2025 Dobropillia offensive

The 2025 Dobropillia offensive was a military operation during the Russo-Ukrainian war by the Russian Armed Forces, with the primary goal of capturing the strategic city of Dobropillia in western Donetsk Oblast. The offensive lasted from 11 August to 29 November 2025, ending in status quo ante bellum with initial Russian gains reversed and all involved settlements returning to Ukrainian control. The offensive separated itself from the Pokrovsk offensive to the south on 11 August 2025 after a major Russian ground assault was launched northeast of Rodynske. The first day saw Russian forces capture a 15 km (9.3 mi) strip of land around 6 km (3.7 mi) wide including three villages, which additionally severed the highway connecting Dobropillia to the city of Kramatorsk. Russian forces' tactics including small units of Russian forces penetrating the frontline before larger assaults, Russian numerical advantages, and Ukrainian infantry shortages at this part of the frontline were credited with making the Russian offensive initially successful. The deployment of Ukrainian elite troops including the 1st Azov Corps and other Ukrainian reserves, however, saw Russian forces ultimately pushed back from all of their initially captured positions from the start of the offensive, with the notable encirclement and mass surrender of over fifty Russians in the village of Kucheriv Yar taking place near the end of the offensive. While Russia never denounced its ambitions of capturing Dobropillia, the loss of its territory towards the city gained in August, alongside a statement by Ukrainian Lieutenant General Oleh Apostol on 29 November 2025, marked the end of the offensive. Diplomatically, a number of media outlets additionally stated the offensive was likely launched to place Russia at a better position in peace negotiations for the then-upcoming 2025 Russia–United States Summit. After Ukrainian counterattacks produced results, however, the narrative changed and the...