Ukraine likely withdraws from salient near Toretsk after months of intensive battles — ISW

The analysts refer to geolocated footage published on May 25, indicating recent Russian advances in central Zorya and northern Romanivka (both west of Toretsk). They also assess that Russian troops likely seized Stara Mykolaivka and Hnativka, as well as farmland south of Romanivka.

(These territories have not yet been marked as occupied on DeepState maps. In its morning report on May 26, Ukraine’s General Staff wrote that Russian forces had launched “ten attacks near Toretsk, Romanivka, Diliivka, and toward Novospaske.” - ed.)

ISW also cited Russia’s Defense Ministry claim that its troops have taken Romanivka, as well as claims by Russian milbloggers that Leningrad Military District units are advancing north of the village. Another Russian source alleged that Ukrainian counterattacks on Romanivka’s northern edge were unsuccessful — though these claims remain unconfirmed.

ISW estimated that Russian troops seized around 65 square kilometers in the Romanivka-Zorya offensive. However, the analysts noted that Ukrainian forces likely began withdrawing from the southern part of the “salient” days or even weeks ago.

The Russian offensive in this area intensified in early February 2025. By late April, Russian troops had launched coordinated efforts to eliminate Ukrainian positions south of Romanivka.

Moscow redeployed units of two divisions from the 8th Combined Arms Army (Southern Military District) from the Kurakhove direction to the Toretsk area in mid-February. In early May, additional reinforcements arrived from the 58th Combined Arms Army and the 68th Army Corps, previously operating on the Zaporizhzhya and Kurakhove fronts, respectively.

Despite these reinforcements and the apparent prioritization of this axis, Russian troops encountered notable difficulties advancing in the area, ISW concluded.