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| Northeast Donetsk Oblast campaign | |||||||
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| Part of theLuhansk Oblast campaign andeastern front of theRussian invasion of Ukraine | |||||||
.png) Ukrainian81st Airmobile Brigade during the fighting forBilohorivka, 2025 | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Russia | Ukraine | ||||||
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| Order of battle | Order of battle | ||||||
As part of the ongoingRussia-Ukraine war, military operations have taken place in the northeastern part of theDonetsk Oblast, on two fronts which are referred to as theLyman front and theSiversk front after the nearby cities ofLyman andSiversk. Russian forces established a bridgehead over theZherebets River in early January 2025, which was speculated by Ukrainian officials and Western analysts to be part of an attempt to capture Lyman.
FollowingUkraine's counteroffensive in the east in 2022, Russia failed its initial objective of encircling northern Donetsk Oblast, as its salient in easternKharkiv Oblast collapsed and the strategic cities ofLyman andSviatohirsk were recaptured;[1][2] this forced Russian forces to pull back towardsLuhansk Oblast. Following this withdrawal, the frontline began to stall and remained along the western border of Luhansk Oblast throughout the rest of 2022 and 2023 until offensive operations in Donetsk Oblast restarted in late 2024.[citation needed]
By November 2024, Russian forces had begun efforts to capture the villages ofTerny andYampolivka [uk], but their attempts were repelled by the forces of Ukraine's60th Mechanized Brigade.[3]
On 26 December, it was claimed in Russian media that Russian forces had taken control of up to 40% of the village of Terny.[4] On 28 December, Russian forces conducted a mechanized assault against the positions of Ukraine's 60th Brigade on the Lyman front for the first time in about a month, though daily infantry assaults had continued during that period.[5][6] However, they failed to advance as their logistics were poor and the open fields surrounding Terny exposed Russian movements, leading to them being detected by a Ukrainian reconnaissance drone.[7] Russian sources claimed to be in control of 90% of Terny on 31 December.[8]
Russian sources asserted on 2 January that Russian troops made gains in southern Terny.[9] By 5 January, Ukrainian forces had successfully recaptured positions in central Terny.[10][11]
On 14 January 2025, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed its forces had taken Terny.[12] TheInstitute for the Study of War (ISW) was unable to confirm Russian control over Terny until geolocated footage published on 18 and 19 January indicated that Russian forces had seized the village.[13]
On 1 May, Russian forces advanced to Pivnichna Street in northernTorske, which is east of Lyman.[14]
On 21 April, Ukrainian military observer Oleksandr Kovalenko gave a brief frontline prognosis and stated that, "If anyone is hoping that Russian occupation forces will agree to a "ceasefire" or a reduction in the intensity of combat operations – these are just fantasies and nothing more." This also meant that despite the "Easter Truce", the truce was meant to be an interim phase to create conditions for further escalation along the Lyman-Kupyansk direction. Ukrainian officials also claimed that the goal was to divert forces from Donetsk region, where Russian forces have concentrated the 8th Combined Arms Army and a part of the 51st Combined Arms Army.[15] Russian forces also reportedly used the truce to regroup and launch an large-scale infantry assault shortly after the end of the truce. Blyshchyk stated that, " A few hours after Putin announced the ceasefire, our positions came under massive artillery fire." He also claimed that Russian forces exploited the lull to reposition units and prepared for renewed assaults during the truce.[16] Ukrainian officials claimed that on victory day on 9 May, Russian forces would potentially attack the Lyman axis and that the Russia have amassed forces near the city of Lyman and preparing for an offensive.[17]
On 2 January 2025, Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces crossed the Zherebets River and advanced into fields west ofIvanivka [uk] northeast of Lyman.[9] On 4 January, Russian troops advanced, entering the central part of the village of Ivanivka, on the west bank of the Zherebets River.[11] Two days later, they fully seized Ivanivka.[18][19][20] Geolocated footage published on 18 and 19 January indicated that Russian forces had seized Ivanivka.[13]
Throughout February and March, Russian forces of the3rd and144th Divisions of the20th Combined Arms Army slowly expanded the bridgehead. By 31 March, Russian forces had advanced to the southern outskirts of the village ofKaterynivka, and in early April, they advanced southeast of the village ofNove.[21][22]
By early April 2025, ISW assessed that the purpose of the Russian bridgehead may have been to create conditions for the seizure ofLyman andBorova in the Kharkiv Oblast in the coming months.[21]
On 7 April, it was reported by pro-Ukrainian sourceDeepState that the situation near the villages of Nove, Katerynivka, andNevske was "intensifying", as Russian forces reportedly had the advantage in this area. Russian forces conducted assaults near the village ofNovomykhailivka and experienced "tactical success" in the vicinity of Nove and Nevske. Katerynivka was said to be under "constant pressure".[23]
On 20 April, DeepState reported that Katerynivka had been captured by Russian forces.[24]
On 1 May, Russian forces advanced east of Katerynivka.[14]
On 13 May, geolocated footage showed that Russian forces advanced in eastern Ridkodub, north of Lyman.[25] 2 days later on May 15, geolocated footage showed that Russian forces advanced in central Torske, east of Lyman.[26] However, on May 17, Ukrainian forces conducted a counteroffensive operation which led to Ukrainian forces recapturing positions in central Torske, where Russian forces just 2 days ago advanced.[27][28]
On May 24, Russian forces marginally advanced in central Lypove, north of Lyman.[29] Two days later on May 26, geolocated footage published indicated that Russian forces advanced further into Ridkodub and reached southern outskirts of the village.[30] On May 28, Ukraine's General Staff reported that Russian forces launched 32 assaults, with the goal of breaching Ukrainian defences near the Serebrianka Forest, the settlements of Nadiia, Novomykhailivka, Ridkodub, Kopanky, Katerynivka, Yampolivka, Zelena Dolyna, Hrekivka, Hryhorivka, Karpivka and Novyi Myr.[31] By May 29, Russian forces seized the settlement of Ridkodub.[32]
On 2 January, Russian forces advanced in the central part of the village ofBilohorivka.[9]
Starting on 12 February 2025, Russian forces renewed efforts to seize Bilohorivka, making advances in western and northern parts of the village throughout the following week.[33][34][35][36]
On 23 February 2025, geolocated footage showed that Russian forces had seized Bilohorivka and the quarry south of the village. The unit which reportedly seized Bilohorivka was the123rd Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Guards Combined Arms Army.[37]
During March 2025, after the capture of Bilohorivka, Russian forces advanced west of the village, south of the neighboring village ofHryhorivka, and north and south of the neighboring village ofVerkhn'okam'yans'ke.[38][39][40][41][42][43][44]
After a very long operational pause on the Siversk front, geolocated footage indicated that Russian forces made advances in the eastern outskirts of Hryhorivka by 28 April 2025.[45] On 1 May, Russian forces attackedSerebrianka and Verkhn'okam'yans'ke with no success.[46] Russian forces advanced in the eastern outskirts of Hryhorivka on 1 May,[14] and in the northeastern part of the village on 3 May.[47][48] Intense fighting continued near Siversk on the same day.[48]
Footage released on 24 December 2024 indicated that Russian forces had likely taken control over the village ofIvano-Dar'yivka, southeast ofSiversk.[8] Simultaneously, Russian forces advanced 900 meters south ofVyiimka.[8]
On 12 February and throughout the following week, south of Siversk, Russian forces advanced in north of the village ofMykolaivka, and in the southeastern part of the village ofFedorivka.[33][34][35][36]
South of Siversk, during March 2025, Russian forces advanced northwest ofSakko i Vantsetti and in the eastern part of the village ofVasiukivka.[38][39][40][41][42][43][44]
On 8 May, since the start of Russia's unilateral ceasefire for the Victory Day holiday, Russian forces launched 2 attacks despite the ceasefire and thus, the attacks violated the ceasefire.[49]
On 25 July, the Ukrainian 11th Army Corps[a] claimed to have repelled a Russian assault of 150 soldiers on Siversk. They claimed to have killed 80 Russian troops and wounded 37, while also stating that the fighting was still ongoing.[50]
In January 2025, during fighting for the village of Ivanivka, a spokesman for Ukraine's60th Mechanized Brigade said that Russian forces were planning to capture Lyman in order to reach the major city ofSloviansk through the rural settlement ofRaihorodok.[51]
In April 2025, a spokesperson for Ukraine's66th Mechanized Brigade, fighting on theLyman front, claimed that at times, they were outnumbered by Russian infantry by a 10:1 ratio.[52]
