ISW: The Ukrainian Armed Forces expanded their positions in Krynky, and the occupiers advanced near Kupyansk

East of Ukraine. Operation No. 1 – Luhansk region

The Russian occupiers recently captured Kotliarivka (southeast of Kupyansk) on or before 4 May, and made other confirmed advances along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna axis as attacks continued in the area on 5 May.

Geolocation footage released on 4 May shows that the invaders advanced to the west of Kotliarivka and south of Novoselivske (northwest of Svatove).

Russian troops also conducted attacks near Synkivka, Pishchane and Kyslivka, Berestove and Stelmakhivka, near Novosadove, Torske and Terny, near Serebryanske forestry, near Hryhorivka and Bilohorivka.

Operation No. 2 – Donetsk region

On 5 May, Russian troops continued to attack in the Siversk sector (northeast of Bakhmut), but reportedly made no progress.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the occupiers unsuccessfully attacked east of Siversk near Verkhnekamianske; southeast of Siversk near Vyymka and Spirne; and southwest of Siversk near Rozdolivka.

On 5 May, the Russian invaders continued their offensive in the area of Chasiv Yar, but did not achieve any confirmed territorial gains.

A Russian "military commander" claimed that Russian airborne forces had allegedly advanced towards the dacha zone north of the Kanal neighbourhood (the easternmost area of Chasiv Yar) and pushed the Ukrainian army to the southern edge of the neighbourhood, although ISW did not observe any visual evidence of this.

According to a Russian blogger, Ukrainian forces counterattacked on the northern and western administrative boundaries of Bohdanivka (northeast of Chasiv Yar), while Russian forces continued to strengthen their positions in the Stupky-Holubovski 2 reserve (south of the Kanal neighbourhood).

Russian and Ukrainian forces also continued to fight near Chasiv Yar, in particular in the vicinity of the Kanal and Novyi neighbourhoods, east of the town near Ivanivske; and southeast of Chasiv Yar near Klishchiyivka and Andriivka.

Sources on social media posted footage of a destroyed bridge over the Siverskiy Donets Canal in Donbas, allegedly near the Kanal neighbourhood, but it is unclear who struck the facility.

According to the spokesperson for the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ Khortytsia grouping, Lieutenant Colonel Nazar Voloshyn, the occupiers have concentrated 20-25,000 people in the area of Chasiv Yar.

On 5 May, the Russian Ministry of Defence said that Putin’s troops had occupied Ocheretyne (northwest of Avdiivka).

Captain of the National Guard of Ukraine Volodymyr Chernyak said that the invaders had bypassed the new defences of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Ocheretyne and were able to form a small ledge, as the Ukrainian forces lacked engineering personnel to quickly build defensive positions in response to the Russian offensive.

According to Chernyak, Russian troops are advancing slowly, but he also noted that even the occupiers’ gradual advance is difficult to defend against, as Russian "meat assaults" are "simple, bloody, inhuman and effective".

Russian troops continued offensive actions in the area of Arkhangelske, near Novokalynove and Novooleksandrivka, near Berdychiv and Semenivka, near Novopokrovske, Sokil and Solovyove.

Russian forces also continued offensive operations west and southwest of Avdiivka on 5 May, but made no confirmed advances.

Russian "military officials" claimed that the occupiers had conducted a tactical offensive in Netaylove (southwest of Avdiivka) and allegedly advanced 300 metres in the settlement.

Russian troops attacked west of Avdiivka in the area of Umanske and Yasnobrodivka and southwest of Avdiivka in the area of Netaylove.

Geo-location footage published on 4 May suggests that the Ukrainian Armed Forces may have regained positions in Nevelske (southwest of Avdiivka) on an unspecified date.

On 5 May, Russian forces continued offensive operations west and southwest of Donetsk city, but made no confirmed advances.

The Russian "military commander" claimed that Putin’s forces allegedly made minor gains east of Krasnohorivka (west of Donetsk) and in eastern Paraskoviivka (southwest of Donetsk).

The occupiers also attacked west of Donetsk near Novomykhailivka and Heorhiivka and southwest of Donetsk near Kostyantynivka and Vodyane.

Russian troops reportedly advanced near the administrative border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhya regions, but there were no confirmed changes in this section of the frontline on 5 May.

On 4 May, a Russian "military commander" claimed that Putin’s troops had allegedly advanced to 500 metres near Novomayorsk, although ISW experts did not observe visual evidence of this claim.

Positional fighting continued south of Velyka Novosilka in the area of Staromayorske and Urozhayne and southwest of Velyka Novosilka in the area of Novopil and Novodarivka.

"Southern Axis"

Russian troops recently advanced in Robotyno amid ongoing positional fighting in western Zaporizhzhya region on 5 May.

Geolocation footage released on 4 May shows that the occupiers have recently advanced in the southern part of Robotyne.

Positional fighting continued near Robotyne and Verbove (east of Robotyne).

The Ukrainian Defence Forces recently expanded their positions on the eastern (left) bank of the Kherson region amid ongoing positional fighting in the area on 5 May.

Geo-location footage released on 4 May shows that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have expanded their positions in Krynky.

The spokesman for the Southern Ukrainian Defence Forces, Captain Dmytro Pletenchuk, said that Russian troops had conducted several unsuccessful assaults near Nestryga Island in the Dnipro River Delta.