Ukraine halts huge Russian offensive led by two armies in Donetsk region
Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system (photo: defence-ua.com)
Ukrainian forces repelled one of Russia's largest assaults in the Donetsk region on July 22. The attack lasted four hours and ended with heavy Russian losses, the 1st Corps of Ukraine's National Guard Azov reports.
Assault participants
Azov says that on July 22, Russian forces from the 8th and 41st armies, along with the 90th tank division, launched an assault in the area of responsibility of the N1st Corps. Dozens of armored vehicles and light military vehicles were involved in the attack.
The 41st Guards Combined Arms Army and the 90th Guards Vitebsk-Novgorod Tank Division advanced from the area of the settlement of Novoekonomichne.
At the same time, units of the 8th Guards Combined Arms Army moved out from the village of Vozdvyzhenka.
During four hours, Russian troops attempted to push into settlements near the village of Shakhove.
Response by Ukrainian forces
According to Azov, the Russian military attempted to deny Ukrainian control of the airspace using Gerbera and Lancet strike drones. The assault was also supported by the advanced Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system.
Troops from the National Guard's 1st Corps, Azov, together with attached units, blocked the advancing mechanized columns. Minefields and explosive barriers were laid on the approaches to Ukrainian positions, while tactical aircraft from the Ukrainian Air Force damaged bridge crossings.
Russian forces tried to restore the crossings using pontoon bridges during the assault, but those were also destroyed by Ukrainian tactical aircraft.
Ukraine repelled one of Russia's largest assaults in the Donetsk region on July 22. The attack lasted four hours and ended with heavy Russian losses pic.twitter.com/3SDVJIk8pD
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) July 25, 2026
Russian losses
Azov reports that Ukrainian forces used tube artillery, multiple launch rocket systems, and strike drones and destroyed
- 7 tanks
- 6 armored combat vehicles
- 1 BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system
- 1 Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system
- 3 pieces of specialized military equipment
- 47 light military vehicles.
A total of 123 Russian troops were eliminated, while another 29 were wounded. The mechanized assault was successfully repelled.
Defense operation members
The Russian assault was repelled through the joint efforts of units from the National Guard's 1st Corps Azov, the Security Service of Ukraine Alpha Special Operations Center, the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Ukrainian Air Force, State Border Guard Service units (including the Phoenix main unmanned systems unit), and other National Guard and Armed Forces units operating in this sector.
As previously reported, the National Guard's 1st Corps Azov is responsible for defending a key section of the front line in eastern Ukraine.
The corps previously repelled a major Russian assault near Dobropillia in October 2025, when Russian forces committed 16 pieces of heavy armored equipment to the attack, including infantry fighting vehicles, MT-LB armored personnel carriers, and tanks.
