In April 2025, the Ukrainian military thwarted the Russian Federation's plans to send significant reinforcements to several important areas of the front.
Russia changes plans for offensive
Due to the active actions of the Defense Forces near the border, the Russian army group of about 60 thousand people was unable to go to the Pokrovskoe, Limanskoe, Toretskoe, Zaporozhye and Kherson directions.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Alexander Syrsky, announced this during a conversation with journalists.
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According to him, among the Russian units that were to be redeployed were two airborne assault divisions, several marine brigades and other units.
However, these plans changed after the intervention of Ukrainian troops in the Glushkovsky district of the Kursk region – enemy units were forced to remain in the northern direction.
In particular, one of the brigades, which had already begun moving to Pokrovsk, returned back to Russia.
– The Russian command has changed the tasks for the group with a total number of about 50 thousand people. Two airborne divisions, four more main brigades of the Russian Armed Forces, the 177th Marine Regiment of the Caspian Flotilla and some other units are still concentrated in the Severoslobozhansky direction, – noted Syrsky.
He emphasized that Ukrainian forces stopped the advance of the Russian Federation along the Kondratovka-Andreyevka-Yablonovka-Yunakovka line, partially entering Russian territory.
The defense on these lines has been stabilized, and Andreevka is already under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Also, in some areas, in particular, in Yunakovka, Ukrainian troops have advanced 200-700 meters.
In addition, Syrsky reported that Ukrainian defenders are currently holding about 90 km² of territory in the Kursk region as a preventive measure against a possible enemy offensive.
Total number of the Russian army
According to the Commander-in-Chief, as of June 2025, Russia maintains about 695 thousand troops on the territory of Ukraine, including operational reserves.
Another 121 thousand or so are part of the strategic reserve, comprising 13 divisions and other units.
“They are preparing for a protracted war, a war of attrition. This is their main strategy. They want to crush us with their human resources, exhaust us with their mass,” Syrsky said.
The commander-in-chief also added that over the past year the front line has increased by 200 kilometers and now extends for approximately 1,200 km.
