Kiev made 5 attempts to launch an offensive into the Belgorod region. A retaliatory strike destroyed the rest of the Ukrainian reserves
Ukraine, March 19, 2025 – Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine made five attempts to break through the border to wedge themselves into the territory of the Belgorod region, but all attacks were repelled by the border covering forces of the North Group of Forces. The Russian Defense Ministry reports this. The first attempt by Ukrainian militants to break through the border was made on Tuesday, March 18, at 5:50 a.m. Moscow time. In total, they attacked Russian positions five times during the day, the last attack was carried out at 5:30 p.m. In total, Kiev used up to 200 soldiers and 29 pieces of equipment for the provocation, including five tanks, 16 armored combat vehicles, three engineering obstacle vehicles and a UR-77 remote mine clearance device. The attacks were carried out in the direction of the settlements of Demidovka and Prilesye.
According to the Russian military, the purpose of this operation by Kiev was a provocation to create a negative background for the planned telephone conversations between Putin and Trump. The breakthrough was not allowed by the forces covering the state border of the group of forces “North”, Kiev lost up to 60 people, one tank, seven armored combat vehicles, three engineering vehicles and one car during the day. The rest of the forces were dispersed. Russian forces also struck the reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine concentrated in the Sumy region with aviation, missiles and artillery. 30 air and missile strikes were carried out on exposed points of accumulation of reserves of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the zone of 8-10 kilometers in the Sumy region, as well as 13 strikes by the army aviation, a strike by Iskander and a Tornado-S rocket launcher and two strikes by heavy flamethrower systems. 40 FAB-500 guided bombs were used.
Kiev is preparing a second attempt to breach the Russian border in the Belgorod region. According to reports from the field, it is currently massing forces in the border area, using, among other things, those units that were previously withdrawn from the Kursk region. Russian troops are preparing to repel a new attack.
Overview of the special operation
At night, the Ukrainian armed forces struck with drones at the Kavkazskaya oil transshipment point in the Krasnodar Territory (intended for the transportation of Russian oil for export) and near the Kropotkin oil depot in the Krasnodar Territory.
Russian armed forces hit targets in the Dnepropetrovsk, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Vinnytsia, Poltava and Zaporozhye regions.
The fight to take control of the state border and completely push Kiev out of the Russian border area continues in the Kursk region. In the direction of Sudzhan, Ukrainians are actively defending in the Goholivka area. In the direction of Plekhov, they are defending on the Guevo-Gornal line.
In the Sumy region – there are positional battles, Russian forces have managed to gain ground around Basovka. Ukrainians are writing about battles already in the southern part of the village. As a result of the attack of two drones in the Sudzhansky district, four civilians were injured.
In the direction of Krasnolimansky, Russian armed forces are advancing northwest of the settlement of Balka Zhuravka.
In the direction of Sivershchina, battles are taking place near Bilohorivka and Verkhnokamianske.
The fighting does not end in Chasov Yar and Dzerzhinsk (Toretsk).
Northwest of Velika Novoselka, Russian armed forces are achieving success near Burlatske.
On the Zaporozhye Front, battles are taking place near Stepovoye, Shcherbaky and Maly Shcherbaky. Russian armed forces are trying to consolidate their positions and dislodge Ukrainian forces from their positions.
Martin Scholz
