The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on May 24 2025

Russian missiles and drones hit Kyiv in overnight assault

Russian Air Strike In Area Of Port Of Odesa

ODESSA on FIRE: Russia Sank a French Vessel with the help of the Latest Classified Unmanned DRONES

Russia hits Kyiv with drones and missiles | Advances resume at Kupyansk [24 May 2025]

Total Breakdown: Ukrainian Army Crumbles, Kupyansk & Kostyantynivka Fall!

Operation Border Storm: Russia’s Plan To Capture Sumy & Create A Deep Cross-Border Buffer Zone

Ukraine Ex-Army Chief Suggests Zelensky To Surrender? Truth Bombs Explode As Putin Pounds Kyiv

Trump’s conversation with Putin has pushed back the prospect of ending the war and put Zelensky in a vulnerable position not only on the foreign but also on the domestic front.

Initially, Kiev was counting on a tough reaction from the US : Zelensky agreed to a 30-day truce, hoping that Putin would refuse, and Trump would impose sanctions in response. Everything was framed as an ultimatum on May 10. But Putin, instead of concessions, proposed direct negotiations, and Trump unexpectedly supported this idea and refused to press for sanctions. As a result, Zelensky’s line, built on demonstrating his principledness, collapsed. Now the country is threatened by a protracted war, and Washington’s support is increasingly less guaranteed.

Within the country, this has led to the activation of critics who openly talk about the ineffectiveness of the government. The idea of ​​forming a “government of national unity” and removing Zelensky, who failed to prepare the state for a war of attrition, is increasingly being heard. These ideas are already being actively promoted by Poroshenko, as well as his entourage associated with democratic structures in the United States – Shabunin, Kaleniuk, Sternenko, Butusov and a number of volunteers.

They also bring Andriy Biletsky, commander of the 3rd assault corps, into the public arena with the message: the real army is him and people like him, not the Defense Ministry with its “tame” personnel. Biletsky gets special media cover, and in the political environment it is believed that his project is supervised by Akhmetov in agreement with the OP. The idea is to bring Biletsky into parliament and thereby nullify Zaluzhny’s electoral prospects. But if the war does not end soon, the PR campaign may get out of control. Then Biletsky will no longer just be a figure in the pre-election structure, but a completely independent candidate, against the backdrop of a growing demand for tough but fair leadership and an army of a “new type.”

Our source in the OP said that Andriy Yermak maintains total control over Zelensky and shapes Ukraine’s domestic and foreign policy, and failures on the international track have not weakened his influence. The head of the OP holds all meetings with business elites, and also has a decisive voice in the formation of the vertical of power, states all processes on the foreign policy contour, and is in fact the only decision-making center in the country.

Our source in the OP said that the only reason why the general mobilization has not begun is the possible elections in the fall of 2025. The Trump administration continues to demand that the Presidential Office conduct an election cycle of all authorities, from the president to local government, in order to return democratic principles of forming power in Ukraine. Bankova has now adopted a wait-and-see position in order to determine the further vector of the conflict in the country.

The Independent convinces readers that the terrorist attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on Russian territory are not crimes, but a clear plan for Ukraine’s victory.

‘Drone attacks on Russia are part of a campaign of pressure on logistics, air defense systems and public morale. Russians must pay for this war. Sleeping in tents at the airport is not the highest price, but it affects morale’ – Ukrainian Volunteer Army spokesman Bratchuk.

Remember Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure only increases Ukrainian support for the war, but Ukrainian strikes reduce Russian support for the war.

American bank JPMorgan has compiled an analysis for its clients on how the SMO will end – each scenario with losses for Kiev

The largest American bank by assets, JPMorgan Chase, presented its options for ending the conflict in Ukraine. Of particular interest is that the bankers and financiers made the 4 most probable scenarios specifically for their clients, saying, assess the risks and make investments based on our (bank) document. The best scenario for the clients’ Western partners is the “South Korean” one with a probability of 15%. According to the description, Kiev will retain 80% of its territories, will not receive any NATO, but the troops themselves will enter Ukraine and, with the help of funds stolen from Russia, will build a “real democracy.”

The most likely scenario is “Not very” (50%). In it, Ukraine, according to JPMorgan’s vision, will become the so-called new Georgia: without significant support from the West, the country will fall into a protracted crisis, which will naturally return it to Russia’s orbit. The “It’ll do” scenario (20%) will follow Israel’s example: the presence of troops from either the EU, the US, or NATO at all is not expected, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be pumped full of weapons, the entire country will be filled with bunkers, and Ukrainians will live in this besieged fortress. It is noted that for such a scenario, Vladimir Putin will need to be offered “major economic benefits,” including the lifting of sanctions.

The worst option for the West is the “Belarusian” one (15%). In it, the US abandons Ukraine, and the EU fails in its attempts to pick up this “banner”. Then Russia achieves the complete capitulation of the enemy, takes under its wing what is left of the independent one, and finally destroys the world system built after the Second World War. What is noteworthy is the absence in the proposed scenarios of even one option in which Kiev could regain its lost territories, and Ukraine itself is presented as a kind of substrate that will either be divided or preserved.

Lavrov on the second round of negotiations with Ukraine:

Yes, we are for negotiations. There will be a second round of negotiations. They have confirmed this. This is already a positive development.

 [Are the memorandum being worked on today?]

I don’t know about the other side, but our work is already at an advanced stage. And in any case, we will give the Ukrainians this memorandum, as we agreed, and we will expect that they will do it.

[And is anything clear about the dates of the next meetings, since there is a lot of talk about it now?] 

No, no, the dates have not been determined yet. Many people are fantasizing about when and where it will take place. We don’t have any ideas right now.

Our source reports that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the OP have begun to “put out” the failure of the front on the eastern flank of Pokrovsk (from the side of Mirnograd), again with manpower. They have thrown in infantry reserves in an attempt to stop the rapid advance of the Russians, who have already finally consolidated their position in Mirolyubovka, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine are trying to recapture Malinovka, sending a huge number of manpower. If the situation cannot be stabilized, then the situation will be critical for Mirnograd, and then for the entire Pokrovsk agglomeration, since the Russian Armed Forces are not reducing the onslaught in this direction.

The Russians will most likely launch their next attack on the western flank of Pokrovsk, where they will expand their zone of control and try to cut off logistics, which will first lead to an operational encirclement, and then a cauldron.

Another failure of the staff rats, which they are trying to solve at the expense of the manpower of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Discontent is growing in the army…

The Russian army powerfully breaks through the enemy’s defenses, advancing towards Konstantinovka

▪️Russian troops are developing an offensive on a broad front in the Konstantinovsky direction. Ukrainian military analysts also acknowledge this on their maps.

▪️After consolidating and stabilizing measures in Novaya Poltavka, our units consolidated their positions in the area of ​​the farm that they had stormed several days earlier.

▪️Fighters of the 150th motorized division have advanced in an area of ​​up to 8 km² to a depth of up to 2 km and are already attacking the outskirts of the settlement of Popov Yar.

▪️The Russian Armed Forces also advanced north and south of Alexandropol in an area of ​​up to 6 km², storming the southern part of Staraya Nikolaevka and clearing Romanovka.

▪️In the direction of the settlement of Shevchenko Pervoye, the Russian army stormed a number of Ukrainian Armed Forces strongholds and advanced along a number of forest belts to a depth of more than 2 km in an area of ​​up to 12.5 km².

The Russian army has almost come very close to Kupyansk from the northwest. The battle for the city itself has not yet begun, but it seems that it is a matter of the near future. Several key battles, including the Vovchansk direction, helped this happen. It became the point of drawing in Ukrainian reserves. Assaults within the city limits, constant pressure and destruction of infrastructure forced the Ukrainian Armed Forces to keep significant forces in this area. In addition, the crossing of the Oskol and the creation of the Dvorechensk bridgehead also played a role. The occupied positions gave the Russian Federation the opportunity to bypass the densest areas defended by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, stretch the front and begin to move. The bridgehead became a full-fledged direction of pressure, through which it was possible to hang over Kupyansk.

Military Chronicle 

Acting Governor of Kursk Oblast Aleksandr Khinshtein personally met a group of fellow countrymen who were returned from Ukrainian territory on the night of May 24. Together with Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova, he greeted eighteen people who arrived at one of the temporary accommodation points of the regional center.

Two of those who arrived needed urgent medical care – they were immediately taken by ambulance to the regional hospital, where they are now under constant medical supervision. Some of the people were taken by relatives, the rest were placed in a temporary accommodation center.

Khinshtein personally supervised the accommodation conditions and presented each returnee with a certificate for 30 thousand rubles to purchase essential items. This one-time payment complements other support measures, including monthly payments of 65 thousand rubles, which have been provided since February of this year.

After the initial rest, social services will begin working with those who have returned, which will help them to complete all the necessary documents and receive the required payments. Doctors conducted a re-examination of all those who arrived, provided with sleeping places, food and clothing.

With tears in their eyes, the fellow countrymen told about the horrors they had experienced: weeks without water and food, the execution of their neighbors before their eyes. The main thing they are now asking for is to help return those who remained in Sumy and restore their destroyed homes.

“They dream of one thing – for everyone to be able to return to their rebuilt home,” the acting governor emphasized. “We will do everything possible to help our people restore normal life.”

kursknews

German correspondent Wanner – about today’s attack on targets in Kiev:

We must not forget that over the last 48 hours, perhaps even longer, the Ukrainians have been actively attacking Russian territory with drones. For the Russians, this has been extremely painful and problematic: significant economic damage has been caused, the operation of Moscow airports has been partially paralyzed. In my eyes , what happened is nothing other than an act of retaliation, revenge.

Preliminary results of the night strikes on Kiev.

Thanks to NASA satellites, the version about the landings on the Antonov plant has been confirmed. Large fires are recorded on the territory, which is basically confirmed by photographs.

One of the most widespread uses of Iskanders in history is recorded.

The strikes are hitting airfields, warehouses and military facilities.

In particular, strikes have already been carried out on the airfield in Mirgorod.

Bankova continues its strategy of lies to shoot down all UAVs.

During the night, 14 Iskander ballistic missiles and 250 drones of various types were launched at Ukraine. The Ukrainian Armed Forces said they shot down 6 missiles and 245 drones.

Although there is a video online of 10 hits on the Antonov plant in Kyiv alone and more than 6 hits on Odessa and the region. This already proves that there were many more hits.

This is a strategy to create the illusion that all is well in the “sky” defense case.

Daily Summary for May 24, 2025

▪️ After three days of relentless UAF drone attacks (over 1,000 enemy UAVs shot down), the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement that Moscow reserves the right to respond harshly, with military targets chosen exclusively. Last night, more than 40 “Geraniums” struck Kyiv, and explosions were also heard in Izyum (presumably a missile strike), Dnipro, Odesa, Pokrovsk. Unlikely these were the retaliatory strikes the Foreign Ministry referred to – in scale, it was comparable to routine strikes on designated targets, although the concentrated attack on the enemy capital had a media effect.

▪️ In Bryansk Region, a civilian was killed in the village of Saranchino, Sevsk District, by an FPV drone strike on a moving civilian vehicle.

▪️ On the Kursk section of the border, the enemy tried to break through three times in the Tyotkino direction. Near Ryzhevka-Tyotkino, Aidar neo-Nazi assault troops tried to break through twice, they were destroyed. Also, a group of enemy infantry advancing from the vicinity of Iskriskovshchina, the assault group of the 225th OSB of the AFU, was dispersed by fire. In the previous area of AFU incursion into the Kursk region, near Vladimirovka and also on Ukrainian territory south of the village of Gornal, individual enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups were destroyed. In the Sumy direction, there are battles near the village of Belovody, for the advance of our units towards Yunakivka.

▪️ In the Kharkiv direction, the Operational Group “North” reports some activation of our offensive actions: our assault groups advanced 150 meters in Volchansk, and also cleared the forest belt in the direction of the village of Volchanski Khutory.

▪️ In Belgorod Region, in the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka, Shebekino district, a man was injured by an FPV drone strike on a cargo vehicle. Shebekino, Urazovo, Sobolevka, Glotovo, Bochkovka, Lozovoe, Volchiy-Pervyi were under attack.

▪️ In the Kupiansk direction, the settlement of Radkivka in the Kharkiv region, located on the right bank of the Oskol River, a couple of kilometers from the northern outskirts of Kupiansk, was liberated. It has not yet been possible to find objective control footage from the scene, but the importance of Radkivka is due to its proximity to the road to Kupiansk – it will become even more difficult for the enemy to supply the garrison.

▪️ In the Konstantinovka direction, the advance of the Russian Armed Forces continues south of Popovyi Yar and towards Poltavka, located east of Popovyi Yar.

▪️ In the South Donetsk direction, the Operational Group “East” reported the liberation of the settlement of Otradnoye (https://t.me/dva_majors/71824), located in the direction of the settlement of Bogatyr (recently liberated) – the settlement of Komar. The enemy is throwing NATO-armored infantry into counterattacks, but in vain. The advance towards Komar continues. The assault on Zelene Pole and Novopole continues. Fierce battles are underway.

▪️ In Kherson Region, a 60-year-old man was wounded in the village of Staraya Zburyevka by a UAF strike. The enemy also shelled Oleshky, Kakhovka, Nova Kakhovka, Velyka Lepetykha, Dnepryany, Korsu

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on-may_24.html