Ukrainian forces delivered another devastating blow to Russian occupation troops in the temporarily seized town of Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region. A precision airstrike levelled a building harbouring Russian soldiers, with Ukrainian sources reporting that all present were eliminated. Drone footage confirmed the complete destruction of the structure and the presence of dead Russian troops.
This airstrike is part of an ongoing Ukrainian tactic of targeting concentrations of enemy soldiers in occupied areas. Footage from the 427th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment showed wreckage from a convoy of Russian civilian vehicles destroyed near Chasiv Yar, Donetsk. Russian forces, lacking adequate armoured transport, have been forced to use civilian cars, scooters, all-terrain vehicles, and even bicycles. These desperate improvisations offer no real protection on the battlefield and highlight the Russian army’s growing logistical failure.
Observers say this reliance on civilian vehicles symbolises the degradation of the Russian war machine. With limited armour and supply chain breakdowns, the Kremlin’s forces are exposed, vulnerable, and running on borrowed time. Military analysts point to this as evidence that Russia can no longer sustain a professional mechanised war effort.
Meanwhile, in the village of Bakhmutka, which Moscow falsely claimed to have captured, Ukrainian troops from the 33rd Mechanised Brigade provided proof they still maintain control. As with many such claims, the Kremlin’s words do not match the reality on the ground.
In Toretsk, Ukraine continues to resist wave after wave of Russian attacks. Eleven months of intense fighting have turned the area into a graveyard for Russian armour and troops. Ukrainian drones have captured images of charred equipment and intercepted communications revealing chaos within Russian ranks. Russia appears to be sacrificing untrained units for inches of territory. Ukrainian defenders remain entrenched.
Elsewhere, Ukraine’s Security Service launched a successful drone operation targeting Russian radar equipment on gas production platforms in the Black Sea. The Neva radar system was destroyed along with warehouses and a living block. This operation, combining air and sea drones, reduced the Russian Federation’s dominance in the Black Sea and contributed to restoring the grain corridor. Ukraine’s message: no Russian equipment is safe, even at sea.
In Kyiv, a recent overnight Russian drone assault claimed the life of a young mother, Anna, who shielded her four-year-old son Mark with her own body. Mark was injured in the face, and his grandparents were also hurt. Doctors are now battling to save the child’s eyesight.
Polish authorities have uncovered yet another attempt to evade European Union sanctions on Russia. Customs officers in Koroszczyn discovered five metric tonnes of aircraft tyres intended for Boeing planes, falsely declared as car and bus tyres. The cargo, valued in the millions and originating from Spain en route to Azerbaijan via Belarus and Russia, has been seized, and criminal proceedings are underway.
In political developments, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov reaffirmed Kyiv’s commitment to bringing back all prisoners of war and political captives, especially on the day marking the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people. Ukraine is preparing a detailed plan to repatriate 1,000 captives as a starting point.
Belgium is also testing modernised Leopard 1A5 tanks in Ukraine. These upgraded tanks come with unmanned turrets and new 105mm guns. The trial is part of a £855 million (1 billion euro) aid package to bolster Ukrainian firepower. If successful, this upgrade could be extended to over 100 tanks, improving battlefield capabilities.
Meanwhile, talks about peace are proving illusory. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has floated the idea of negotiations, but experts and analysts, including Danish military expert Anders Nielsen, believe it to be a stalling tactic.
