As autumn deepens over the battle-scarred landscapes of eastern Ukraine, the tempo of the war shows little sign of abating. Reports from both Ukrainian and Russian sources, corroborated by Western analysts, paint a picture of intense, shifting combat across Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv oblasts, with both sides claiming advances and bracing for further escalation before the weather turns.
According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as of September 24, 2025, Ukrainian troops have managed to regain control over about 1.3 square kilometers in the Pokrovskyi district of Donetsk region, conducting reconnaissance and neutralizing enemy positions over an additional 2.1 square kilometers. In some sectors, Ukrainian forces advanced between 200 meters and 2.5 kilometers, a testament to their ongoing counteroffensive despite fierce Russian resistance. The front near Dobropillia remains particularly tense, with Ukrainian troops holding back Russian offensives and restoring control over several settlements in recent days. These tactical gains, while modest on the map, are significant in a war where every village and crossroads can tip the momentum.
"Overall in the Seversky direction, the number of enemy assault actions has increased. Currently without the use of equipment, but constantly on the lookout, as there are warm days left in the month, we think there won’t be much time left this month. The enemy, most likely, will use exactly such weather to carry out assaults using armored and motorized equipment. Therefore, on this stretch of the front there is no lull," said Dmytro Zaporozhets, spokesman of the 11th Army Corps, as quoted in Mezha. His warning underscores the urgency felt by both sides to exploit the last weeks of favorable weather for mechanized operations before the autumn rains and mud inevitably slow the pace.
Meanwhile, Russian forces are not standing idle. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD), their troops are concentrating efforts on strengthening logistics and regrouping units in the Kramatorsk–Kostyantynivka direction, aiming to prepare for renewed offensives. The Russian MoD claimed on September 23 that their forces are continuing operations to seize Kupyansk in Kharkiv Oblast, and have partially enveloped Ukrainian units there—a claim not independently verified by Western analysts, including the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Nevertheless, Russian intentions are clear: the MoD’s unusually public statement outlined plans to use the capture of Kupyansk as a springboard for further advances into eastern Kharkiv and northern Donetsk oblasts, specifically toward Chuhuiv, Izyum, Slovyansk, and Kramatorsk.
This declaration marks a notable shift from previous Russian rhetoric, which had insisted that Moscow’s war aims were limited to Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson oblasts. The open discussion of ambitions in Kharkiv Oblast—territory not officially claimed or annexed by Russia—suggests that the Kremlin’s territorial appetite remains far from sated. As ISW analysts noted, the Russian MoD’s statement “undermines repeated Russian claims that Russia’s main military objective and territorial demands in Ukraine are limited to Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson oblasts.”
On the ground, the fighting is as complex as the political messaging. In the Pokrovsk and Novopavlivka directions, Russian troops are engaged in active fighting, employing infiltration tactics and attempting to break through key Ukrainian defensive points. Ukrainian units have responded with decisive countermeasures, inflicting losses of manpower and equipment on the enemy and destroying shelters and weaponry. The front lines remain dynamic, with both sides trading small but hard-won gains. The Ukrainian command emphasizes that, while the enemy’s pace of advance has slowed compared to the summer’s peak, the situation remains volatile, especially along the Pokrovsk and Dobropillia axes.
Further north, in Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts, Russian forces have continued their attempts to establish buffer zones along the international border. While fighting persisted in northern Sumy as of September 23, no confirmed Russian advances were reported. Russian and Ukrainian units traded attacks and counterattacks near Vovchansk, Kupyansk, and other critical points, with drone and artillery strikes punctuating the battlefield. The Ukrainian National Police reported that a Russian first-person view (FPV) drone struck a civilian vehicle in Prudyanka, north of Kharkiv City, highlighting the ongoing threat to noncombatants even far from the front lines.
In addition to the grinding land battles, the war’s technological edge was on full display. Ukrainian forces struck Russian oil infrastructure in Bryansk and Samara oblasts during the night of September 22 to 23, targeting pipeline stations that supply the Russian military. Moscow City Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that Ukrainian drones also targeted Moscow City itself, prompting temporary flight restrictions at Sheremetyevo Airport. Russian authorities claimed to have downed over 130 Ukrainian drones over Russia and occupied Crimea during this period, while Russian outlet RBK reported that Ukrainian forces launched an unspecified number of hot air balloons overnight—an unusual tactic, perhaps meant to confuse or saturate Russian air defenses.
Amid these developments, international support for Ukraine was reaffirmed at the highest levels. Following a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the United Nations General Assembly, US President Donald Trump expressed strong confidence in Ukraine’s ability to reclaim all its internationally recognized territory. At a press conference on September 23, Trump stated, “I have great respect for Ukraine’s resistance to Russia’s invasion and Ukraine is doing a very good job of defending its territory against Russia’s efforts to quickly seize it.” He further asserted that, with the help of the European Union and NATO, Ukraine is capable of “winning all of Ukraine back in its original form,” referring to the country’s 1991 borders. Trump also affirmed the right of NATO member states to shoot down Russian jets violating their airspace, a pointed response to recent Russian incursions into Polish and Estonian skies.
Trump’s remarks were not merely rhetorical. He confirmed that the United States will continue supplying weapons to Ukraine through NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which allows European states to purchase US-made arms for the embattled nation. This ongoing flow of Western military aid remains a crucial factor in Ukraine’s ability to sustain its defenses and launch counteroffensives, even as Russia seeks to regroup and reinforce its own lines.
Back on the front, both sides face mounting challenges. Russian forces are reportedly experiencing significant casualties, logistics problems, and morale issues in several sectors, including the much-discussed 128th Motorized Rifle Brigade. Ukrainian units, while making gains, must contend with relentless drone and artillery attacks, as well as the ever-present threat of infiltration and encirclement. The use of elite Russian naval infantry and other specialized troops near Kostyantynivka signals Moscow’s determination to envelop Ukraine’s fortress belt in the future, even as some Russian bloggers question the wisdom and timing of certain operations.
With the weather set to turn and both armies racing to solidify their positions, the coming weeks could prove decisive. The fighting in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kharkiv oblasts is more than a contest of territory; it is a struggle over the future of Ukraine and the limits of Russian ambition. As Western leaders watch closely and local commanders brace for the next assault, the war’s outcome remains anything but certain—but for now, neither side appears ready to yield.