacks cover or defensive positions, as Russian units have only managed to seize control of a gas station, which is unlikely to provide lasting protection under sustained Ukrainian fire.

Overall, in Borova, the Ukrainians continue their counteroffensive to push the Russians back across the Zherebets River and cripple their bridgehead. Meanwhile, at Liman, Russians are trying to outflank the Ukrainian defense with limited success despite using drones as barrier troops. 

At Kostiantynivka, under precise Ukrainian fire, Russian forces are trying to break the stalemate and bypass Toretsk, where their reserves have been eliminated gradually. 

At Kurakhove, Russian assaults continue, and despite some territorial gains, the Russian advances do not match the large number of losses they are taking.