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Russo-Ukraine War - 23 July 2025 - Day 1246

A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

"To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal]

The UK Ministry of Defence reported that Russia is escalating its global campaign to subvert its adversaries and increase Russian influence. Whilst Russian military intelligence (GRU) is at the forefront of these efforts, Russia has also turned to an increasing variety of non-state actors to conduct a full spectrum of overt to covert activities, including espionage, assassination, sabotage, and electronic, cyber and information operations.

On 18 July 2025, the UK government sanctioned three GRU units and an interference agency (listed below), as well as 18 military intelligence officers, for their role in targeting the UK, the UK's allies, and Ukraine.

1. The GRU's Unit 29155, or 161st Specialist Training Centre; its cyber wing was responsible for deploying the destructive cyber operation WhisperGate in Ukraine in 2022, and the wider unit was responsible for notable assassination and sabotage operations, including the 2018 attempted murder of Yulia and Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, UK, and ammunition warehouse bombings in 2011 in Bulgaria and 2014 in Czechia.

2. Unit 26165, or 85th Main Special Services Centre; has conducted widespread espionage campaigns and provided intelligence to support Russian missile strikes, including the 2022 attack on Ukraine's Mariupol theatre which killed hundreds of civilians, including children.

3. Unit 74455, or the Main Centre for Special Technologies; has been responsible for cyber attacks targeting democratic elections, critical national infrastructure, and industrial control systems.

4. African Initiative; an interference agency that employs Russian intelligence officers to conduct information operations in Africa, including spreading conspiracy theories designed to undermine lifesaving global health initiatives.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Defense Forces are directing efforts to disrupt the execution of Russian invaders' offensive plans and exhaust their combat potential.

Since the beginning of the day, there have been 124 combat clashes, the Russian opponent made 47 aviation strikes, dropped 70 cab. In addition, used 1174 kamikaze drones, carried out 4237 shells of settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops.

Ukrainian soldiers repelled 12 assault actions of the Russian occupiers in the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursky directions since the beginning of the day. Russian forces also launched six air strikes using 13 controlled air bombs, and carried out 324 shells, five of which were from jet-fire systems.
In the South Slobozhansky direction, Russian forces tried six times to attack the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of the settlements of Vovchansk, Kamyanka and Dvorichna, three clashes are ongoing so far.
Six attacks were repelled by Ukrainian defenders in the Kupyans іkomu direction in the areas of Stepova Novoselivka, Borivskaya Andriyivka, Zagrizovoye, Novoplatonivka. Two more clashes are underway.
In the Lyman direction, Ukrainian soldiers stopped 13 Russian attacks in the areas of settlements Grekivka, Green Gorge, Medium, Shandrigolove, Dronivka, Karpivka, Kolodyazi, Shipylivka and in the direction of Druzhelyubivka, seven more clashes are still ongoing.
In the sívers сьkomu direction, Russian forces carried out three offensive actions in the area of grigorívka, one confrontation is ongoing.
In the Kramators сьkomu direction, Ukrainian defenders stopped two Russian attempts to move forward in the direction of Stupochok and White Mountain.
In the Toretsky direction, Russian forces today twice stormed the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the Toretsk area. Defense forces repelled one Russian attack, one fight is still ongoing.
The enemy made 36 attacks in the Pokrovsky direction. The Russian occupiers tried to advance near the settlements of Popiv Yar, Mirolubivka, Zatishok, Lisivka, Mirnograd, Zvirove, Udaachne, Oleksiyivka, Novoukrainka, Mayak, Novoekonomíčne, Kotline, Dachne and in the direction of Pankivka, Volodymyrivka, Suhetsky. The four fighting clashes are still ongoing.
According to preliminary calculations, today in this direction Ukrainian warriors eliminated 120 Russian invaders and wounded 91. Damaged three cars, three motorcycles, one cannon, 12 bpla, two antennas control bpla opponent. One car, five cannons, five BPLA control antennas and two satellite communication terminals of the Russian occupiers were also significantly damaged.
In the Novopavlovsky direction, Ukrainian units stopped nine Russian attacks near the settlements Zaporizhia , Zyrka, Piddubne, Oleksandrograd, Shevchenko, Maliyivka, Voskresenka and Free Field, three more clashes are ongoing.
Russian forces did not carry out offensive actions in Gulyaipilsky and Orihivskky directions, but did strike on Mali Tokmachka.
In the Pridniprovsky direction, eight Russian attempts to advance at the position of Ukrainian units have failed.
Russian forces did not carry out offensive actions in the Gulyajpils Наkomu and Orihivskomu direction.