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ISW Daily Report Summary

Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment Summary, 5th May 2025

`. 3. **Add the ISW URL link:** I will add the introductory text and the link to the ISW Ukraine project page with the specified attributes. 4. **Identify Key Developments:** I will look at the bullet points listed directly under "Key Takeaways" in the ISW text. These are the main findings ISW wants to highlight. I will summarise each one concisely and note the source numbers associated with them in the original text. 5. **Identify Notable Anecdotes:** I will scan the text for specific examples of combat actions, unit behaviour, or other details that are interesting beyond the general summary. The Russian motorised assault with motorcycles and civilian vehicles and the report of Russian forces using anti-drone netting tunnels for logistics are good candidates. I will summarise these and note their sources. 6. **Summarise Frontline Activity:** I will go through the sections starting from "Ukrainian Operations in the Russian Federation" and covering the "Russian Supporting Effort – Northern Axis", "Russian Main Effort – Eastern Ukraine" (all its subordinate main efforts), "Russian Supporting Effort – Southern Axis", "Russian Air, Missile, and Drone Campaign", "Significant Activity in Belarus", and "Alleged Ceasefire Violations". * For each geographical front (Kursk, Belgorod, Northern Sumy, Kharkiv, Kupyansk, Borova, Lyman, Siversk, Chasiv Yar, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, Novopavlivka, Kurakhove, Velyka Novosilka, Hulyaipole, Western Zaporizhia, Kherson), I will write at least one sentence summarising the reported activity, noting any confirmed advances or lack thereof. I will embolden the name of the front. * For the non-geographical sections like "Russian Air, Missile, and Drone Campaign", "Significant Activity in Belarus", and "Alleged Ceasefire Violations", I will also include a brief summary if there is information relevant to military analysis. Since there's nothing significant for Belarus and no active ceasefires, I will state this explicitly. * I will include source numbers for the information presented for each front. 7. **Identify Additional Points of Note (Optional):** I will review the text again for any other interesting information not covered in the previous sections. The F-16 training school and ammunition initiative announcements were already listed in Key Developments, so I don't need this section unless I find something else. 8. **Compile Sources:** I will go through all the source numbers I have used in the summary ([1], [6], [7], [11], [12], [22], [23], [24], [40], [42], [46], [47], [48], [58], [59], [60], [64], [67], [80], [81], etc.). For each number, I will copy the exact source text from the ISW report's source list. I will then create HTML `` tags for each URL within the source text, adding `rel="noreferrer"` and `target="_blank"` attributes, and correcting any " dot " obfuscations to ".". 9. **Format as HTML:** I will ensure the entire output follows the specified HTML structure with appropriate headings (H1, H2) and lists (ul, li). 10. **Review and Edit:** I will read through the complete summary to check for conciseness, clarity, adherence to the requested format, British English usage, correct source numbering, and ensure all constraints are met. I will specifically check that all referenced source numbers are in the final source list and that only referenced sources are listed. This structured approach ensures all requirements are met accurately and efficiently, producing the desired HTML output.Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment Summary, 5th May 2025The full ISW Report used to create this summary, as well as all historical reports for the Ukraine-War can be found at ISW - Ukraine Project

Key Developments

  • Russian sources claimed on 5th May that Ukrainian forces conducted a series of limited attacks across the Russia-Ukraine international border near Tetkino, Kursk Oblast [#1].
  • The Russian military command reportedly recently redeployed elements of the 68th Army Corps and 58th Combined Arms Army to the Toretsk direction from the Kurakhove and western Zaporizhia directions.
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Czech President Petr Pavel announced on 4th May that Czechia will work with Ukraine to establish a school to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets outside of Ukraine [#22]. The US Department of State approved $310.5 million for F-16 training, equipment, and support services for Ukraine [#23].
  • Zelenskyy stated that the Czech Ammunition Initiative could deliver 1.8 million artillery shells to Ukraine in 2025, with Ukraine expecting a total of three million shells from allies this year [#24].

Notable Anecdotes

  • Ukrainian forces are reportedly attempting to isolate Russian units near Tetkino and throughout Glushkovsky Raion, and the Ukrainian General Staff reported striking a Russian reconnaissance and strike drone command post near Tetkino, killing up to 20 Russian servicemembers [#6]. The Head of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, stated that Russian forces have been training drone operators at a school in Tetkino since 2022 [#7].
  • Ukrainian sources reported on 4th May that Russian forces are defending Russian ground lines of communication (GLOCs) along the E-50 Donetsk City-Pokrovsk highway with anti-drone netting in the Pokrovsk direction, reportedly using these netted tunnels to deliver supplies [#58, #59].
  • A Ukrainian brigade operating in the Siversk direction published footage on 5th May showing Ukrainian forces repelling a Russian motorised assault involving one motorcycle and several civilian vehicles, destroying one motorcycle and 12 civilian vehicles [#42].
  • Ukrainian sources reported on 4th May that Ukrainian forces destroyed a Russian battalion command post in occupied Novohrodivka with a Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guided munition [#60].

Frontline Summary

  • Ukrainian Operations in the Russian Federation - Russian sources claimed on 5th May that Ukrainian forces conducted limited attacks across the international border near Tetkino, Kursk Oblast, involving attempts to clear minefields, though no significant advances were reported [#1, #2]. A Russian milblogger claimed on 5th May that Ukrainian forces maintain a limited presence in northwestern Belgorod Oblast near Popovka and Demidovka [#26].
  • Northern Sumy Oblast - Russian forces continued offensive operations in northern Sumy Oblast but did not make confirmed advances on 5th May.
  • Kharkiv Oblast - Geolocated footage published on 4th May indicates that Russian forces recently advanced in central Vovchansk [#31]. Russian forces attacked near Vovchansk and Tykhe on 4th and 5th May [#32].
  • Kupyansk Direction - Russian forces continued offensive operations but did not advance on 5th May.
  • Borova Direction - Russian forces continued offensive operations but did not advance on 5th May.
  • Lyman Direction - Russian forces continued offensive operations but did not make confirmed advances on 5th May.
  • Siversk Direction - Geolocated footage published on 5th May indicates that Russian forces recently advanced into central Hryhorivka [#40]. Russian forces attacked northeast and east of Siversk on 4th and 5th May [#41].
  • Chasiv Yar Direction - Russian forces continued offensive operations but did not advance on 5th May.
  • Toretsk Direction - Geolocated footage indicates recent Russian advances southwest of Dyliivka, in southern Nova Poltavka, and in eastern and southern Myrne, reportedly involving a platoon-sized mechanised assault [#46, #47, #48]. A Russian milblogger claimed elements of the Russian 39th Motorised Rifle Brigade participated in the advance near Myrne [#49].
  • Pokrovsk Direction - Russian forces continued offensive operations but did not make confirmed advances on 5th May. The spokesperson of a Ukrainian brigade reported intense infantry assaults in small groups and mechanised assaults with vehicles and tanks in this direction [#59].
  • Novopavlivka Direction - Russian forces continued offensive operations but did not make any confirmed advances on 5th May.
  • Kurakhove Direction - Geolocated footage published on 4th May indicates Russian forces recently advanced to the T-0518 Velyka Novosilka-Bahatyr highway northwest of Rozdolne [#64].
  • Velyka Novosilka Direction - Geolocated footage published on 4th May indicates Russian forces recently advanced south of Novosilka [#67].
  • Hulyaipole Direction - Russian forces continued offensive operations but did not advance on 5th May.
  • Western Zaporizhia Oblast - Russian forces continued offensive operations but did not make confirmed advances on 5th May. The spokesperson for a Ukrainian brigade reported that Russian forces only have enough personnel for assaults once every two days in this direction [#77].
  • Kherson Direction - Neither Ukrainian nor Russian sources reported ground activity on 5th May.
  • Russian Air, Missile, and Drone Campaign - Russian forces conducted a series of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine on the night of 4th to 5th May, launching ballistic missiles and over 100 Shahed and decoy drones [#80]. Ukrainian forces downed 42 drones, with 21 others lost likely due to electronic warfare interference; strikes reportedly affected Konotop, Sumy Oblast, and areas of Donetsk Oblast [#80, #81].
  • Significant Activity in Belarus - Nothing significant to report.
  • Alleged Ceasefire Violations - There are no active ceasefires in Ukraine.

Sources