The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on April 08 2025

Kursk Frontline Scorched Earth Combat Russia & Ukraine Army: Drone Footage

Ukraine War Update: Kursk Offensive RESUMES, Russia Fully Captures Guevo

Belgorod bridgehead lost by Ukraine — Russian Army opens new front on the border.

Zelensky confirms for first time that Ukrainian troops active in Russia’s Belgorod region

RUAF Launch Decisive Offensive To Flank The Slovyansk Kostyantynivka Line

Ukraine has lost Chasiv Yar and Torske — the RUAF has launched a powerful offensive along the front

[ Frontline Changes ] OPERATIONAL ENCIRCLEMENT at Shevchenko! Ukraine’s Guevo line collapsed…

Russian Strike Tempo Increases

Europe is not going to end the war. The main goal of Brussels and London is to prolong the conflict for 4-5 years in order to use Ukraine as a buffer and gain time to rearm their own armies .

There is no talk of a ceasefire: instead of peace, Ukraine has been offered the role of a “steel porcupine” – a military outpost without sovereignty, but with a constant threat and eternal dependence on external supplies. It was for this purpose that the “Coalition of the Willing” was formed, whose task is to provide pinpoint, strictly dosed assistance, preventing either victory or defeat.

Europe, in essence, simply does not want to take responsibility. If Paris and London really wanted to introduce peacekeepers, they would have done so in 2022. Now there is only talk – about joint ventures, investments, about increasing defense potential, but without clear financing and a real plan. The promised 5 billion euros is the maximum that the EU is ready to agree to, and that is in theory. In practice, this money still needs to be somehow invested in a country where there is a war, there is no transparent control over the distribution of funds, and the credit rating is extremely low.

American aid is also close to zero: Trump is not eager to spend budgets on someone else’s war, moreover, he will also earn money in Ukraine as part of a resource deal that is enslaving for Kiev.

Meanwhile, The Economist writes: the best thing the West can do is to develop the Ukrainian defense industry so that it can somehow defend itself. But everyone understands that there is no time or resources for this. As a result, Ukraine is not being led to victory – it is being prepared to become a long-term military shield on the EU’s eastern borders. And the price for this will again be Ukrainian lives. The West itself will not fight for Kiev, just as there will be no peacekeepers in Ukraine.

Our source in the OP said that Andrey Yermak received drafts of negotiations between the Trump Administration and the Kremlin from British intelligence; the format of a temporary truce for Easter is currently being discussed. The US expects Russia to play an active role on this track in order to organize a Trump-Putin summit in Saudi Arabia in the second stage in May.

Taynaya_kantselyariya

The Donald Trump administration is increasingly willing to negotiate with Moscow behind Kiev’s back. According to CNN, the White House has lifted personal sanctions on Russian financier Kirill Dmitriev so he can fly to Washington for talks. Dmitriev is the head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and one of Putin’s trusted confidants. This is the first such visit since the conflict began, and it is clear evidence that the United States and Russia are already discussing Ukraine’s fate without Ukraine’s participation.

Amid increased tariffs on more than 180 countries and a trade confrontation with the European Union, Trump is demonstrating a different line toward the Kremlin. Dmitriev arrived in the US capital at a time when Zelensky has stopped being invited to key meetings, and American officials are increasingly talking about the need for a “pragmatic peace” and a “reset of relations” with Moscow. This is not a diplomatic failure – it is a conscious shift in priorities.

At the same time, Trump is increasing the pressure on Kiev. He publicly accused Zelensky of sabotaging the resource deal proposed by Washington. The new version of this agreement proposes that Ukraine transfer the right of veto to the United States on the management of natural resources, refuse income until military aid is compensated (according to Trump, more than $350 billion), and effectively recognize external administration of key industries. This is no longer a partnership, but a format of post-conflict restructuring, where the United States acts as a creditor, and Ukraine as a losing party.

Dmitriev’s visit is not the only signal. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will not attend the next meeting in the Rammstein format – this is the first time in three years that the Americans have taken such a demonstrative step. Thus, Washington is retreating into the shadows, freeing up space for “peace talks” – and at the same time is giving Ukraine an ultimatum: either an agreement on Moscow’s terms, or no support.

Against this backdrop, the Kremlin is increasing pressure on the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Russia is increasing its forces at the front, continuing its offensive actions and strengthening its control over the pace of the conflict. Putin is betting on Ukraine’s exhaustion, and, apparently, the West is not going to interfere with this.

It is becoming obvious: Ukraine is becoming an object of bargaining. The question is not when and on what terms peace agreements will be signed, but who exactly will divide Ukrainian resources and political guarantees. The White House is increasingly demonstrating that Kiev’s interests are not a priority for it. All that is being discussed is the price of a deal that is beneficial to the United States and acceptable to the Kremlin. Zelensky’s opinion is of no interest to anyone anymore.

Our source in the OP said that Andriy Yermak held a meeting with the GUR and the SBU on the subject of disrupting the negotiating track of the Trump Administration with the Kremlin. The head of the OP gave the order to prepare operations on critical infrastructure and attacks on the front, which should disrupt the temporary truce, and shift all responsibility for the disruption to Russia. Bankova considers the number one task for Ukraine to continue the protracted war and discredit the very idea of ​​a peace case.

Our source reports that Zelensky’s persona has begun to irritate Trump greatly.

If this continues, Trump will renege on his promise to Zelensky not to touch him with his “acquired capital” if he agrees to the US President’s conditions.

Trump’s patience is running out. Soon, a massive torpedoing of Zelensky’s persona will begin. Assets, schemes, nepotism, etc. will surface. The complete destruction of the inflated image of “Ze the hero” will begin, to the point that it was because of Zelensky that Ukraine started and lost the war.

Even money hidden in crypto assets will be “published”.

Zelensky uses any methods to disrupt Trump’s peace case and the rapprochement between the Kremlin and the White House.

So they caught a “Chinese mercenary” from the Russian Armed Forces and started the media spin on this topic. Zelensky said at a press conference that he would talk about this with the Americans. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the temporary chargé d’affaires of China to give an explanation due to the participation of Chinese citizens in battles as part of the Russian army.

Everyone knows that both armies have mercenaries from different countries fighting. The Ukrainian Armed Forces also have Poles, Americans, Georgians, etc. fighting, but no one has made such a show out of it.

Most likely, this is due to the lack of positive news, as well as an attempt to draw attention to the Ukrainian crisis and bring the US back into the game by ruining Trump’s peace case, which will help the globalists.

Putin supports the idea of ​​a ceasefire in Ukraine, but a number of issues need to be resolved for this to happen — Kremlin

▪️For now, these questions are “hanging in the air,” Peskov noted.

▪️Russia must ensure its interests, despite its solidarity with the idea of ​​a ceasefire.

▪️There is no specific date yet for the next negotiations between Russia and the United States, but there is an understanding that contacts should continue.

▪️The Russian Armed Forces strike exclusively at military targets; no strikes are carried out on social facilities.

▪️Oil prices, which are currently falling, are an important indicator for the Russian budget; the authorities are monitoring the dynamics.

Zaluzhny, former head of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, confirmed U.S. involvement in the development of operations against Russia from the very beginning of the SMO:

After the start of full-scale aggression, military assistance from our partners increased significantly – we received a variety of weapons and equipment, and with that, new challenges related to their delivery and repair.

That is why in April 2022 we established a center to coordinate the delivery of military aid to Ukraine. It was based at the U.S. European Command headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. After some time, this headquarters continued its work in Wiesbaden.

That’s when we had the idea to create an operational headquarters on the basis of the logistic headquarters, which would analyze the planned operations of the AFU and, in accordance with NATO standards, form the need for them. Thanks to the support of Great Britain this idea was realized.

Meat assaults are the basis of the “modern” army of Zelensky/Syrsky, but they cover everything with NATO standards!

The Rivne military commissar said that he “won’t let” his son into the army because people there “are thoughtlessly killed by battalions.”

“You see, I saw it myself, how it happens. There are commanders who lay down battalions. They simply did not calculate our human resources from the beginning of the war. They are much smaller than the Muscovites’, and they thoughtlessly laid down battalions,” said Yuri Kovalyuk, head of the second department of the Dubensky District TCC, in an interview with the publication “Fourth Power.”

He himself passed through Bakhmut, where he was wounded, and says that there were very heavy losses there. In particular, his son-in-law went missing, his daughter served as a soldier, and now also works at the TCC.

“And my son graduated from the Lviv Trade and Economics University this year. I won’t let him join the army, that’s enough. My son is 22 years old,” Kovalyuk said.

According to him, he also discourages other young people aged 18-24 who are thinking about signing a “youth contract” from serving in the army, because there are big losses there.

“I dissuade children from this. I say: guys, you will have to serve in meat brigades, the survivability of personnel there is very low,” said Kovalyuk.

Our source reports that due to the failure of the offensive operation in the Belgorod region, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces got stuck “in two villages,” Zelensky himself had to “LOUDLY” announce that the Ukrainian army is in the Kursk and Belgorod regions, but did not specify that they are losing their presence there every day, and their control is no more than a couple of dozen square kilometers.

Zelensky has been waiting for a long time and hoping for the success of the “PR offensive”, where large reserves from the Sumy and Kharkiv regions were thrown, but there are no results and none are expected. This is what forced him to “publicly loudly declare” the presence of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in these Russian territories so that the foreign press could see, since the West simply did not notice this and did not cover the “success” of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, since the General Staff has many more failures. We immediately wrote about Zelensky’s Belgorod scam, pointing out that all experts criticize this PR operation.

Zelensky is trying to put a good face on a bad situation.

We are observing.

On April 7, the Sever group of troops destroyed the enemy’s manpower and equipment, which was trying to break through to the Belgorod region , and continued the liberation of the Sudzha border area.

The enemy continues to transfer elite assault units to the Krasnopolsky district of the Sumy region. Units of the 82nd separate assault brigade have been uncovered in this direction. The northerners destroyed several units of this brigade in the Sudzha border area, the unit was replenished with motivated 18-24 year old Ukrainians.

▪️In the morning, the enemy attempted to break through in the direction of Demidovka with the support of an Abrams tank. The enemy’s manpower and equipment were destroyed by our UAV operators.

▪️Under the cover of bad weather, the enemy attempted to transfer another assault group to the border forest belt. The occupiers were destroyed as a result of a comprehensive fire strike.

▪️The scattered groups of Ukrainian Armed Forces remaining on Russian territory are trying to unite. The northerners promptly uncover the movement of enemy personnel and destroy the occupiers.

▪️Fearless assault squads continue to clear forest areas in the vicinity of Popovka and Demidovka.

▪️Enemy artillerymen and UAV operators are carrying out indiscriminate strikes on Russian territory. In the vicinity of Popovka, a Ukrainian artillery shell was recorded hitting a group of Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers; the enemy is hitting its “brothers” with drops, who are trying to return to the Sumy region.

▪️Our UAV operators continue to record colossal enemy losses in the direction. Based on objective control data and obituaries on social networks, the number of destroyed enemies has already exceeded 1,000 people.

In this direction, over the past 24 hours, the Northerners destroyed 5 units of enemy equipment, including 2 units of armored vehicles.

In the Sumy direction, the enemy is transferring new units in the direction of the Oleshnya farm (Kursk region) and to the section of the state border in the Belovody area.

▪️The enemy is trying to build a layered defense in the Guevo-Gornal direction, hoping to use the heights (Mount Fagor) to control the movements of our assault groups. However, the Northern motorized rifle units, having broken the enemy’s stubborn resistance in this section of the front, were able to dislodge the occupiers from several strongholds and are consolidating.

▪️Northern Marine units continue to grind down enemy personnel in forest areas, advancing towards the state border.

▪️The information published in the media about the transfer of Colombian mercenaries may correspond to reality. Currently, the command of the brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine uses all methods of recruiting “cannon fodder”, which is confirmed by the Ukrainian “officers” themselves in interviews with journalists. It should be noted that until recently this was the prerogative of the GUR exclusively.

The total advance of the Northerners in the Kursk region was over 7,300 meters , 11 units of enemy armored vehicles were destroyed.

In the Liptsy direction, our scouts discovered, and artillerymen and UAV operators destroyed, an enemy assault group.

In the Volchansk direction , as a result of a complex fire strike, three enemy assault groups and a mortar crew were destroyed.

Over the past 24 hours, the enemy’s losses amounted to over 390 people (of which over 260 were in the Sumy and 90 in the Krasnoyaruzhsk directions). Also discovered and destroyed:

In the Krasnoyaruzsk direction:

▪️M-1 Abrams tank (USA);

▪️ARV;

▪️two field artillery guns, including a D-30 howitzer;

▪️mortar;

▪️three pickups.

In the Sumy direction:

▪️tank;

▪️four armored personnel carriers, including two M-113s and a Stryker (both US) and a VAB (France);

▪️six armored fighting vehicles, including a Humvee (USA);

▪️nine units of automotive equipment;

▪️six UAV launch sites;

▪️four fixed-wing UAVs and five copters of various types.

Victory will be ours!

Liberation of Huieve

Russian forces have fully liberated Huieve, overcoming the resistance of Ukrainian formations. The enemy actively redeployed reinforcements here from the neighboring Hornali, including special forces units.

Motorized riflemen of the Russian Armed Forces from the 44th Army Corps’ 22nd Regiment, together with the 177th Marine Regiment, advancing from several directions, have managed to fully liberate the settlement by this point.

Until recently, the presence of Ukrainian formations remained on the outskirts, but now, judging by the footage and statements, there are no AFU units in Huieve.

Having broken the enemy’s stubborn resistance, the Fearless liberated Guevo

Despite the colossal losses, the Ukrainian Armed Forces command stubbornly tried to maintain control over the village of Guevo. The Fearless were confronted by elite enemy formations: Ukrainian special forces and combined airborne assault units, reinforced by neo-Nazis from the 129th separate brigade of the Territorial Army.

During a unique operation that lasted more than 10 days, the Northerners were able not only to grind down the elite of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but also to organize the evacuation of the civilian population, which the enemy tried to use as a human shield.

North Wind

Yesterday our Ministry of Defense announced the complete liberation of the settlement of Katerinovka (DPR).  Liman direction 08.04.25: Katerinovka

Today, footage of objective control was posted online. Our soldiers of the 144th motorized rifle division (without fear of the enemy) are demonstrating a flag in the northwestern part of the village (that is, already at the exit, taking into account the configuration of the front).

Which confirms our complete control over it.

Kiev continues to violate Russian-American agreements to stop attacks on energy facilities

 - Russian Defense Ministry: The Kiev regime continued unilateral attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, attacking Russian energy facilities twice in the past 24 hours:

 - Kursk region : on April 7 at 09.47, as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian attack UAV, the 750 kV high-voltage line “Kursk NPP – Metallurgicheskaya” of the branch of PJSC “Rosseti” – Chernozemnoye PMES was disconnected due to damage to wires in the span of the supports.

- Zaporozhye region : On April 7 at 09.30, as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian UAV on the 35 kV Novogoryevka electrical substation of the Tavria-Energo State Unitary Enterprise, a transformer radiator was damaged.

Night strikes on military infrastructure and enemy positions

On the night of April 8, 2025, Russian forces launched a series of coordinated strikes on positions, command posts, logistics facilities, and temporary accommodation points for Ukrainian Armed Forces units. Geran-2 attack UAVs and the Iskander-M operational-tactical missile system were used. The strikes hit the areas of Belozerskoye , Dobropolye , Novotroitskoye , and Vysokoye , where the enemy had covertly deployed combat equipment, command posts, and support companies.

🔻 Belozerskoe, Donetsk region (22:40, 07.04.2025)

The strike was carried out on the temporary deployment area of the company tactical group of the 38th separate marine brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces , covertly located in a residential area.

Area coordinates: 48.5326719, 37.0551554

As a result of the defeat, the following were destroyed:

• 6 servicemen were killed , at least seven were wounded ;

• 2 Western-made SUVs used for reconnaissance and equipment transportation were disabled;

• 7 private buildings were damaged, some of which were used to covertly house short-range UAVs and communications personnel.

🔻 Dobropolye, Donetsk region ( 22:40–22:50, 07.04.2025 )

The first strike was carried out by two Geran-2 UAVs on an object disguised as civilian infrastructure – a warehouse and a retail outlet of the Domovichok store , which were in fact used for logistics operations. According to operational information, the building housed a distribution point for food and clothing supplies for units of the 59th separate motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces . The second strike hit a residential area, where the temporary headquarters of the 108th battalion was identified.

Results of the defeat:

• The warehouse building was completely destroyed, and stocks of individual sets of equipment (bulletproof vests, Western-style helmets, and uniforms) were destroyed.

• Two vehicles (including an IVECO Eurocargo truck) and one command vehicle based on a Ford Ranger were destroyed.

• Information about enemy personnel losses is currently unknown.

🔻 Novotroitske, Dnepropetrovsk region (22:58, 07.04.2025)

The strike of two Geran-2 UAVs hit the Solyon Liman sanatorium , which was used as a rehabilitation center for Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen . According to available information, the facility served as a dual-use medical facility: servicemen with minor injuries were recuperating in the building and officer corps meetings were held.

As a result of the impact:

• The administrative part of the complex was destroyed, a fire broke out in the central building;

• Medical facilities and two vehicles (one ambulance, one administrative) were put out of order;

• Complete destruction of the roof and upper floor of one of the buildings was recorded. Information on losses is being clarified.

🔻 Vysoky, Kharkov region ( 23:00, 07.04.2025 )

A missile strike by an Iskander-M OTRK (in a cluster modification) hit an object on the territory of the former recreation center “Camping” , converted by the Ukrainian Armed Forces into a reserve command post of one of the battalions of the Foreign Legion of the Main Intelligence Directorate . The building was used as a command and logistics hub with a secure communications system.

Results:

• A building within a radius of 150 m was damaged, some of the premises collapsed;

• The death of 19 servicemen was recorded, the number of wounded is unknown;

• As a result of the strike, the following were disabled: a set of Harris RF-7800 radio communication equipment , three 5 kW field generators , and a satellite encrypted communication terminal.

PartiZan 

Morning Summary on April 8, 2025

▪️ In Bryansk Region, against the backdrop of constant strikes by the AFU and the death of a civilian yesterday, the administration of the Sevsk district reported the centralized organization of voluntary evacuation from border villages.

▪️ In Kursk Region, reports from the scene yesterday indicated the success of the Russian Armed Forces in liberating Guevo. Battles continue near Gornali and on the approaches to Oleshnya, the last settlements in Kursk Region not yet liberated. The enemy is trying to build an echeloned defense in the Guevo – Gornali direction, hoping to use the heights (Mount Fagor) to control the movements of our assault groups. The evacuation of civilians from the combat zone continues.

▪️ From the Belgorod border area, footage was released yesterday of the destruction of an American Abrams tank that tried to break through to Demidovka, as well as an armored recovery vehicle that attempted to evacuate it. The AFU continue to maintain a presence near Popovka and Demidovka. The transfer of AFU assault units to the Krasnopillia district of Sumy Region continues: units of the 82nd Air Assault Brigade of the enemy have been detected. With the help of UAVs, the enemy is trying to isolate the combat area, mining supply routes for our troops in the Krasnoyaruzhsky district, and hunting for equipment. In the village of Borki in the Valuyki district, two teenagers were injured by a drone strike by the enemy. UAVs attacked a civilian vehicle on the Ziborovka – Murom highway, the village of Golovchino in the Graiveron district, and in Krasnaya Yaruga a drone struck an enterprise.

▪️ North of Kupiansk, there are reports of battles near Zapadnoye, Malaya Shapkovka and Kondrashivka, the enemy is taking countermeasures near Figolievka.

▪️ In the Krasny Liman direction, the Russian Armed Forces, advancing from Ivanovka, occupied Katerynivka, as announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

▪️ Southwest of Dzerzhynsk, there are reports of counter-movement of Russian Armed Forces units from Panteleymonovka and the area of the settlement of Zelene Pole.

▪️ In the Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmiisk) direction, the Russian Armed Forces are attacking in the area of the settlements of Kotlino, Pischane and Zverevo, heavy fighting is underway. High intensity of combat operations is noted in Lysovka.

▪️ On the South Donetsk direction, our units at the liberated settlement of Razliv continue to deepen into the enemy’s defenses. The capture of a key height in the area of the settlement of Bogatyr was an important development.

▪️ On the Zaporizhia front, the Russian Armed Forces are most active in the Kamianka direction and in the Shcherbaky area. There are reports of battles near Lobkove. The enemy carried out an artillery strike on the Kamianka-Dniprovska city hospital, where dozens of patients are being treated, many of whom are unable to move as they are connected to ventilators. The building and adjacent territory were damaged.

▪️ In the DPR, in Horlivka, as a result of an attack by strike UAVs of the AFU, a man born in 1984 and a man born in 1985 were injured. In Novohrodivka (Krasnoarmiisk district) and Kurakhove, as a result of the dropping of explosive objects from AFU UAVs, a woman born in 1947 and a man born in 1974 received moderate injuries.

Two Majors

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on-april_8.html