Ukrainian Forces' сounteroffensive: ISW reports on successes and operational specifics
Ukrainian Military (Photo: Vitalii Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reckon that Ukrainian troops continued their counteroffensive actions on at least three frontlines, making advancements, particularly achieving tactically important gains in the area near Bakhmut. Notably, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have significantly depleted the strength of Russian occupiers through their operations.
Experts pointed out that geolocated imagery published on July 25th showcased the Ukrainian Defense Forces' tactical achievements to the south of Klyshchyivka (7 km southwest of Bakhmut).
According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the soldiers conducted offensive operations in the following directions:
- Bakhmut sector,
- Melitopol sector (western Zaporizhzhia region),
- Berdiansk sector (border area of Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions).
Ukrainian sources reported that their troops advanced 750 meters towards Staromykhailivka (9 km south of Velyka Novosilka), while Russian sources claimed that the Ukrainian Armed Forces made slight progress west of Orikhove.
Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Hanna Maliar, stated that Russian forces suffered eight times more personnel losses in the Bakhmut area and 5.3 times more losses in the Berdiansk and Melitopol sectors.
ISW emphasized that Ukrainian counteroffensive operations are aimed at creating an asymmetric exhaustion gradient, preserving Ukrainian manpower by adopting slower territorial advancements and gradual attrition of Russian Armed Forces personnel and equipment.
Key highlights:
- Russian dictator Vladimir Putin expressed concerns about potential threats posed by the Wagner Group and its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, during the impromptu extension of self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's visit to St. Petersburg. Lukashenko is likely seeking to leverage his influence over the Wagner Group to gain concessions from Putin.
- The Russian leadership is attempting to fill the security void left by the departure of the Wagner Group by establishing formalized but decentralized military "enterprises" based on federal subjects (regions).
- On the night of July 25th, Russia conducted another series of drone strikes ("Shakhed") on Ukrainian rear areas.
- The "Club of Angry Patriots" continues its efforts to portray war criminal and former Russian officer Igor Girkin (Strelkov) as an "opposition figure" and may be trying to appeal to Putin by highlighting the illegality of Girkin's arrest.
- Reports indicate that Putin and the Kremlin were unable to respond promptly to the Wagner Group's coup attempt on June 24th, leaving decisions regarding the mercenaries' advance on Moscow to local Russian officials.
- Russian forces conducted offensive operations in the areas of Svatove, Kreminna, Bakhmut, Avdiivka - Donetsk, along the administrative border between Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, and claimed advances in the areas of Svatove, Kreminna, and Bakhmut.
- Ukrainian forces conducted offensive actions in the areas of Kreminna, Bakhmut, Avdiivka - Donetsk, along the administrative border between Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, and made advancements in the Bakhmut area and certain sections along the administrative border between Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, west of Orikhove.
- Representatives of U.S. intelligence warned on July 25th that Russian drone deliveries would significantly increase due to ongoing Russian-Iranian cooperation.
- Russian officials continue efforts to rectify legal inconsistencies concerning the "annexation" of occupied Ukrainian territories.
Situation on the frontlines and the Ukrainian Armed Forces' counteroffensive actions
In the morning summary on July 25th, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that our soldiers continue to advance in the Bakhmut direction. Consequently, Russian occupiers have withdrawn from positions in the Andriivka area of the Donetsk region.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian Armed Forces achieved success in the Staromykhailivka area of the Donetsk region, advancing 500 meters along the frontline. The defensive forces are consolidating their positions at the achieved frontlines.
It is worth noting that Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar recently presented ten unique facts about our liberation war. Additionally, the Ukrainian military disproved one of the postulates of military science regarding the necessity of numerical superiority in personnel and equipment during an offensive.
