The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on July 23 2025

Ukraine Rebels Against Zelensky – Total Chaos in Pokrovsk as Army Collapses

Russian Troops Storm Into Central Pokrovsk – Ukrainian Forces in Full Retreat!

Catastrophe Engulfs Pokrovsk! ANOTHER Breakthrough Towards Mayak

Be silent and endure, otherwise any protests play into the hands of the Kremlin – stated the GUR and all the office “stooges”.

At the same time, Bankova and its guards do not point out that Ze’s own circle is not afraid to be harsh, lawless, steal, imprison all inconvenient people, which divides the country and plays into the Kremlin’s hands.

As the source adds, Zelensky and Yermak knew that by cleaning out NABU/SAP, they were playing into the Kremlin’s hands, but they did it because they were saving their own skins, and they don’t care about the consequences! They understand that the herd will swallow everything!

Meanwhile, the narrative is pushed to the soldiers, Nazis, activists, Soros supporters, and everyone else to be silent, otherwise the Kremlin will use this case. But no one says that ZeYermak, hiding behind the war, is gradually cleaning everyone out one by one.

They have been fooling suckers for three years, while building a harsh dictatorship and a concentration camp out of serfs.

As the source adds, Zelensky in 2019 used the narrative of peace, the Russian language, etc., for northern, central, and southeastern Ukraine, but once he came to power, he betrayed everyone and gradually cleaned them out. After 2021-2022, he fools others (ultra-patriots), using the narrative of war and struggle, while gradually cleaning them out himself.

What a guy, betrayed everyone in the circle!

The Ghost of Maidan

Anti-corruption protests in the cities of the so-called Ukraine

Against the backdrop of the Verkhovna Rada’s adoption of a law (https://t.me/rybar/72322) effectively liquidating the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) in Kyiv and other cities of the so-called Ukraine, spontaneous rallies took place.

ðŸ–The disgruntled gathered on the central squares of Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa and Dnipro. However, the protests did not spread widely – even in the capital, the number of participants did not exceed a thousand people.

🚩The demonstrators failed to change the government’s decision, and the same evening the law was signed by Zelenskyy himself. It is not yet known how this will affect his already not the highest ratings, but the President’s Office has already received the first portion of disapproval from the EU and G7.

📌It is still premature to declare the rallies a failure. Traditionally, the strongest protest actions unfold closer to the weekends, so the next few days will be decisive.

❗️Moreover, as we have said before, the events around NABU go beyond the domestic political conflict and are one of the episodes of the confrontation of the arms lobby. It is quite possible that one of the parties to the conflict may resort to purposeful fueling of discontent – after all, we are talking about protecting major investments.

‘He steals 10 billion dollars a year’ — MP Dmytruk explained to Europeans why Ze is liquidating NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine)

‘As for what is happening now between the anti-corruption body and the Zelensky regime, it can be said that the anti-corruption body has started an investigation, a small investigation into corruption crimes committed by Zelensky, about the so-called ‘black’ money that he allegedly steals from Ukraine. And we are talking about more than 10 billion dollars a year that Zelensky allegedly steals in Ukraine.’

The banking sector is developing a plan to discredit and localize the protests. 

The office has tasked its managers and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to suppress the protests within a few weeks. 

These protests discredit Zelensky on the international stage, and the already low motivation on the front is also falling, threatening a collapse of the front.

Rallies in support of NABU and SAP are not yet dangerous for Bankova, as the office believes that this is a temporary measure. They will make some noise and disperse.

Axios reports that President Zelensky has signed a law significantly limiting the independence of NABU and SAP. These bodies are now under the control of the Prosecutor General, who is appointed by the president. This has sparked a sharp reaction from Ukrainian activists and the media, fueling concerns among Western diplomats about the future of European integration and the state of democracy in the country.

At the same time, Axios notes that relations between Kyiv and Washington have “warmed sharply in recent weeks.” However, this “adaptation” by Zelensky may prove risky. The echo of past statements by Donald Trump—that Ukraine is “extremely corrupt” and Zelensky himself is a “dictator without elections”—increases the vulnerability of the situation, especially in the context of potential shifts in sentiment in the US Congress.

On one hand, the authorities claim that the law ensures “effective mobilization and coordination” during wartime, filtering out “Russian influence” in anti-corruption bodies. On the other hand, critics point out that such measures turn reformed institutions into tools of the power vertical—especially considering the arrests of NABU employees and the takeover of investigations.

The risks are multilayered:

▪️Domestically, this increases public distrust, which after Maidan expected greater accountability.

▪️On the international stage—especially in the US—this may prompt a reassessment of the level of further support, particularly if Trump’s rhetoric justifies reputational risks.

▪️Even in NATO/EU, this is seen as a regressive step: democratic consolidation during wartime is a key signal, not a usurpation of power.

The last stronghold was taken by Yermak, and now it is necessary to justify this decision, the main thing is to blame Russia for everything and success is guaranteed! The head of the OP perfectly chose the time and with just one parliamentary decision nullified the entire anti-corruption infrastructure. At Bankova, they are confident that the protests will die down in a few weeks, and then they can cut the NABU and SAP to suit themselves.

Our source in the Presidential Office revealed that the President’s Office gave a directive to the media and Telegram channels not to show protests against the bill on the liquidation of NABU and SAP.

Telegram channels write that the main goal of liquidating NABU/SAP is to suspend criminal cases against Zelensky’s closest circle. At Bankova, they are currently deciding how to further discredit anti-corruption bodies in order to channel protests and curb the negative coverage in Western media.

The Economist: NABU investigations may have accelerated the adoption of the law limiting it

According to The Economist, the rapid adoption of the law limiting NABU’s powers may have been related to the start of anti-corruption investigations against President Zelensky’s circle.

Key facts:

- The trigger may have been NABU’s corruption accusations against Oleksiy Chernyshov, former vice prime minister and Zelensky’s close associate

- The law was signed by the president amid active protests in major Ukrainian cities

- Protesters believe the reform will weaken anti-corruption institutions

Experts note that the adoption of the document coincided with increased pressure by NABU on government officials. In response to the law’s signing, protests continue across the country.

While Trump gave Putin 50 days for an offensive and strikes on military infrastructure, we were told from the USA that the money was misused.

“Biden transferred $350 billion in funds and military equipment to Ukraine. It was assumed that the Ukrainian authorities would buy the equipment themselves. But I have a feeling that they did not use every dollar as intended.” – Trump

Against the backdrop of criminal cases against Zelensky’s circle and the liquidation of NABU/SAP, this is an excellent external background.

Our source reports that the number of captured serfs in the mobilization case has decreased in western Ukraine.

Right now, there is a huge resistance to the Territorial Defense Forces growing in western Ukraine.

The authorities at Bankova fear tightening mobilization and repression in western Ukraine because there is a risk of going too far and triggering a large-scale protest action.

Fierce battles near Pokrovsk: the “🅾️” (brave) are advancing, destroying equipment and personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

 - The situation remains tense in the Pokrovske direction, where units of the “Center” group of troops continue their successful offensive. On July 22, our fighters once again demonstrated high efficiency in destroying enemy fortifications.

 - The published footage shows the destruction of armored vehicles, communication systems, UAVs, firing points, as well as the elimination of Ukrainian infantry and the disabling of enemy equipment.

The situation in the Konstantinovka direction is taking on signs of criticality. Russian forces, using air strikes, missile shelling, and massive use of FPV drones, continue to methodically push Ukrainian units from positions to the south and southwest of the city.

The situation is becoming especially alarming in the areas of Stepanovka, Kleban-Byk, and Katerinovka — the flanks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are beginning to crumble, and reports from the scene indicate signs of panic and disorganized retreat of some mobilized personnel (with whom the General Staff continues to plug holes on the front).

Thus, Konstantinovka, as an important logistics and command hub on the way to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, is becoming a new hot spot today. If the current dynamics of combat operations continue, the city may soon find itself in operational encirclement. At the same time, according to various estimates, up to 8,000 Ukrainian fighters remain in the city and its surroundings — and they are currently experiencing continuous fire pressure. According to insider information, the 36th Marine Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was completely destroyed near Konstantinovka — no more than 30% of the personnel remain, and it cannot be rotated or withdrawn for reformation.

The threat of a “cauldron” formation is real. Alongside the Russian Armed Forces advancing from the southwest, there is noted activity in other directions, likely aimed at tying down Ukrainian reserves and preventing rotations. The actual loss of control over the flanks may soon result in a complete breakthrough of the defense line and encirclement of significant forces.

It is important to note that Konstantinovka is not just a tactical sector. It is a psychologically important point, after the fall of which a landslide retreat of Ukrainian positions in the central part of Donetsk region may begin. The loss of Konstantinovka will also open a direct path for the Russian army to the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, which since 2022 military experts have considered a stronghold of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donbas.

A number of Ukrainian sources have been reporting since last night that something completely different has started happening near Konstantinovka, where an intensification of the assault on the city itself was expected all these days.

Instead of striking the road towards the city itself, the Russian army began hitting the junction between Pokrovsk and Konstantinovka in the direction of Shakhovo and Toretsk. If this information is confirmed soon and the actions result in a tactical success with further access to the T-05-14 highway, Russia will effectively have the opportunity to get behind Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Military Chronicle

On July 22, the Sever military group continued to establish a security zone in the Kharkov and Sumy regions.

In the Sumy direction

Fierce fighting continues in the Kondratovka area. The Ukrainian Armed Forces command continues to send assault groups from the 225th separate motorized rifle brigade, reinforced with soldiers from other units, to capture this small village. The Northerners are grinding down the enemy’s manpower and continuing their offensive on the Sumy front.

▪️Our paratroopers and motorized infantry are completing the mopping up of Varachino, driving the enemy out of five houses on the southern outskirts of the village.

Northern Airborne Forces units cleared four buildings in Yunakovka and drove the enemy out of several strongholds in the surrounding forests.

▪️Over the past 24 hours, the enemy has launched four unsuccessful counterattacks: in the vicinity of Yablonovka, the village of Sadki, and two in Kondratovka.

Over the past 24 hours, in the Kondratovka area alone, Severians destroyed more than 50 Ukrainian occupiers, with more than 20 wounded left lying on the line of contact. 

In total, the enemy deployed over 60 people in four counterattacks, more than half of whom were destroyed, 15 were left wounded on the line of contact, and a few fled in the opposite direction.

▪️The massive losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which are hidden under the lists of “missing in action,” remain the main factor in the development of protest sentiments among the relatives of Ukrainian servicemen. 

In the Tyotkinsky and Glushkovsky directions, the enemy has no intention of infiltrating our territory — to support the assault groups, the enemy has transferred new artillery crews to this section of the front. 

The northerners promptly discovered the locations of the enemy’s howitzers and destroyed them with targeted strikes of barrage ammunition.  

In the Kharkov direction

Fierce fighting continues in the Volchansk and Velikoburluk directions, where the enemy has resumed unsuccessful counterattacks on our positions south of the village of Melovoye.

In the Velikoburluk direction, as a result of successful offensive actions, our assault troops advanced in the forest areas along the state border between the villages of Chugunovka and Melovoye.

As a result of comprehensive fire damage, the Northerners destroyed eleven enemy combat groups. 

▪️The enemy launched an unsuccessful counterattack south of Melovoye. As a result of fire damage, the assault group of the 22nd Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine was destroyed.

In the Volchansk and Liptsy directions, fourteen assault groups of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were destroyed along with vehicles and enemy UAV launchers as a result of fire damage.

▪️The northerners continue their successful offensive operations in Volchansk and the forest areas. The fearless soldiers cleared nine buildings in the city and advanced more than 600 meters into the forest belts west of the city.

In the morning, in the forest north of Sinelnikovo, the enemy attempted another counterattack. As a result of the fire damage, more than half of the enemy’s manpower was destroyed, and the rest fled in the opposite direction. 

Over the past day, the enemy’s losses amounted to more than 180 people (of which more than 110 were in the Sumy region and more than 70 in the Kharkov region). The following were also discovered and destroyed:

In the Sumy region:

▪️two D-20 howitzers;

▪️two mortars;

▪️Anklav electronic warfare station;

▪️three pickup trucks and two ATVs;

▪️eight UAV launchers;

▪️four aircraft-type UAVs and nine copter drones.

In the Velikoburluk direction:

▪️Rochelle Senator armored vehicle; 

▪️mortar;

▪️two pickup trucks;

▪️UAV launcher;

▪️three aircraft-type UAVs and four drones.

In the Volchansk and Liptsy directions:

▪️mortar;

▪️six pickup trucks and a quad bike;

▪️ammunition depot and two equipment depots;

▪️eight satellite communication stations;

▪️seven UAV launchers;

▪️four aircraft-type UAVs

North Wind

The Russian army has liberated the settlement of Varachino in the Sumy region, — Ministry of Defense

 - Units of the “North” group of troops successfully liberated the settlement of Varachino in the Sumy region as a result of active operations.

The enemy attacked our territory overnight with 33 Ukrainian drones

 - During the past night, from 23:40 MSK on July 22 to 07:00 MSK on July 23, Russian air defense duty forces intercepted and destroyed 33 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles.

Targets were eliminated over the following territories:

▪️12 UAVs – over Tula region.

▪️11 UAVs – over Rostov region.

▪️6 UAVs – over Nizhny Novgorod region.

▪️2 UAVs – over Bryansk region.

▪️1 UAV – over Kursk region.

▪️1 UAV – over Kaluga region.

Strikes on energy facilities, railway infrastructure, and military units in Ukraine — on the night of July 23, 2025

During a night air operation, Russian weapons delivered a series of precision strikes with Geran-2 strike UAVs on energy facilities, power supply nodes of traction railway stations, warehouses, and areas where Ukrainian formations are deployed.

🔻Sumy (23:55)

As a result of the UAV strikes, two high-voltage substations were hit at once:

• 110 kV Sumy Uzlovaya substation, where a fire was reported in an oil circuit breaker, as well as the detonation of UAV debris within the fenced area;

 • 330 kV Sumy substation, direct hit on one of the transformers with gabion protection, transformer oil volume ~60 tons. The fire covered an area of 700 m².

Tactical consequences: the strike disabled the central power hub of northeastern Ukraine, leading to a partial power outage in the city of Sumy and more than 350 settlements in the region. Components of the external power supply system for railway junctions, air defense facilities, and mobile electronic warfare platforms were damaged.

🔻Sagaydak, Poltava region (00:10)

Strike on a 110 kV AC transformer located on the territory of the Southern Railway traction distance.

 • Fire localized over an area of 500 m²

 • Transformer module and nearby racks with cable wiring damaged

Rail traffic slowed but not stopped. Delays likely in transit of train cars from Poltava and Lozova junctions.

🔻Krivoy Rog, Dnepropetrovsk region (00:10–00:35)

A series of strikes on the Adamant industrial enterprise:

 • The roof of the production workshop (150 m²) was destroyed.

 • Fire inside the building with detonation of oil-filled cables, industrial waste, and electrical switchgear (100 m²).

Industrial significance: Adamant is involved in small-scale metalworking, including the supply of components for armor protection. The workshop was used as a subcontractor for the production of non-standard parts.

🔻Gulaygorodok, Cherkasy region (02:15)

Three UAVs struck the territory of military unit No. 31 of the National Guard regiment. The following internal infrastructure facilities of the unit were damaged:

 • dining hall,

 • three barracks modules,

 • training classroom.

One National Guard serviceman was killed.

🔻Prosyanaya, Dnepropetrovsk region (02:30–02:40)

Four strike UAVs carried out a series of strikes on the temporary concentration area of the 1st assault battalion of the 46th separate airborne assault brigade and the tactical group of the 141st separate mechanized brigade, deployed on the outskirts of the settlement.

Confirmed:

• Two Western-made armored vehicles — International MaxxPro MRAP and HMMWV M1114, equipped with Harris Falcon III radio stations — were destroyed.

• Two vehicles — an armored minibus and a mobile electronic warfare platform — were damaged.

 • At least 6 military personnel were killed, and another 9 were wounded to varying degrees, including burns and concussions.

🔻Ulyanovka, Sumy region (03:00 23.07.2025)

Seven strike UAVs delivered a concentrated strike on the territory of a rear logistics complex disguised as an agricultural base. According to radio interception data, the facility housed a repair and evacuation group and a storage and transport unit of the 117th separate mechanized brigade.

As a result of the strike:

• Three vehicles were destroyed: a MAN HX60 truck, a Tatra T815 flatbed truck, and a John Deere tractor equipped with a lifting platform for loading ammunition.

• A mobile maintenance station equipped with welding and compressor equipment was burned down.

 • A rear storage facility for ammunition and diesel barrels with a capacity of ~6 tons was damaged;

 • At least 4 military personnel from the engineering and technical group were killed, and 6 more were wounded, including two drivers and two equipment operators.

Yours, Partizan 

Ukraine will not receive new Patriot systems until the end of 2025 – spring 2026.

🔺Germany is ready to consider the possibility of transferring another Patriot battery to Ukraine only if a clear and rapid replacement is provided by the US or other allies, so as not to weaken its own defense.

All these statements mean that there are serious contradictions between the US and NATO countries regarding support for the Ukrainian conflict, and the inertia of the Western military-industrial complex does not allow anyone to act independently.

The urgency of measures in this sense does not cancel the fundamental problem — the slow pace of military production. The timelines announced by Spiegel objectively reflect the fact that in the long term it is impossible to quickly saturate Ukraine with new air defense systems. This creates significant challenges for the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a whole, especially considering that the density of use of “Geran-1″, cruise, and ballistic missiles is constantly increasing.

Germany, to allocate its battery, must first receive a replacement, which is only planned to be manufactured and delivered

Military Chronicle

Morning Summary on July 23, 2025

▪️ The strikes by our UAVs last night were of a routine nature, which may be related to the protracted rallies in Ukrainian cities against Zelenskyy’s fight against anti-corruption bodies. Explosions were heard in Kryvyi Rih, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv and frontline regions.

▪️ The enemy continued to persistently send drones to our regions. From 9 PM to 11:40 PM, 51 Ukrainian fixed-wing UAVs were destroyed over Kursk, Rostov, Oryol, Kaluga, Tula, and Lipetsk Regions. Later in the Tula Region, an attack of at least 12 enemy UAVs was repelled. Footage of downed UAV wreckage falling in the center of Novocherkassk, Rostov Region is spreading: the targets of the AFU were the railway station area and the Novocherkassk GRES.

▪️ In the Kursk Region in the evening, an enemy FPV drone attacked a private house in the village of Giryy in Belovsky District, injuring a man. In the village of Viktorovka, Lgovsky District, a tractor ran over an explosive device during agricultural work, injuring the driver. A UAV of the AFU attacked a gas station in the Fonov farm of Rylsky District, injuring a motorcycle driver. In the Tyotkin and Glushkovo directions, the enemy does not abandon its intentions to infiltrate our territory – to support assault groups, the enemy has redeployed new artillery crews to this section of the front, writes the Northern Grouping of Forces.

▪️ In the Sumy direction, our forces demonstrated the flag in the settlement of Varachino, where heavy fighting has been going on for a long time, the village has not yet been taken. Our forces are breaking through to Yunakivka. Fighting for every house. Fierce battles continue in the Kondratovka area. The AFU command continues to send assault groups to their deaths.

▪️ In the Kharkiv Region, in the area of our relatively new bridgehead in the Velikoburlyuk direction, our assault troops advanced in the forest areas along the state border between the villages of Chugunovka and Melovoye. In the Volchansk direction – counterattacks.

▪️ In the Belgorod Region, in the village of Urazovo, Valuysky District, a man was injured by a drone explosion. In the village of Ilek-Penkovka, Krasnoyaruzhsky District, a private house was destroyed by an AFU shell, a woman was rescued from the rubble. Two teenagers aged 16 and 17 who were nearby were also injured. In the village of Shamino, two FPV drones attacked a passenger car, the car burned down. In the village of Ternovoye, a drone struck a private house. Near the farm of Yekaterinivka, Volokonovsky District, a drone struck a tractor.

▪️ In the Konstantinovsk direction, after the reports of the Russian Ministry of Defense about the liberation of the settlement of Belaya Gora, our forces showed the flag in the village. This direction from Dyleevka (north of Dzerzhinsky) will, according to the enemy’s estimates, provide the Russian Army with room for action. The control zone is expanding near Yablonovka. North of Mirnograd, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported the liberation of Novotoretsk (https://t.me/dva_majors/75826).

▪️ In the Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) direction, the Russian Armed Forces are consolidating in Zverevo.

▪️ In the South Donetsk direction, the Eastern Grouping of Forces is creating a continuous control zone south and east of Zeleny Gay.

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2025/07/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on-july_23.html