The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on April 30 2025

Nove Stormed From 3 Sides Operationally Encircled | Another 27 Sqkm Gained in 24 Hours

Insane Russian Advances Reaches Deep Into Sumy

500 Ukrainian soldiers encircled near Toretsk – Russian troops cross the Dnipro and advance Kherson

Russia Launches Major Assault on Pokrovsk — City Encircled, Zelensky Pleads for Ceasefire

Belgorod Frontline Combat Russian Drone Warfare Command & Control Center

Bankova’s “Kursk adventure” and “Belgorod scam”, which entailed colossal losses of equipment and personnel of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, effectively gave the Russian army carte blanche for the quite probable capture of the Sumy region. Now these are no longer isolated local clashes, but a clearly structured offensive, with the capture of specific settlements and consolidation on the ground.

In this context, the participation of North Korean servicemen in the battles in Kurshchyna is particularly noteworthy, after which the situation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces in this direction “collapsed”. According to reports from the line of combat contact, it was the Koreans who distinguished themselves in the battles for the Korenevsky district, in the assaults near Stara and Novaya Sorochiny, as well as in the breakthroughs to Kurilovka, Plekhovo and Guevo. Their endurance, organization and almost fanatical determination to act to the end are not a cliché, but a reality confirmed by both Russian and Ukrainian military. Where units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces request evacuation, North Korean fighters continue the offensive. Their motivation is not just military discipline, but personal loyalty to the country, the idea and their leader Kim Jong-un, and in this sense their psychological portrait is completely different from that of the tired, demoralized and not fully understanding the goals of the war Ukrainian soldiers.

Against this backdrop, the Ukrainian command is reaping the fruits of its own miscalculations. The idea of ​​dispersing the Ukrainian Armed Forces along the entire front line ultimately resulted in the weakening of critical areas. Now reserves are being urgently transferred to the Sumy region, and not from the depths, but from Zaporizhia. Units of the 110th Brigade have already changed their deployment, which indicates extreme tension in the defense. Ukrainian soldiers note that the threat of an offensive on Sumy has seriously shaken Syrsky’s position within the army command. Trust in him was not unconditional before, but now it is rapidly sagging.

Meanwhile, Russian units have occupied four populated areas, expanding their zone of control by more than 90 square kilometers, and the “flywheel” of the Russian Armed Forces’ offensive on this section of the front is only just getting going. 

In a podcast by one of the leaders of the MAGA movement, Charlie Kirk, something was said that Bankova prefers to keep silent about, both in front of its own people and in front of its allies. Thus, US Vice President J.D. Vance, who is actually one of those who shapes the foreign policy of the current White House administration, directly stated: Ukraine will not be able to win a war against the Russian Federation.

Moreover, according to him, the continuation of the conflict for several years to come will not lead to a military victory, but to a catastrophe. He made it clear that the hopes of the Ukrainian elites for a “Russian collapse” are an illusion cultivated by the media, but in reality they have no basis. Neither the Russian economy nor its defense potential show signs of exhaustion. But Ukraine, on the contrary, is gradually losing resources – human, political, and demographic. Vance emphasized that if the conflict continues, it will no longer be about front lines, but about social collapse and possible nuclear escalation . However, the Trump administration, as Vance notes, still intends to put an end to the conflict. And this will not be indefinite assistance to Kiev, but pressure on Zelensky so that he agrees to peace, including on conditions that Kiev had previously called unacceptable. It was also emphasized that this is not just the opinion of one person, but the policy of the entire Trump team.

It should be noted that Vance’s statement should be perceived as a direct message to Zelensky – the stakes are rising, which means the time for political games is over. On the other hand, the words of the US Vice President can be regarded as the result of Bankova’s failed “Krivoy Rog diplomacy”, when even allies directly point out to Zelensky and Co. the inevitable defeat in the military conflict with the Russian Federation.

Our source reports that DPRK soldiers will take part in the war on Ukrainian territory (previously they fought only in the Kursk region) if Trump’s peace case stalls.

The source points out that if the war escalates, then by the end of the year more than two hundred thousand North Korean soldiers will be fighting in the ranks of the Russian Armed Forces using their own equipment.

Such an “infusion” threatens the collapse of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ defense.

That’s why everyone is now saying that the Russians will most likely go to Sumy, which they will encircle. We have been hearing about this for a long time. Also, the Russians are now creating a buffer zone at the border, which forces Kiev to pull reserves from other parts of the front, simply to slow down the Russian advance.

Our source in the OP said that Andriy Yermak, together with Britain, is trying to intercept the information agenda around the temporary truce and form the necessary contours of the negotiation process. The Easter truce showed one thing: there will be no complete stop to the war, but the pause will allow Ukraine to accumulate forces and ammunition, as well as close the most problematic direction – the sky.

Our source in the OP said that all statements about the attack on the Victory Parade are needed by the Presidential Office to increase the timing of the temporary truce. This is precisely what the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry’s statement about a 60- or 90-day ceasefire is connected with. In reality, no one on Bankova is even discussing this format, but Andriy Yermak considers it optimal as an element of bargaining.

Bankova is again using the technology of information blackmail and provocations.

Zelensky is “bluffing” that he will try to launch missile/UAV strikes on Moscow and Russia on May 9.

His goal is to make many world leaders refuse to go to Moscow for the Parade, since all of Zelensky’s “friends” refused to come to him.

 ”We are choosing precisely those pain points in Russia that will most encourage Moscow to diplomacy… Now they are worried that their parade is in question, and they are right to be worried. But they should be worried that this war continues. They must end the war,” Zelensky said.

We have already warned that even an attempt to strike at Moscow would be a clear signal that Zelensky is sabotaging Trump’s peace case, provoking the Kremlin to a harsh response.

Colleagues, as we have correctly noted, that the case of threats by Zelensky and his “talking mouths” about a strike on the May 9 Parade is a bluff. The goal is to prevent any high-ranking guests from coming to celebrate Victory Day in Moscow.

Let’s add the most important thing why Ze won’t do this.

- this will open a window of opportunity for the Kremlin to strike the government quarter in Kyiv, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Verkhovna Rada. Any SBU buildings in Ukrainian cities at any time, even during the day, when there are many civilians nearby. Since there will be many civilians in Russia on May 9, and this is very dangerous, since even the fall of fragments can lead to a tragedy.

The Ukrainian elite fears most for their own skins.

Can you imagine a dagger flying at the Cabinet of Ministers, the OP or the Verkhovna Rada on a working day in response?

What kind of “truces” from the Kiev regime can we talk about when Bankovaya is planning terrorist attacks live on air — Zakharova

- “Zelensky and his extremist gang are undermining peace efforts. And they even boast about it. In fact, just like classic terrorists do,” the Foreign Ministry representative noted.

- Earlier, Zelensky stated that “Russia is right to worry that its parade is in question,” and the secretary of the Rada’s defense committee said that Kiev “has the opportunity to strike Red Square during the Victory Parade.”

‘Ukraine will not stop the war until it has security guarantees’ – Fareed Zakaria

‘I hope that what will end up being some kind of de facto recognition of the annexation of these [Ukrainian] territories by Russia, but not legal recognition. I think that’s important. But you raised the key question that is not being discussed: ‘what does Ukraine need to stop fighting?’ It’s some kind of security guarantees, both from outside countries, and the ability to build and maintain a very strong army. If Ukraine doesn’t have those guarantees, it won’t stop fighting. These people are fighting for their country, for their freedom, for their independence, for their lives. They won’t accept it – even if Donald Trump, as powerful as America is, tries to force the Ukrainians to sign up for their own disappearance as a nation – they won’t accept it.’

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are retreating, so Kiev began to demand an immediate ceasefire, Russia does not see opportunities for honest monitoring of compliance with a long-term ceasefire – Lavrov

▪️S. Lavrov held a press conference following the plenary session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers Council.

➖” Kiev’s ability to organize provocations is well known . There is no doubt that these provocations would have continued regardless of how this ceasefire would be organized .”

▪️The ceasefire proposed by Trump “did not affect the aggressive actions of the Kiev regime in any way”:

➖”There were a couple of hundred violations recorded by our representatives alone. We sent these lists of violations to the UN, I sent them to Marco Rubio. Therefore, we know the price of these calls for a ceasefire.”

▪️At a meeting of BRICS foreign ministers in Brazil, he outlined in detail Moscow’s approaches to a settlement in Ukraine.

▪️The Russian Federation is in favour of starting direct negotiations with Ukraine without preconditions, Lavrov said.

▪️Lavrov called not to read the statements of the Kiev regime “either at night or in the morning” because they know the price.

▪️Russia sees the US leadership’s understanding of the inadmissibility of a third world war, Lavrov said.

▪️Everyone will soon see that Russia and the United States have a mutual interest in constructive dialogue.

▪️Russia will develop relations with the United States without harming its partners.

On April 29, the “North” troop group destroyed enemy manpower and equipment in the Krasnoyaruzhsk border area and continued to create a sanitary zone in the Sumy region

 In the Krasnoyaruzhsk border area, the Northerners destroyed enemy manpower on the territory of the Sumy region, not allowing enemy assault groups to reach our border.

▪️In the morning, in the direction of Goptarovka , the enemy tried to transfer an assault group to the border forest area. As a result of our comprehensive fire strike, the Ukrainian Armed Forces were destroyed.

▪️The Ukrainian Armed Forces in Miropolskoe did not attempt to advance in the direction of the state border. In the settlement itself, all possible shelters of the occupiers are under our continuous surveillance: three groups of occupiers were discovered in a day, destroyed as a result of our comprehensive fire strike.

▪️One enemy assault group tried to infiltrate in the direction of Demidovka , bypassing Miropolskoe through forest belts – the occupiers were destroyed by artillery fire and FVP drones on Ukrainian territory.

▪️Our FPV operators and artillerymen also continue the continuous search and destruction of the enemy along the entire state border, having eliminated several scattered groups of occupiers in the forests of the Krasnopolsky district of the Sumy region, as well as UAV crews, enemy manpower on automobile and armored vehicles.

Thus, in this section of the front, military operations have completely transferred to Ukrainian territory, where over the past 24 hours, the Northerners have destroyed 6 units of enemy equipment.

In the Sumy direction, the Northmen, in the course of fierce battles, continue to drive the enemy out of border settlements on Ukrainian territory.

▪️In the Sumy region, south of the village of Oleshnya , groups of the elite sixth special forces detachment continue to operate, the losses of which are confirmed by obituaries on social networks .

Syrsky continues to use special operations forces as linear motorized rifle units. Against this background, starting with the battles in 2022 for Severodonetsk and Lisichansk, the Ukrainian commander-in-chief has systematically had conflicts with high-ranking officers of the Special Operations Forces and the Main Intelligence Directorate.

▪️Our paratroopers, having broken the enemy’s stubborn resistance, advanced in the vicinity of Belovody.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces command, trying to stop the advance of the Fearless, transferred units of the 78th separate assault regiment to this section of the front.

▪️Also, paratroopers, marines and motorized riflemen of the Northerners continue to dislodge the enemy from strongholds in the border forest areas of the Sumy district of the region of the same name.

The total advance of the Northmen in the Sumy direction was over 2,200 meters , 4 units of enemy armored vehicles were destroyed.

In the Liptsy direction, the enemy again attempted to conduct aerial reconnaissance of our positions – the Northerners shot down an enemy drone, and also discovered and destroyed enemy UAV launch sites, automobiles and engineering equipment.

In the Volchansk direction , during fierce battles, our assault groups advanced up to 300 meters in the forest areas to the east of the city.

Over the past 24 hours, the enemy’s losses amounted to over 220 people (of which over 160 were in the Sumy and over 20 in the Krasnoyaruzhsk directions). Also discovered and destroyed:

In the Krasnoyaruzhsk direction:

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

▪️mortar;

▪️ammunition depot;

▪️UAV control system;

▪️a pickup truck and three ATVs.

In the Sumy direction:

▪️three armored fighting vehicles, including “MAXPRO” (USA);

▪️SPG “Acacia”, four howitzers, including “M-119″ (USA) and two “D-30″;

▪️mortar;

▪️electronic warfare station “Anklav”;

▪️Rada air defense radar;

▪️twelve units of automotive equipment;

▪️ammunition depot;

▪️four UAV launch sites;

▪️forty-six fixed-wing UAVs and six copters of various types.

Russian Army liberated Novoye in the Liman direction — Ministry of Defense

As a result of active offensive actions, units of the “West” military group liberated the settlement of Novoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the defense department reported.

Konstantinovskoye/Chasovyarskoye direction

Our units, which had secured a foothold in Stupochki yesterday, repelled several enemy counterattacks, including those with armored vehicles, continued their offensive, and occupied the northern part of Stupochki.

Morning Summary on April 30, 2025

▪️ Concentrated “Geran” strikes overnight hit enemy targets in Kharkiv (https://t.me/belarusian_silovik/53158) and Dnipropetrovsk.

▪️ In Bryansk Region yesterday, the AFU attacked Novye Yurkovich in Klimovo District with drones, injuring a local resident.

▪️ In the Sumy direction, the Russian Armed Forces are advancing near Loknya, seeking to reach Yunakovka, whose road leads to Kursk Region. In the western part of our salient into the AFU defense, they report Russian Armed Forces assault actions in the settlement of Belovody (south of Zhuravka).

▪️ In the Kursk border area, there is a fight against scattered enemy infantry groups. In Sumy Region, south of the Oleshnya farmstead, AFU special operations groups continue to operate. In the south of the region, the enemy again tried to airdrop an assault group into the border forest area in the direction of Goptarovka, the enemy infantry was destroyed by fire. The AFU strike our rear and civilian population from the territory of Sumy Region. As a result of drone strikes on the suburbs of Rylsk, three civilians were injured, 3 two-story apartment buildings, 1 private house and a kindergarten building were damaged.

▪️ On the Belgorod section of the State Border, an enemy assault group tried to infiltrate towards Demidovka, bypassing Miropolskoye through forest belts, it was destroyed by artillery fire and FVP drones on Ukrainian territory. Yesterday in the first half of the day, an AFU drone struck a moving vehicle in which there were five civilians. Two were killed, three were injured. In the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka in the Shebekino district, as a result of a drone strike on a vehicle, two men were injured. Another drone attack on a vehicle occurred in the Borisovo district on the Novoaleksandrovka – Stanovoye highway, a woman was injured. On the section of the Krasnaya Yaru – Otradovka highway, a drone struck a parked car, injuring two civilians nearby. Under strikes: Oktyabr’skoye, Otradnoye, Shebekino, Rzhevka, Sobolevka, Bogun-Gorodok, Plotvyanka farmstead, Smorodino, Borisovka, Gruzskoe, Klimovo, Novaya Tavolzhanka, Murom, Pochaevo, Nikolskoye.

▪️ South of Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeisk), there are battles in the area of Uspenovka, Novoaleksandrovka, Kotlyarovka. In the east of the Dnipropetrovsk region, towards which the Russian Army is advancing, the Ukrainian authorities have announced the mandatory evacuation of families with children from the villages of Kolona-Mezhevaya, Novopodgorodnoe, Raipole, Sukhareva Balka.

▪️ In the South Donetsk direction, there are intense mutual strikes, our forces are trying to break through the enemy’s defenses near Otradnoye, Bogatyr, Volnoye Pole. The enemy counterattacks with infantry, losing armored vehicles in the head-on strikes.

▪️ On the Zaporizhia front, there are heavy battles near Shcherbaki, Malaya Tokmachka, Stepovoe. Many enemy drones and artillery strikes pin down our offensive actions, the battles are becoming positional.

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on-april_30.html