Reportedly air defence traces in Sudzha following a Ukrainian HIMARS strike on the town. This plus other reports indicate that it might be a busy day for Russian air defence.

ATACMS were launched from Kramatorsk and are heading for Mariupol.

Reportedly some of the ATACMS were shot down but some hit their targets. Air defence traces are visible in the skies over the city.

It is reported that at least one Ukrainian missile was shot down over Nikolske (Northwest of Mariupol). Adjusting the course to fit that report.

"The missiles were intercepted in the south of the DPR and were heading towards the Krasnodar Territory and the Rostov Region."

- Russian Monitor telegram channel

Based on these reports it is possible that the previous reports were wrong and that none of the missiles hit their targets. Still too early to tell though.

The danger for Occupied Luhansk and Donetsk Oblasts is not over yet. There is now an aviation threat.

In other news, heavy fighting is being reported in the centre of Rafah in the Gaza strip. Machine guns are active.

A Russian Monitor channel reported that 4 missiles were launched at Donetsk and that 1 hit it's target.

Geolocated footage indicates that Russian forces continue to advance in Western-most Luhansk Oblast.

Here, Russian infantry supported by at least one unknown vehicle seized control over a forested area. From there they likely consolidated control over their new positions before launching another attack likely consisting of Russian infantry. Here they were able to capture and take up new positions in the adjacent treeline.

After this, Russian infantry on motorbikes launched another assault on the next treeline that runs from the forest. Due to the fact that the soldiers on the Motorbikes were hit by small-arms fire, the treeline is either in the grey zone or under Russian control by now. The small-arms fire indicates that Ukrainian positions are likely in the next treeline over.

The maximum advance of Russian forces was ~2.57km.

The dialysis center in El Fasher, Sudan caught fire today after the building was hit by RSF shelling. This is yet another example of RSF forces targeting medical buildings, although it is possible that the SAF was using this as a base of operations. Despite this I wouldn't put it past the RSF to do this in order to sew fear among the civilians trapped in the besieged city.

(Part 1) Geolocated footage indicates that Ukrainian forces continue to advance around Vovchansk and today liberated the village of Tykhe.

Following supporting attacks on a Russian stronghold on the eastern outskirts of Vovchansk, Ukrainian forces began active assault operations on Tykhe from the east and were able to successfully push the Russians entirely out of the village. The Russians responded by bombarding the settlement with FABs and hitting Ukrainian positions in the houses and small industrial buildings near the forest.

This advance also allowed Ukrainian forces to gain a foothold on the main tactical heights north of Vovchansk which may be useful in the future for pushing the Russians from the forests further north.

(Part 2) There are also reports that the area north of Tykhe all the way up to the international border is in the grey zone, which will make it easier for Ukraine to recapture it and push west to the rear of Vovchansk. This is all speculation of course and it is entirely possible that following the liberation of Tykhe, the Ukrainian offensive will completely fizzle out. However, it is too early to tell, and for now, they are slowly moving forward.

I've talked about why I disagree with the Ukrainian decision-making behind the offensive operations in Northern Kharkiv Oblast in a separate post (on Twitter), so I won't talk about that here.

The maximum advance of Ukrainian forces was ~1.94km.

Threat of Ballistics from Crimea

A reliable Russian source reported that Russian forces have advanced to the centre of Sokil and are consolidating in the eastern houses of Yevhenivka.

This whole sector of the frontline has been re-activated. This may be the beginning of the slow push to Pokrovsk following the Ukrainian redeployment of troops to northern Kharkiv, likely from this direction.