The Ukrainian Armed Forces have advanced in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions, according to the ISW
Over the past two days, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have advanced in certain sectors of the front in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. At the same time, Russian troops continue their offensive operations in the north of the Sumy region, but analysts have not recorded any confirmed advances by the occupiers.
North of Kupiansk, Ukrainian forces liberated the northern part of Zakhidne and advanced southwest of Dvorichna.
New successes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine were also recorded in the Borovsk direction. According to geolocation data, Ukrainian forces have likely regained control of Katerynivka and Novy, advanced east of Novomykhailivka, and continue to hold Novy Mir.
On August 25, Ukrainian forces launched a counterattack in the Ridkodub–Nove sector. According to reports, they are attacking Russian positions from the north in an effort to prevent the occupying forces from advancing further.
In addition, the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to strike Russian military infrastructure. Specifically, on August 25, Ukrainian forces reported striking the Russian “Peresvit-M” electronic warfare system in occupied Luhansk.
In the occupied part of the Donetsk region, Ukrainian forces also continued to strike Russian targets.
Specifically, a geolocated video captured an attack on a Russian freight train west of the occupied town of Rybynske. The strike site is located approximately 77 km from the front line.
In the north of Sumy Oblast, Russian troops continued offensive operations on August 24 and 25 but did not achieve any confirmed advances.
According to the ISW’s assessment, Ukrainian forces have recently advanced or held their positions in this area, thereby containing the Russian offensive.
On August 25, the Ukrainian Kursk Operational Group stated that Novokostyantynivka (formerly Pershe Travnya), north of Sumy, remains under Ukrainian control.
Thus, the Ukrainian side refuted a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defense on August 24 regarding the alleged capture of this settlement by Russian troops.
This was reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
Throughout August 25, 203 combat engagements were recorded on the front lines, with Russian forces carrying out the most attacks in the Pokrovsk direction. According to the General Staff, Ukrainian defenders repelled 22 assaults there, while the enemy carried out another 19 attacks in the Kostiantynivka sector.
Earlier, the General Staff released figures on enemy losses as of August 26, 2026.
As a reminder, 30,000 customers in the Chernihiv region and in Slavutych are without power following an attack by the Russian Federation.
As a reminder, on August 23, Russian forces attacked a train station in the Kharkiv region with a drone while a passenger train evacuating people was stopped. Two women were killed in the strike, and five others were injured.
On August 23, Russian terrorist forces attacked Ukraine’s railway infrastructure five times. One person was killed and four others were injured as a result of the strikes.
On August 23, Russian forces attacked the locomotive of passenger train No. 147, traveling from Zhytomyr to Odesa, with a missile-equipped drone. The train was stopped and evacuated in time before the strike, so neither passengers nor railway workers were harmed.
