In May, the Russians launched 1 of respective planned raids as part of the spring-summer run of 2025 – a conflict of 70-thousandth city of Constantinówka.
It is simply a comparatively young town, as it was created at the end of the 19th century, during a period of dynamic industrialization of Carska Russia, in independent Ukraine, it was primarily the centre of glass manufacture and its associated technological and investigation facilities. In this industrial city since the USSR, erstwhile it was a city of 100,000, the steel and colour metals manufacture and the chemical manufacture developed. Along with the towns of Kramatorsk, Slavic, Constantinówka forms 1 of the key industrial agglomerations on Donbasa.
As a consequence of the successful Russian summertime run of 2024, Russian troops of the Center Group went under the city of Pokrowsk and thus profoundly winged the city of Constantinówka lying southeast of it. Konstantnonka herself in 2024 was the mark of the Russian confederate Group. However, this attack was stopped by Ukrainian troops, thanks to the highly effective and ongoing defence of the town-war fortress lying on the road from Bachmut to Constantinówka. It is from the hills of Jaru that the shortest Russian army way to Constantinówka runs and as part of the current operation to conquer the city, the impact from the Jaru Time area, will be with a large amount of probability 1 of 3 directions of Russian assault.
Russian Army plan and forces
Russian troops in 2024 led the spring-year offensive on Pokrowsk with their right flank, due to deficiency of strength, left passive. The fact that Ukrainian troops occupied the defenseable, extended lines of permanent and field fortifications effectively deterred them from attacks. The Constantine shielded from the southeast by an effective defence of Jar's time fortress seemed safe.
In the last months of 2024 and in the first 4th of 2025, the right flank of the Russian “Centre” group remained passive, hence the Ukrainian command took any of its forces from here to another active sections of the front.
On the Russian side, all reserves of General Andrei Mordwiczov, who then commanded the “Centre” group, were directed to halt a series of successful Ukrainian counterattacks close Pokrowski. Ukrainian strategical Operations Command "Hortyca", liable for defending areas from Kharkiv, by Kupańsk, Siewiersk, Toreck to Pokrowsk, directed here to rescue the situation of the falling front, 1 of the most capable Ukrainian commanders, general of the young generation Mikhail Drapaty. After receiving additional units from the Central Reserve sent here by the Syrian General, he stabilized the front around Pokrovsk, stopped Russians and even regained part of the position and village around the city.
Meanwhile, the Russian Rate in the spring of 2025 faced a decision on how to usage troops, which in the alleged Southdonie operating direction victoriously ended the conflict for the Ukrainian city – Kurachowe fortress.
Exhausted by the fighting of the Russian unit of the 8th Guarded Military Army and the separated forces of the 51st Guarded Guarded Military Army were pulled back, as foreseen by Ukrainian and Western analysts to supplement.
The point is that the Russians decided to rebuild their fighting potential, to incarnate replenishment, to replenish equipment and ammunition as if on the march and moved them between Pokrowsk and Toreck.
US reconnaissance satellites located this Russian concentration and provided information to the Ukrainian General Staff. The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, General Alexander Syrski, decided not to wait for Moscow's movements and in March/April the Ukrainians brought a series of counterattacks to the late acquired city – the Toreck fortress. This forced Stanka to mention 1 of the 2 divisions of the 8th Guarded Military Army (8GAO) to Toreck. An elite regiment of 150 Idricko-Berlin Guards of the Mechanized firearm Division has mastered the situation by throwing the Ukrainians outside Toreck, allowing to loosen and replenish the exhausted fighting for the Fort of the confederate Group. However, the attack on Constantinople had to be postponed by a fewer weeks.
After these perturbations, after making staff changes, in the beginning of May 2025 the Russians were ready to invade. General Walery Gierasimov, along with General Kim, drew up a plan for a tripartite strike against Constantinople.
The following forces were deployed to carry out the task on a front line of more than 120 km.
From the south-west, the “Centre” group, late commanded by the talented General Waler Solodczuk, is to approach. He is simply a parachutist, a postgraduate of the Higher Officer's Air-Dessant Military School in Riazana, a erstwhile commander of the 98th defender Air-Dessant Division, and then 36th National Army, headed by the 2022 fighting at Kiev, and in the winter 2024 commanded the ‘Kursk’ Group which drove Ukrainian troops out of occupied areas of the Kursk region, or territory of the Russian Federation.
In the direction of Constantinople, General Solodczuk attacks the forces of the 8th Guarded Military Army with units of 68 Army Corps and 51 National Army.
Looking from the left flank The “Centre” group is approaching with forces: 39 firearm Brigades Mechanized. Along the H-32 and hitting Powka. The left arm of the “sticks” are regiments of 20 Przykarpacko-Berlin Guards of the Mechanized firearm Division. On their right flank coming out of the town of Nju York and Toreck, being the right arm of the “sticks” attack regiments of 150 Guards of the Mechanized firearm Division. Both units come from 8 GAO. Between them, there are 5 and 110 firearm Brigades Mechanized from the 51st Guarded Military Army, supported by the 385th Artillery Brigade.
From the south east, the "South" group of General Alekandra Sanchik, directed here a fewer months ago by Stawka, was to attack in order to bring order, after criminally withdrawing the command of the confederate Group and a number of brigade commanders. General Sanchik himself is an armored man, postgraduate of Malinowski's Armoured Army Academy, fought at the head of the 35th National Army in 2022 under Kiev, successfully led offensive actions in the year 2024 of the Russian “East” Group.
The confederate group attacks in 2 axes. From Toreck: 4 and 132 Mechanized firearm Brigades, 109, 87, 101,111 firearm Regiments and 1465 Reserve firearm Regiment backed by 238 Artillery Brigade, and 11 Bomb Squad.
The second direction of the attack comes out of the Jaru Times, where General Sanchik gathered: the 98th defender Air-Desant Division, the 88th Volunteer Brigade "Espaniola", the 72nd firearm Brigade Mechanized, the 200th Arctic Brigade, the 54th and 166th Regiment of Mechanized Infantry. In addition, 1008 and 1307 Reserve Mechanized Infantry Regiments and 89 Reserve Armored Regiment were concentrated there.
Additionally, there are many units of mercenaries/volunteers: “Redut” Brigade, 3rd Kozack Brigade “Terek”, “Weevils” Brigade, “Borz” Battalion. There are besides units of "grandparents" from the USSR period (Bajewoj Armiej Strana Reserve) battalions: BARS-13 "Russian Legion", BARS-27 "Fakiel", BARS-31 "Flam".
The full is supported by many artillery: 17th Artillery Brigade, 333th Volga Reserve Artillery Brigade, 1065th Artillery Regiment and 27th Artillery Regiment. In total, the Russians concentrated about 150-200 1000 soldiers.
Ukrainian troops at the conflict of Constantinówka
The right flank, is simply a garrison of the city fortress of Jar Times surrounding its area, for nearly a year stopping effectively attacking Russians. However, 85% of the city is already in Russian hands.
They defend themselves here: 24 Lviv Mechanized Brigade, 5th Assault Brigade, 56 and 93 Mechanized Brigade and 18th Slavic National defender Brigade and 104th Territorial Defence Brigade. Smaller units are the Battalion of the 1st National defender Presidential Brigade, 2nd Donbas Battalion of the National Guard, 130th Reconnaissance Battalion. Fire support provides defenders with the 16th Artillery Brigade.
In front of Russian units attacking from Torecka, many Ukrainian battalions are deployed leading highly effective and skillfully conducted maneuvering defenses.
Ukrainians here have 28 and 100 Mechanized Brigades, the Independent Brigade "Hetman Bohdan Chmielnicki". 107 , 117 and 125 Territorial Defence Brigade and 22th National defender Brigade. The MMA regiments are defended here, including the storm regiments: “Tsunami” and “Safari”, average regiments “Charków”, Dnipro-1, the “Ljut” Brigade and about 6 independent police battalions.
In front of Division 8 of the Guards of the National Military Army and Brigade 51 of the Guards of the National Military Army, there were originally only 2 Ukrainian territorial defence brigades, which the Russians in the first week of attacks even "changed" by gaining a number of villages and many dense fortifications.
General Mikhail Drapaty directed his own reserves of strategical Operations Command "Hortyca" to the collapsing front, and General Syrski threw a unit from Sumszczyna to aid him, weakening that section of the front. The results are seen in the form of Russian successes under Suma, but this is material for another article.
Currently other the Russian forces of the “Centre” group separated to attack Constantinówka, Ukrainian command directed:
National defender Brigades "Kord" and "Lubard", 82nd Infantry and Assault Brigade, 44, 117, 157 Mechanized Brigades, 5rd dense Brigade (former 5th Armored Brigade), 36th Marine Infantry Brigade and 109 and 111th Territorial defence Brigade. There is simply a 12th National defender Brigade “Azov” in the ward. They are supported by the 46th Artillery Brigade. They are powerful forces on paper, but they enter into combat in part.
Battle course – first 3 weeks
After breaking down the lines of extended dense Ukrainian fortifications, utilizing artillery fire, fiber-directed drones “Prince Vandal Nowgorodzko” and bombings, Russian forces expelled Ukrainians from occupied fortifications and forced them to retreat.
Ukrainian soldiers leave further villages, occupying fresh defensive lines. The approaching reserves, directed here by the Ukrainian General Staff, slow stabilise the front line and come to a series of encounter battles with Russian units.
Russian troops are very well commanded, there is simply a smooth loosening of units on the front line, in specified a way that on defending Ukrainian units, there is simply a constant, constant, force of attacking Russian soldiers. There are no breaks and pauses. Wherever the success of Russian assault groups is achieved, they are introduced to the fight of unit II of the throw. The momentum of the Russian assault, according to the rules of martial arts, is increasing.
Russian tactics themselves are akin to those utilized in the summertime run of 2024 by the “Centre” Group close Pokrowski, and developed by General Andrei Mordwiczov. These are attacks by many tiny groups of infantry storms, with comparatively small usage of armored vehicles, supported by strong artillery, air strikes, and the massive usage of FPV drones and drones on light water.
So far, the success has been achieved by the “Centre” units of the left flank that take place in Constantinówka from the southwest. Under Torecki, the Russian attack of the confederate Group is binding, but it is besides moving forward.
Units of the 3rd Guarding Military Army under the Jarem Times seem to be waiting for the convenient minute of entry “to play”, although regiments of the 98th Guarding Air-Desant Division captured 95% of the city's central construction. On the left flank, Russians attack Stupoczki, along the road to Constantinówka.
In summary, on 1 June 2025 the situation of the Ukrainian strategical Operational Group ‘Hortyca’, defending itself between the Pokrowska agglomeration, east of Torecka and under Jarem Times, is steadily deteriorating. Ukrainian command must take into account the needs of the pokrovsk defence as well as the expanding activity of the Russian army under Kupińsk, towards Kranso-Limansk and Siewierski. Everywhere, Russian units went into offensive action.
The front is starting to "grow". Much depends on the result of the encounter conflict that happens in front of us between Mirnograd and Torecki. It is crucial to be aware that the Ukrainian brigades headed into the battlefield do not fight with all forces, and in the area of combat they entered two, top of 3 battalions. Engineering troops are just building them field fortifications. Many built, have a “bad direction” due to the fact that the Russians have bypassed them from the south-west and attack them from the flank.
A large deal depends on the efficient logistics of the fighting parties, whether they will guarantee continuity of supply, as the immense amounts of drones in the hands of the soldiers of both sides make no 1 and nothing feel safe at a depth of up to 20 km, including easy to destruct supply vehicles.
We do not know the plan approved by General Walery Gierasimov, the Russian Chief of General Staff, the commander of the Joint Military Group in the framework of the alleged peculiar Military Operations, but it seems that the "Constantinian Operation Zachatna" is only part of the spring-year offensive of the Russian year 2025.
Constantinówka itself next to Pokrovska is most likely the main goal, designated by Stawka, to be captured by units of the Russian army until the autumn Razputica arrives.
Krzysztof Podgórski