It's time again to release an updated list of Ukrainian settlements that have changed hands since the beginning of the year. Settlements in Bold are settlements that were captured/claimed captured since my last update a month ago.

Confirmed captured by Russia:
Marinka
Avdiivka
Stepove
Sieverne
Lastochkyne
Orlivka
Tonenke
Ocheretyne
Pervomaiske
Novomykhailivka
Sakko I vansetti
Vodiane
Ivanivske
Novobakhmutivka
Soloviove
Bohdanivka
Robotyne
Staromayorske
Paraskoviivka
Pobieda
Netailove
Umanske
Berdychi
Semenivka
Novokalynove
Keramik
Akhanhelske
Berestove
Kotlyarivka
Pletenivka
Hatyshche
Ohirtseve
Buhruvatka
Borysivka
Lukyantsi
Pyl'na
Oliinykove
Morokhovets
Krasne
Hlyboke
Strilecha
Novopokrovske
Netailove
Novooleksandrivka
Shumy
Novoselivske
Ivanivka (Kupyansk direction)
Tabaivka
Kyslivka
Klishchiivka
Krynky
Pivdenne
Yurivka
Spirne
Sokil
Voskhod
Yevhenivka
Yasnobrodivka
Rozdolivka
Pishchane
Lozuvatske
Prohres
Vovche
Urozhaine
Novoselivka Persha

Claimed captured by Russia:
Hoptivka
Andriivka (Chasiv Yar direction)
Stepova Novosilka
Heorhiivka
Ivano-Darivka
Zalizne
Tymofiivka
Vesele (Pokrovsk direction)

Confirmed liberated by Ukraine:
Tykhe
Sotnytskyi Kozazhok

Claimed liberated by Ukraine:
Vesele (Siversk direction)

That's a total of:
65 confirmed captured by Russia
8 claimed captured by Russia
2 confirmed liberated by Ukraine
1 claimed liberated by Ukraine

Let me know if I missed anything!

Russian advances across the frontline appear to have slowed down over the past 48 hours. Deepstate reported an advance in 1 direction yesterday, a decrease from advances in 8 directions 3 days ago. Sofa General staff reported advances in 2 directions yesterday, also a decrease from advances in 8 directions 3 days ago.

This is temporary and is likely due to consolidation of new positions. The Russians are being very careful with their offensive operations, which also gives Ukraine more time to build more defences. I predict in the next week, there will be some major progress near Zhelanne and Hrodivka in the Pokrovsk direction.

In the Pokrovsk direction, Russian forces likely advanced into southern Ivanivka from the east. Reports from multiple reliable sources indicate that Russian forces cleared the first houses of the settlement and are advancing northwest towards the centre of the village.

Some sources claimed that Russian forces already reached the centre of Ivanivka and control everything inside the yellow line, however this remains unconfirmed for now.

For the record, Vesele has already likely fallen. If Ivanivka falls too, then it would allow for two assault vectors on the key town of Hrodivka, with only fields in the way of making this happen.

Sofa general staff's new map update indicates that Russian forces are just 1.1km from Toretsk. The battle for the city is going to commence soon.

Multiple sources reported that Russian forces entered northern Mezhove.

This is odd, as I would've thought it'd be easier for Russia to advance from the western bank of the Vovcha river and force a Ukrainian withdrawal from Mezhove and Skuchne by seizing the fortifications west of them

A lot of air raid alerts in northwestern Israel.

Explosions in Nahariya.

The battle for Toretsk has likely officially begun today.

Russians secured the high ground behind the line

Explosion in Sumy. Russia launched KABs at the city.

Geolocated footage and reliable reports indicates that Russian forces continue to advance in the direction of Toretsk.

Here Russian forces likely captured the rest of Zalizne, and reached the electrical substation on the western outskirts of the town. The goal here is likely to reach Toretsk while simultaneously encircling the Terykon.

Additionally, Russian forces captured the rest of the forests east of Pivnichne, and advanced deeper into Pivnichne and Druzhba using multiple vectors of attack.

Multiple sources are reporting that Russian forces continue to advance in western Zhelanne and are slowly clearing the residential area.

"Several U.S. soldiers were injured in a rocket attack by the Islamic Resistance of Iraq on the American base "Ayn al-Assad", their condition is unknown" – Pentagon

The Hebrew website "Israel without censorship" stated that two American soldiers were killed in the attack on the American base in Ain al-Assad, western Iraq.

This is currently unconfirmed.

Explosions in Ukraine & Russia over the past 24 hours - 5-6th of August 2024:

Explosions in Ukrainian-held territory:
Kyiv (Iskander-M)
Sumy (Shaheds)
Poltava (Shaheds)
Kropyvynyskyi (Unknown)
Zaporizhzhia (Unknown)
Kharkiv (KABs)
Voznesensk (Shaheds)
Mykolaiv (Shaheds)
Kherson (FABs)
Pokrovsk (FABs/KABs)
Kostyantynivka (FABs)

Explosions in Russian-held territory:
Donetsk city (MLRS)
Sudzha (UAVs)

Disclaimer:
These explosion reports do not include shellings. They only include Missiles, FABs (for certain places), KABs, Shaheds, UAVs and MLRS.

Geolocated footage shows that Russian forces made significant progress in Pivnichne following a series of infantry-led assaults.

Russian forces advanced through the Northeastern part of the town and crossed the Horlivka-Toretsk highway. They then turned southwest, likely in an attempt to encircle the remaining Ukrainian groupings in eastern Pivnichne while also getting behind the large Terykon (industrial waste heap).

The Terykon is an important tactical height for the AFU, and likely has firing positions facing down into the rest of the town. The Russians obviously don't want to storm the Terykon head-on, and instead chose to bypass it from the north.

This move nearly has nearly encircled the Ukrainian groupings in the east of the town as the Terykon is in the way of retreat. Only a small 560m corridor remains for a withdrawal, so unless Ukraine has already pulled out, it is likely that the eventual withdrawal attempt will be very chaotic.

Update from the Orikhiv direction:

Geolocated footage and reliable reports indicate that Russian forces have advanced in 2-3 new areas in the Robotyne salient.

Firstly, Russian forces seized a series of fortifications northwest of Robotyne, advancing up the treelines in the direction of the highway. Here they managed to advance by a maximum of ~1.71km. This will help support future assaults from northern Robotyne itself.

Secondly, Russian forces advanced east of the village by ~1.38km. This advance is significant as it puts Ukrainians in their fortifications east of Robotyne at a high risk of encirclement, with only a forested area and a single treeline to withdraw through. I expect if Ukraine hasn't pulled out of here yet, they will do so shortly.

And finally, reliable reports state that Russian forces seized a Ukrainian treeline position in the direction of Mala Tokmachka, and advanced by ~830m.

Colours for the map:
Red = confirmed Russian control
Yellow = confirmed Russian advances
Purple = likely Russian advances

Deepstate reported that Russian forces were pushed from the Zhovtnevyl microdistrict of Chasiv yar and back over the canal.

However, their map shows that the eastern part of that micro-district is in the grey zone, and that Russian forces established a small toehold near the bridge connecting the Kanal microdistrict and the main part of Chasiv Yar.

These reports are currently unconfirmed.

Ukrainian forces, supported by 4 tanks, reportedly launched an incursion into Kursk Oblast and advanced several hundred metres into Russian territory.

Preliminary reports indicate that the vectors of attack are:
- Nikolaevo-Daryino - Darino
- APP "Sudzha" - Gogolevka

Here's what else is being reported:
- Russian special forces from national formations are reportedly being deployed.

- Russian sources claimed that one Ukrainian tank was destroyed by a Russian FPV drone near the border.

- Intense artillery duels are reportedly underway.

Ukraine has likely pulled out of the Niu-York salient. But it's important to note that these troops have probably just been withdrawn to the next big salient where another chaotic withdrawal will likely ensue.